Nepali kumaris

I had seen this before. It's tough and probably unfair to judge others by our own standards, eh?
 
The practices of other cultures is so interesting. Thanks for posting this Beoram. It's great to see you back here.
Steve
 
I think evry one in Nepal has to pay the priest to get thier caste reinstated after traveling overseas I understand Beo?

So I Guess the Goddesss family just paid the fee for the ceremony?

Spiral
 
Spiral, I believe at one point in time there was a general prohibition against Hindus crossing 'the black water', i.e. travelling overseas. But because of Hindu troops serving overseas I guess the pundits came up with something (or adapted some earlier ritual) to allow them to reinstate caste later on. I think even Jung Bahadur faced something of this kind.

But these days this would be a rather out-of-date practice. I don't think Nepalis generally have any problems with overseas travelling in terms of caste-lost. But for something like a kumari, maybe older rules apply?
 
Interesting Beo,

It appears the whole world is gradualy becoming "Post-Modern" in style.

I know some Gurkhas still take puja when they go back, {but perhaps it is rare, I have met one though, a friend of Simons who did it a couple of years ago.} I guess it depends on how traditional thier beliefs or familys are?

Spiral
 
Hi Spiral,

I'm not sure. Are the Gurkhas actually having a puja done to restore caste though? I suppose the practice could linger on in certain areas - I guess for Gurkhas--who would have been almost the only Nepalis for whom crossing oceans would even have been an issue until 50 years ago or so--the practice could have continued.

But people in South Asia have different 'pujas' for lots of different reasons too. So I don't know if it is the same ritual or not. Could be though. And of course not all of the Gurkhas are Hindus; the Buddhist Gurkhas at least in theory shouldn't have to worry about loss of caste I would guess. But of course, on the ground, Nepali Hinduism and Nepali Buddhism are not so easily separated.

I actually don't know the full history of loss-of-caste as arising from crossing of the ocean. I wonder what the origin of the prohibition is, and what its authority is (i.e. if it is actually based on a 'textual' tradition, such as the Laws of Manu).

--B.
 
Hi Beo,

Interesting, I would say at least one did for that reason, as I understood from him, but perhaps it was combined with he had reached end of service after 22 years so would have shortly been home for good? we were enjoying his hospitality ,eating & having a beer, When he spoke of it so perhaps I misunderstood slightly. It was certanly the impresion I got though.

He was of the caste & name that meant he was excluded from tax in Nepal. ;)

There not that many pure Buddhist Gurkhas i think? I may be wrong, I should have the Offcial figures for ww1 & ww2 by caste , religion etc. Ill have a look. Havent got the currant figures unfortuanatly.

I was surprised at the many Religions & Nationalitys who somehow ended up in the Gurkhas over the years. Sikhs, Muslims, Burmese etc.etc.

Spiral
 
The Gurkhas were delighted to be going to war, though they had little notion of exactly where they were going.... Special arrangements were necessary before they were permitted to embark on their journey to fight the Germans and Turks. Hindus were forbidden to cross the sea on pain of loss of caste unless given special dispensation. In any case a special purification ceremony, the pani patiya, was required when a Hindu returned from overseas.
Click to expand...
The Gurkhas, "World War I: France", Byron Falwell.
This article describes the practice in a contemporary context.
 
Thanks Berkley! Good research! Interesting contempary link.

I guess my impresions from Nepal were probably correct in that case.

Looked through the old records & they dont actualy differentiate Hindus from Buddhists, amongst the class/religion records.I guess because as you said Beo, in Nepal it is so hard to separate the 2.

Fascinatingly ther were only 367 inlisted Brahmins then but 637 Assamese/Burmese! & even stranger 63 Punjabi muslims , 2 Tamils & 19 Sikhs! {Many of whom apparently became senior NCOs.}

Spiral
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top