Chhetri

For the footballer, see Sunil Chhetri.
"Kshetriya" redirects here. For military and ruling class in Hinduism, see Kshatriya.

Chhetri/Kshetri
क्षेत्री/खस
Portrait of a Chhetri "Queen Tripurasundari of Nepal" who ruled the country as a Queen regent from 1806 -1832
Regions with significant populations
   Nepal4,796,995 (16.4% of Nepal's population) (2021)[1]
Languages
Nepali (Khas-Kura), Dotyali (Doteli)[2]
Religion
Hinduism 99.25% (2011), Christianity 0.6% (2011)[3]
Related ethnic groups
Khas peoples
Bahun, Thakuri, Kumaoni, Magar, and other Indo-Aryan peoples

Chhetri (Kshetri, Kshettri, Kshetry or Chhettri), (Nepali: क्षेत्री pronounced [tsʰetri]; IAST: Kṣetrī) historically called Kshettriya or Kshetriya or Khas are Nepali speaking Kshatriyas historically associated with warriors and administrators, some of whom trace their origin to migration from medieval India.[4][5] Chhetri was a caste of administrators, governors, warriors and military elites in the medieval Khas Kingdom and Gorkha Kingdom (later unified Kingdom of Nepal).[6] The nobility of the Gorkha Kingdom mainly originated from Chhetri families. They also had a strong presence in civil administration affairs.[7] The bulk of prime ministers of Nepal before the democratization of Nepal belonged to this caste as a result of the old Gorkhali aristocracy. Gorkha-based aristocratic Chhetri families included the Pande dynasty, the Basnyat dynasty, the Kunwar family (and their offspring branch, the autocratic Rana dynasty, and the Thapa dynasty.

Khas Chhetris were traditionally considered a division of the Khas people with Khas Brahmin (commonly called Khas Bahun).[8] They make up 16.45% of Nepal's population according to the 2021 Nepal census, making them the most populous caste or ethnic community in Nepal.[9] Chhetris speak an Indo-Aryan Nepali language (Khas-Kura) as mother tongue.[2][4]

  1. ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
  2. ^ a b Dhungel 1998, p. 5.
  3. ^ Central Bureau of Statistics (2014). Population monograph of Nepal (PDF) (Report). Vol. II. Government of Nepal.
  4. ^ a b Lawoti 2005, p. 91.
  5. ^ Bista, Dor Bahadur (1980). People of Nepal (4 ed.). Ratna Pustak Bhandar. pp. 2–4.
  6. ^ Pradhan 2012, pp. 20–21.
  7. ^ Pahari 1995, p. 632.
  8. ^ Hitchcock 1978, pp. 116–119.
  9. ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, Caste/Ethnicity Report. Government of Nepal (Report).