Who Are the Tharu?
The Tharu are an indigenous people of the Terai lowlands along the Nepal-India border, numbering approximately 2-3 million people. They speak Tharu languages belonging to the Indo-Aryan family, with numerous dialects. The Tharu have inhabited the Terai for centuries, developing unique resistance to malaria that allowed them to thrive in an environment deadly to outsiders. This immunity kept outsiders at bay until malaria eradication programs in the 1950s-60s opened the Terai to migration, dramatically changing Tharu demographics. The Tharu are known for their distinctive longhouses, stick dance traditions, and animistic beliefs blended with Hindu elements.
Malaria Resistance
The Tharu's genetic resistance to malaria—likely through sickle cell trait and other adaptations—was key to their survival in the Terai's formerly malarial environment. While other groups could not settle the disease-ridden lowlands, the Tharu flourished in this ecological niche. This resistance kept the Terai relatively isolated and Tharu-dominated for centuries. When DDT spraying programs eliminated malaria in the 1950s-60s, hill migrants flooded into the newly habitable Terai, transforming Tharu from majority to minority in their homeland. This demographic shift remains a defining factor in Tharu identity politics and land rights struggles.
Cultural Traditions
Tharu culture features distinctive longhouses that historically housed extended families, colorful mud wall paintings (especially in Mithila Tharu areas), and the famous stick dance (Jhumra) performed during festivals. Religious practice blends animism, ancestor worship, and Hinduism, with village shamans (guruwa) conducting healing rituals. The Maghi festival marks the Tharu New Year. Traditional dress varies by region but often features colorful embroidery. Tharu women are known for elaborate tattoos and distinctive jewelry. The community maintained relatively egalitarian gender relations compared to neighboring caste Hindu societies.
Contemporary Tharu
Modern Tharu in Nepal gained official recognition as an indigenous nationality (adivasi janajati) and have organized politically to advocate for land rights and cultural recognition. Many Tharu lost land to hill migrants through unfair sales, debt, and kamaiya (bonded labor) systems that were outlawed in 2000. Freed kamaiyas still struggle for rehabilitation. In India, Tharu are designated as a Scheduled Tribe with associated protections. Ethnic tourism in areas like Chitwan showcases Tharu culture. The Tharu language faces pressure from Nepali and Hindi, though cultural festivals maintain vitality. How the Tharu assert indigenous rights in their transformed homeland shapes their future as one of South Asia's largest indigenous peoples.
References
- Guneratne, A. (2002). Many Tongues, One People: The Making of Tharu Identity in Nepal
- McDonaugh, C. (1997). "Losing Ground, Gaining Ground: Land and Change in a Tharu Community"
- Krauskopff, G. (1995). "The Anthropology of the Tharu"