The Newars of Nepal
2
BOOK REVIEW The Newars of Nepal N G Chapekar The Newars by Gopal Singh Nepali; United Asia Publications, Bombay, 1965; pp 476, Rs 30. 1881 T HE author of this book, Gopal Singh Nepali, belongs to Nepal of whose population the Newars form an important section. The facts as stated by him concerning the Newars can be presumed to be unchallenge- able. A foreigner is likely to slip into believing a bit of a composite fact as an independent fact. Having the ad- vantage of intimate knowledge of the people, Nepali scrupulously collects facts, analyses them skilfully and in- terprets them intelligently, The im- pression one gains on reading this book is that the author has spared no pains in tapping all the available sources, incluJing the results of per- sonal, investigation. In assessing the value of such ethno- sociological studies it must be remem- bered that there is a mixture of blood as well as of culture in most of our communities. The aggressive nature of man has brought about, though un- consciously, the integretion of the multiseptate people of India. The Nayars, a martial race of the extreme south-west, the Kerala of today, march conquering to Nepal, in the extreme north, and settle there. The local people, under subjugation, are tempted to imitate the conquerors by adopting their manners and customs, adding to, or modifying their native ones. The conquerors are also anxious to mollify the anguish of those who arc hurt by the loss of their status and privileges. Thus there is a two-way traffic in cul- ture and in traditional thinking, both religious and secular. (The English rulers alone were an exception to this as they wanted to impress upon Indians their superiority of culture, religion and learning.) Prevalence of Polyandry Another important social effect of conquests from far off lands is that there is always a paucity of women. When people migrate to a distant place, they are mostly men. Polyandry in the mountain regions is, besides, a necessity. It is a check on prolifica- tion, Population must not outgrow foad production as the chances of its growth are n i l Gopal Singh Nepali has discovered traces of polyandry amongst the Newars. The wife calls her husband's home her husbands' home, suggesting prevalence of poly- andry in the past. The former Teheri tftate law allowed the wife of the younger brother to be wife of the elder brother as well. It is a peculiar custom amongst the Newars that a girl is first married to the immortal God Narayana as her principal marriage. It is an ingenious idea the like of which will probably not be found anywhere else. The Ne- war woman in consequence never be- comes a widow. Human wedding loses its sanctity, becoming an act of con- venience. Divorce is easy and common. The woman has greater freedom. She is its free as she was before the intro- duction of the institution of marriage. The Original Inhabitants? Are Newars the original inhabitants of India,, possibly unconnected with the Vedic Aryas? I am not sure if girls' marriage with the God Narayana has any reference to the Vedic story of a woman being married to several sods such as Savila, Agni, etc. Nor can I say whether the custom was de- rived from the Veda or whether the Veda echoes the prevailing custom. The author has referred to Newar women changing their spouse from time to time. Instances of this practice are found amongst forest tribes such as Katkaris and Thakurs. In such si- tuations it is not surprising if aberrant sexuaf unions go without punitive con- sequences, Against this somewhat licentious background, it is interesting to find the high reverance in which a girl before puberty is held. She is raised to the status of a Goddess. She is worshipped; even the king pays ho- mage to her. In this context, the tem- ple of Kanyakumari in the South is a further clue that the Newars came from the South. In my book "Hima- layanta", I have hinted at the possibi- lity of migration of the Newars from the South, judging by their calculation of time. Their month begins from the new moon day and ends on the last day of the dark fortnight. Quite the reverse is the practice in Upper India, where the month begins after the full moon. The use of betelnut in far off Nepal further supports this view. Nepali has remarked that the reli- gious beliefs and practices of the Newar are dominated by the desire for material gain, suggesting thereby that the Newars have not progressed beyond the primary stage of life. In early times when people knew only their immediate environs and when natural resources were undeveloped, their pressing concern was the satisfac- tion of their basic needs. That was their goal. Religion came into being to help them to achieve that goal. Natural elements and imaginary dei- ties whom they feared must were placated fur favours. When man was no longer at the mercy of nature, his mind turned elsewhere and the other-world ideology began to domi- natc his thinking. Customs are the store-house of his- tory. Ample material can be culled from such customs as boys eloping with girls, occasional pratihma ma- trimonial unions, the sale of girls and the sharing of the price by all the relatives of her parents, etc. In- stances of such customs can be co- piously cited from the "Mahabharata". In fact, the "Mahabharata" will be far better appreciated if read in the light of the picture of these mountain people as ably delineated by Nepali. Language Ignored In my opinion, a chapter on the language of the Newars should have found a place in this book. The Ian- guage cannot be ignored in an eth no-sociological study of a commu- nity. From my scanty knowledge, I have the impression that the Newari language is distinct from Nepali, The latter is the oil-spring of Sanskrit, though largely influenced by Gurkha, Hindi, Punjabi and Sindhi. The word mama (maternal uncle) is found in many Indian languages including the non-Sanskrit derived Kanarese. Nepali language has that word, but not the Newari. The Newars use the word pazu (spelt as paju in the glossary). For fire aga is the Nepali word where- as the Newars call it mee, if I am not wrong. I have noticed that the Kat- karis, a forest tribe, use the word indhana (a genuine Vedic word) and, what is more striking, they have no other word for fire. The Newars understand by the word sinha, not a lion but a horse. When, however, they talk of the sky, they come nearer to Sanskrit. I am told that akasa is their word for sky. On the other hand, surutiga stands for sky in the Nepali language. Maybe it is the corrupt form of svarga Languages and dialects, it is obvious, offer a vast field for re- search.
