http://www.parakhi.com/blogs/2011/09/30/castes-that-cripple/


Castes that cripple
By Saani | Published September 30, 2011




I’ve been blessed with ignorance when it comes to identifying castes and ethnicities in Nepal. And yes, I knowing used the word “blessed”. I’m sure many could argue that my cultural blindness is a negative thing and that I’m robbing different people groups of their individual identities but I see this as the opposite – regardless of shape of eyes, color of skin, accent, food, and clothes, I am able to see everyone as simply Nepali.

I figure where this will get me into trouble is if I ever have to act like a witness for anything, I’d fail at the descriptions that most Nepalis would use. “He looks Rai,” “She looks Newar” gives me literally no mental image as to what a person’s physical features would be.

At a time when the “Nepali” identity is being questioned and reworked, I can see why people would give me the stink eye for my lack of knowledge. But, if what we’re trying to do is get everyone on an even platform, this “ignorance” is what we should be striving for. I believe that true equality is when we can look at people and not see the differences that we use to be biased and prejudiced.

I don’t know what traits distinguish Gurungs from Magars and I only have a vague sense of which last names are linked to “high” caste and which ones are “low” but if there is one caste that I am able to identify with almost 100% accuracy – it’s the bahuns.

When my mother used to make comments stereotyping them, I’d always get mad at her and tell her that if she, as an educated modern woman makes a statement like that, then what hope do we have for social change in our country? Back then, she had smiled at me and told me to just wait and see. Unfortunately, as time as passed, these characteristics have made themselves apparent to me.

In any circle I’ve drifted through, it take all but five minutes to spot the bahun. They’re usually the ones who are the loudest, the most snooty, and the one with the janney attitude that is every so annoying. Observing these traits I’ve also begun to recognize some traits like the long nose and fairer skin, but it’s the personality and the behavior that stands out the most to me.

So, in order to not be racist to another people group in Nepal, I began to question why people are the way they are and it didn’t take long for me to come up with a theory: bahuns today still possess a sense of authority and entitlement.

For centuries they were looked up to, admired, and people would submit to their every need and demand. For this simple reason, they adopted a sense of superiority. This idea of being better than everyone had been inbreed and birth through countless generations bringing us to where we are today: more bahuns and high caste people still hold more power and position in most realms, they still think they’re better than everyone, they’re still the ones who think they know it all, they’re still living out all the habits of arrogance that our forefathers used to discriminate against our own people.

All of this, needed to change. I’m under the impression that it will take time and education before we see names of all castes in high positions, but until then, I’m going to try to forget how to pick out bahuns and focus on how everyone really is just Nepali.


Saani has no real goals and aspirations but she sees opportunity in everything and goes with the flow. This is probably because she loves exploring and discovering. She writes for fun but for the same reason she also cooks, reads, and spends a lot of time on random websites that offer a chance to learn all sorts of tid-bits on life


http://www.parakhi.com/blogs/2011/09/30/castes-that-cripple/

This stereotype of baahuns - cunning, snooty, loud, discriminating - seem to be true in my experience too.    

Just the other day, I had the opportunity to visit a program for Nepali children here in the US.  One of the mothers, obviously a baahun - by nose and by surname - was acting quite snooty and loud.  "I'm a lawyer," she mentioned several times, without much context or conversational necessity.  She looked down her long nose at everybody, even other baahuns.  When she met other parents whose professional positions could be of some help to her career, she suddenly transformed herself into being very friendly.  Aaishyo, bhanishyo, garishyo... rolled out of tongue like water down the Niagara Falls.   But then, another parent who had come to the US just recently approached her, she turned on a dime into that discriminating, high-brow harridan again.

Now the sad fact is, I see this behavior too far often among "baahuns" .

But, and this is a very important BUT,

some of my very good friends are "baahuns".  They are the most humble, most helpful, most benevolent people that I know.  Sure they are smart, but not cunning.  They are loud, only when they are just plain having fun among friends.  They do not discriminate among their friends, be them baahuns or non-baahuns.  They are far from being snooty, in fact they are quite generous and carry the air of integrity.

So, that puzzles me.  And I am sure I am not the only non-baahun who feels this way.

Many times, in and out of Nepal, we see the "stereotypical" baahuns.    Not to say that other castes - [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s, [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s, matwalis, etc - do not have the negative qualities.  But it is far easier to find these deplorable attitudes among "baahuns".   Hence, the stereotype of baahun, I guess.

