The Tharus are an admixture race

The case of Tharu sems to present both similarities and contrasts with the Newar case. We see in the Newar case that until a few centuries ago, they did not use to indentify themselves as Newars. We find that the first time the term was used during Nepal Sambat 774, about 500 years ago. Although they identify verbally and in writing as a single group, now only a few individuals used to use the term Newar as a surname. If we ask who are the proper Newars, then it would include all the Gopalvamsi, Mahishpal vamsi, the Licchavis, the Sakyas, the Koliyas, the Jyapus, the Karnatak vamsi, the Mallas the Deo and Jha Brahmins and the others who poured into the Kathmandu valley and called Nepa: and created and developed their own kind of unique culture, society, language and state before the Gorkha conquest. The anthropologiest have traced that the Newars are a blood-mixed race of the Caucasian of the south and the Mongoloid of the north. Mortan class argues that a few groups of Newars contain Dravidian blood too.

Similarly, although it is supposed that the Tharu originally belonged to the Mongoloid14 stock, but are found different physical traits among them. Alberuni noted the dark complexion and flat nose similar to the Turks. Similarly, Martin (1838 II: 342) points 'There remain in their features strong marks of Chinese or Tartar origin, although, it must be confessed that these marks are somewhat softened and that faces of the man especially do not differ so much from those of Hindus as those of a Chinese." In contrast, Risley felt that the Tharus belonged to the Dravidian or Kolarian aborigional races but his conclusion was largely based on the peculiar dialcect the Tharu spoke. 15. Krauskopff (1995:202) also suspects that they are perhaps Mongoloid mixed with Plans people Dravidian or Kolarian mixed whti Mongoloids of Nepal.

                The Tharus are on average of below medium height with a round head tending towards a broader shape. They have a short nose and a round or oval face (mahalanobis, 1949). In the ABO blood group, they show a higher incidence of gene B (28-37%) than gene A with 40 to 50% of gene O. A relatively higher gene M (70-75%) in the MN system, has been observed among them. They show a very low frequency of secretors (42%) for ABH secretion in saliva and non-taster individuals (18%) for PTC taste abiligy. In the Rh distribution they show a high incidence of R1 (70%), R0 (8%) and low frequency of R2 (11%) with the presence of Rz. In finger dermatoglyphic features, they exhibit a higher incidence of whorls and a low percentages of arches and a high value of pattern intensity index (K.S. Sing 1994:1138). But the above dates are collected from only the western Tharus. Krauskopff (1995:201-2) says several anthropometric and genetic studies addressing the mysterious racial mixture of the Tharu have been systematically carried out to settle this question on a 'scientific basis' but without success.