Transcript of The Newars of Nepal
BOOK REVIEW
The Newars of Nepal N G Chapekar
The Newars by Gopal Singh Nepali; United Asia Publications, Bombay, 1965; pp 476, Rs 30.
1881
T HE author of this book, Gopal Singh Nepali, belongs to Nepal
of whose population the Newars form an important section. The facts as stated by him concerning the Newars can be presumed to be unchallengeable. A foreigner is likely to slip into believing a bit of a composite fact as an independent fact. Having the advantage of intimate knowledge of the people, Nepali scrupulously collects facts, analyses them skilfully and in-terprets them intelligently, The impression one gains on reading this book is that the author has spared no pains in tapping all the available sources, incluJing the results of personal, investigation.
In assessing the value of such ethno-sociological studies it must be remembered that there is a mixture of blood as well as of culture in most of our communities. The aggressive nature of man has brought about, though unconsciously, the integretion of the multiseptate people of India. The Nayars, a martial race of the extreme south-west, the Kerala of today, march conquering to Nepal, in the extreme north, and settle there. The local people, under subjugation, are tempted to imitate the conquerors by adopting their manners and customs, adding to , or modifying their native ones. The conquerors are also anxious to mollify the anguish of those who arc hurt by the loss of their status and privileges. Thus there is a two-way traffic in culture and in traditional thinking, both religious and secular. (The English rulers alone were an exception to this as they wanted to impress upon Indians their superiority of culture, religion and learning.)
Prevalence of Polyandry Another important social effect of
conquests from far off lands is that there is always a paucity of women. When people migrate to a distant place, they are mostly men. Polyandry in the mountain regions is, besides, a necessity. It is a check on prolifica-tion, Population must not outgrow foad production as the chances of its growth are n i l Gopal Singh Nepali has discovered traces of polyandry amongst the Newars. The wife calls her husband's home her husbands' home, suggesting prevalence of polyandry in the past. The former Teheri
tftate law allowed the wife of the younger brother to be wife of the elder brother as well.
It is a peculiar custom amongst the Newars that a girl is first married to the immortal God Narayana as her principal marriage. It is an ingenious idea the like of which will probably not be found anywhere else. The Ne-war woman in consequence never becomes a widow. Human wedding loses its sanctity, becoming an act of convenience. Divorce is easy and common. The woman has greater freedom. She is its free as she was before the introduction of the institution of marriage.
The Original Inhabitants? Are Newars the original inhabitants
of India,, possibly unconnected with the Vedic Aryas? I am not sure if girls' marriage with the God Narayana has any reference to the Vedic story of a woman being married to several sods such as Savila, Agni, etc. Nor can I say whether the custom was derived from the Veda or whether the Veda echoes the prevailing custom.
The author has referred to Newar women changing their spouse from time to time. Instances of this practice are found amongst forest tribes such as Katkaris and Thakurs. In such situations it is not surprising if aberrant sexuaf unions go without punitive consequences, Against this somewhat licentious background, it is interesting to find the high reverance in which a girl before puberty is held. She is raised to the status of a Goddess. She is worshipped; even the king pays homage to her. In this context, the temple of Kanyakumari in the South is a further clue that the Newars came from the South. In my book "Hima-layanta", I have hinted at the possibil i ty of migration of the Newars from the South, judging by their calculation of time. Their month begins from the new moon day and ends on the last day of the dark fortnight. Quite the reverse is the practice in Upper India, where the month begins after the full moon. The use of betelnut in far off Nepal further supports this view.
Nepali has remarked that the religious beliefs and practices of the Newar are dominated by the desire for material gain, suggesting thereby that the Newars have not progressed beyond the primary stage of life. In early times when people knew only
their immediate environs and when natural resources were undeveloped, their pressing concern was the satisfaction of their basic needs. That was their goal. Religion came into being to help them to achieve that goal. Natural elements and imaginary deities whom they feared must were placated fur favours. When man was no longer at the mercy of nature, his mind turned elsewhere and the other-world ideology began to domi-natc his thinking.
Customs are the store-house of history. Ample material can be culled from such customs as boys eloping with girls, occasional pratihma matrimonial unions, the sale of girls and the sharing of the price by all the relatives of her parents, etc. Instances of such customs can be copiously cited from the "Mahabharata". In fact, the "Mahabharata" will be far better appreciated if read in the light of the picture of these mountain people as ably delineated by Nepali.
Language Ignored In my opinion, a chapter on the
language of the Newars should have found a place in this book. The Ian-guage cannot be ignored in an eth no-sociological study of a community. From my scanty knowledge, I have the impression that the Newari language is distinct from Nepali, The latter is the oil-spring of Sanskrit, though largely influenced by Gurkha, Hindi, Punjabi and Sindhi. The word mama (maternal uncle) is found in many Indian languages including the non-Sanskrit derived Kanarese. Nepali language has that word, but not the Newari. The Newars use the word pazu (spelt as paju in the glossary). For fire aga is the Nepali word whereas the Newars call it mee, if I am not wrong. I have noticed that the Katkaris, a forest tribe, use the word indhana (a genuine Vedic word) and, what is more striking, they have no other word for fire. The Newars understand by the word sinha, not a lion but a horse. When, however, they talk of the sky, they come nearer to Sanskrit. I am told that akasa is their word for sky. On the other hand, surutiga stands for sky in the Nepali language. Maybe it is the corrupt form of svarga Languages and dialects, it is obvious, offer a vast field for research.