However, I turn around and look at my friends.  The stereotype just does not gel.  THEY ARE THE MOST DECENT PEOPLE AROUND AND THEY ARE BAAHUNS.

So, is it just the matter of individuals?  Then why is the stereotype so justified in far too many instances?  

Is it the socio-economic class that determines these qualities?  Again, this argument does not hold up because the baahun friends I talk about come from all levels, and they are all wonderful people.  

Maybe where they hail from matters?  We hear that Jhapali baahuns are the most "dhurta".  Or that the Shyangjali baahuns can beat those jhaapali baahuns in "dhurta-ness" in sleep.  Wrong, in my opinion.  Two of my best friends come from each of those regions, and they are both straight as arrow.

So what is it?  

when u come across  an individual  usually the ones who are the loudest, the most snooty, and the one with the janney attitude that is ever so annoying  u  dont take them  immediately as a [Disallowed String for - castist reference]..and it does not necessarily has to be a [Disallowed String for - castist reference] or any other group..u go for the physical appearance to make sure who it is...and thats plain racist...and i am ashamed at my own convictions..that a young nepali person like you still carries centuries old stereotypes with you to identify a group of people..it all depends on what kind of tbrought up has Mr. Snooty  had..or it all depends on what kind of individual he is for the behavior he is sporting..it has nothing to do with him being a [Disallowed String for - castist reference].. i know [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s who are just the opposite of what u just mentioned..are they not [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s because they dont exhiit the qualities mr Snooty possess??? its not only about [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s ...our nepali society is full of  stereotypes. stereotypical attitutes of [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s towards [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s or vice versa..or [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s towards marsya or rai limbus towards [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s or [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s..each and every creed has its own stereotypes which is based on the traits that was prevalent centuries ago...arent the young generation supposed to let go of those stereotypes and unite as nepali..i hope u will write something worth reading  next time!

NepaliAmerican...

I agree with everything you said..this is what I have heard too..

"We hear that Jhapali baahuns are the most "dhurta".  Or that the Shyangjali baahuns can beat those jhaapali baahuns in "dhurta-ness" in sleep. " I, however, do think compare to brahmins from ktm..brahmins esp from jhapa and syanja are pretty cunning...I think anybody who has expereince living in more places and more exposure would be..so their smartness is not always BAD. just like Nepalis are more cunning than native-whites in this country..atleast thats how I feel, because we are exposed to one more culture and country..BUT, to be honest, I do prefer western Nepal brahmins over eastern Nepal.  And brahmins from ktm over western & eastern Nepal..Then I sort them based on which of the 3 diff types of brahmins they are.. See, so I guess its hard to find a good brahmin..lol..so much filtering..lol..

BUT--Not all brahmins have long nose or have fairer skin. I grew up NOT liking most brahmins too. But I made too many exceptions like I only liked my relatives...lol..they, to me , were not like other brahmin in my school..they were nice to me..so they were good and thus I developed the list of  brahmins I liked lol.  Soon I realized there are good and bad people in every cast.e. But not all brahmins have long nose and fair skin..Some look like white europeans and some dark like south indians..some have long nose..some very short..some had big eyes, some had almond shaped eyes..some asian..some inbetween...

However, I know what you mean Parakhi..though I think its kinda sad that you would write something like that!   Just like your mom, Aba meri aama ko kura sunni ho bhaney ta "brahmin dusta ra nyaaar ishta kaile huncha??." yet my friends and best friends are all nay-wars...the food I make at home is highly naywari influenced..I find myself more comfortable around nay-wars than others...but i know not all nay-wars like that..so I take my caution when necessary...

I guess I am lucky to have friends of all castes so I don't feel such prejudice..looks like you need to meet some nice brahmins..they are not all that bad although you  do have to be careful  with them..just like with any person from any caste, creed, color, or nationality...

 You know, the same question has been bothering me for ages. 

I wonder if its really stereotypical or not but I tend to agree that in most cases, stereotypes are very true - not just in Nepalese, but among Americans too. Take blacks (rowdy, high chances of having a record), Hispanics (poor), Asians(nerdy, no/limited involvement in illegal acts), White (considerate, well-mannered). That said, exceptions occur. Its not a big surprise to see a white man who's pretty inconsiderate or a rich Latino or hell, a very polite black person with a clean record. 

