The Indigenous Ethnic Tharu-1

Tharus are main and largest indigenous ethnic people of Terai and Inner Terai living est to west Nepal. They are also found in the boarder district of India, especially in Champaran, Bengal, Gonda, Nainital, Gorakhpur and Kheri district of Utter Pradesh. According to 2001 census data of CBS, Tharus are more than 1.5 million. But Tharus have been questioning the credibility of the census 2001 and claiming that there are more than 3.5 million Tharus in Nepal.
    Regarding on historical identity of indigenous Tharu, different writers have given different opinions. Former attorney general Singh (1988:4) has argued that the followers of Theravade Buddhims were knows as "Sthavir" and from this word name 'Tharu" derived. It is very easy and logical changeover from "Sthavir" to 'Thavir and finally to 'Tharu'. On the other hand, according to Dwivedi (1955:3 cited by Singh 2006) the short form of "Stharu" is "tharu", which means to stay behind. According to him, when Buddha came to Kapilvastu for the first time after being enlightened, all his kinsmen were eager to join the Bhikkhu Sangha, but Buddha did not ordain all ut only the selected few. The rest of them who were left behind to continue with their family life were called "Stharu" or "tharu". According to Itihans Siromano Baburam Acharya (2010) the Tharus are of the Mongolian stock because of their colour and facial appearance, but it does not mean that they came from Mongolia as the passes in the Himalays opened only at the end of the sixth century.