I suppose you could relate to it among Nepalese too. Since I come from a chhetri family, I know how my family members often make remarks about people belonging to other castes - phohori, chotta, andho/debro, chattu, etc. Doesn't necessarily mean that a person that's a [Disallowed String for - castist reference], [Disallowed String for - castist reference], rai, limbu, gurung, 'tallo jaat', thakuri, '[Disallowed String for - castist reference]', [Disallowed String for - castist reference] society portray such characteristics, but even then, its atypical of a person belonging to different castes reflecting a certain distinct characteristic. 

 Paulina, I can relate to your personal experience regarding Jhapalis too. The cunningness is not limited to Jahapali [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s though (albeit a vast majority of Jhapalis living in my neighborhood are [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s). I've met a fair number of "purbelis" who possess similar characteristics. 

You're not located in the Bay Area, are you?  

Aren't all jhapalis purbelis also?? Footyfan, no i am not from bay area why?

I like reading Saani's blogs. She writes about almost everything under the sun and you can totally relate to it. I personally think that she is an excellent writer. The other one that I like is Sumi.

Even though I never grew up around baahuns and I haven't had a baahun friend, I still have the mentality that baahun is bad. It is hard to change this mentality because this is what society thinks and wants us to think.

 My question was both rhetorical and prosaic. I meant to state that its not just the Purbeli jhapalis that I've found out to be dhurtas. Folks from Biratnagar and nearby places have measured into similar scales pertaining to cunningness. Come to think of it, aren't most Politicians from that part? 

And I was wondering, that's all because I don't think there are as many Jhapalis outside the Bay Area (might be wrong). 

 Violet, you must be either a gurungseni (or a 'mongolian') or a [Disallowed String for - castist reference]ni maicha. I'll be kicking myself if you turned out to be a "solta". 

I can be anything you want me to be.

 Did I just labeled a "castist" for using the term n e w a r n i m a i c h a? wow. 

Anyway, I hope you don't feel offended. I merely pondered upon the caste that you must belong to based on your post. 

Just to let you now, I am neither of those. But whether I am a solta, we can still debate on that. ;-)

I like the color violet on women...but gee, wouldn't I really be kicking myself if you indeed turned out to be a guy! Just yesterday, I mistook a homo sapien that turned out to be a man for a woman! s/he was pissed as hell when I went went, "ma'am" and I'm still scratching my head on whether it was a guy or a girl because s/he sounded like a guy but looked like a woman. 

You must be a Tibetan then. or maybe a Rai or a Sherpa or a Thakuri. 

Footyfan, I agree with you on this too..

"My question was both rhetorical and prosaic. I meant to state that its not just the Purbeli jhapalis that I've found out to be dhurtas. Folks from Biratnagar and nearby places have measured into similar scales pertaining to cunningness. Come to think of it, aren't most Politicians from that part? 

And I was wondering, that's all because I don't think there are as many Jhapalis outside the Bay Area (might be wrong). "

Avoid purbelis period..western Nepali bahu.n.s are far better..and ofcourse, there 3 types of bahu.n.s and i do avoid purbelis and thats the biggest chunk of bra.h.min.s right there ;)!! And they are the ones with real long nose too like Girija lol :)!

 Paulina, Are you a sherp.ini or Ne.wa.rni, too? The way you talk about b.a.hun.s makes me wonder. 

Nope..I am phuli launi bahu.nni..but not purbeli ;)!!

 ahahahaha. A bahu.ni. that doesn't like another? Interesting....

I grew up being the only bahu.ni..in the circle of my friends and loved my circl.e that way!! when other [Disallowed String for - castist reference].s try to do the bahu.n thing with me..i get annoyed. i can't relate to the bah.unness...unless ofcourse they share similar history as me..which most ba.huns we meet in US don't have..believe it or not some bahu.ns even have differnet names for vegetables they eat..as well as nepali language spoken is very different of diff bah.uns depending on the region..

Not everybody in every cas.te is perfect...I agree with that!

Aba girija dekhi baburam samma so called brahmi.n bhaye pachi k laagcha..but mind u they are purbeli.s ;)! Thus, my distance towards them..

Some of my closest friends are [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s too. One is a tad cunning.  Another is a cheap bastard and a miser   and neither are purbelis. Not all [Disallowed String for - castist reference]s are the same though.