We danuwar (हामी दनुवार )

Quite akin to the Tharus in numerous ways, the ancestral strongholds of the Danuwars are Banke and Bardia districts. These days they are mostly found in different places of Sindhuli, Makwanpur, Siraha, Udayapur, Sarlahi, Nuwakot and Dhading districts. They belong to four clans - loincloth wearer, janai thread wearer and Rai. The loincloth-wearing Danuwars live between the Chure and Mahabharat Ranges while the thread wearing ones also known as Rajan Danuwar, live in the Terai plains. Rai Danuwars prefer the riverbanks. They are divided into several subgroups or septs such as Dhoni, Chheku, Kuechariya, Rajan, Kushniya, Jidhariya, Kunuor, Adhikari, Dhami, Rai, Kanchla, Nampurchre, and so on. They have their own language, but it is slowly fading away. In religious matters, Danuwars are much closer to the Tharu and Dhimal ethnic groups. Farming is their major occupation. Only 24.5 percent Danuwars are literate and 60 percent of them live below poverty line. According to census 2001, their population is 53,229.

Danuwars are a subtribe of the Tharus of Nepal who have their settlements in the area north of the Terai where the Tharus of Nepal live and also the Churia basin south of Mahabharat range (Bista, 1996). One of the thars (clan) of Tharu is Danuwar also. This tribe believes in Ban Devi (goddess of forests). Since this tribe has its settlements in Dun Area it is possible that it has been named after the word Dun (Sharma, BS2052). Their behaviour, dress, food and lifestyle appear to have been influenced by the people of neighbourhood (Sharma, BS2045). Although they are settled in areas which are located in the interior parts and/or basins of rivers, they are also scattered in different outer districts of middle and east Nepal. The main area of settlement of Danuwars is the district of Sindhuli. They are scattered today in Bagmati, Sagarmatha and Janakpur zones, too. The 1993 Statistical Pocket Book of HMGN indicates that the people who speak Danuwar language as a mother tongue have reached 55 districts of Nepal (Khatri, BS2051/52). Danuwars live in districts like Lalitpur, Kabhre, Nuwakot, Okhaldhunga, Sindhupalchowk, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Gorkha, Jhapa, Morang, Dhanusa, Sarlahi, Rauthahat, Sindhuli, Udayapur and Makwanpur. The census of 2001 records the population of Danuwars at 53,229. Experts are of the view that the Danuwar language belongs to Majadhi family of languages. This means that Danuwar language is thought to have been influenced by Magadhi language (Khatri, BS2051-52). Bote, Majhi, Darai, Kachhade, Kuswar and Rai Danuwar fall within the Danuwar group of languages (Gurung, BS2057). Danuwar language may be dubbed as Bhojpuri mixed with Nepali (Sharma, BS2052).

Since Danuwars are influenced by the inhabitants of neighbourhood, they are culturally influenced by other ethnbic groups, too. The rituals of Rai Danuwar and Tharu Danuwar cannot be performed by Brahmin. Naming ceremony is conducted by the oldest woman in the family and the first haircut is done by maternal uncle. There is a custom of stealing groom from the side of bride for marriage. The dead ones are laid to rest (Sharma, BS2052). Some of them throw corpse in the river, too (Sharma, BS2045). There is a practice of cremating, too, if the deceased happens to be an adult (Khatri, BS2051/052). The newborn is christened anytime between three and 11 days of its birth. On the last day of the naming ceremony a feast is organized for the relatives and neighbours. They are offered spirit to drink. Danuwars practise all types of marriage, ie marriage by asking, marriage by choice and marriage by capture. Divorce can be validated by society itself. Danuwar settlements are usually very densely populated in one cluster. One thar (clan) of them accepts spirit and chicken as food and drink whereas another thar never does so. Their houses are long and have multiple rooms. They take enjoyment in songs, music and festivals.

Danuwars have a system of joint family of simple nature with family relatives as members. The male member of the family is considered the head of it. Rai, Tharu, Kachhare Rajahan, Bahaduriya are some of their thars (clans).

Little disputes that arise in the villages are settled by respectable persons of society. The concept of mannyajan (or respectable superior persons) has remained as an accepted custom from time immemorial in the Danuwar community. Besides mannyajan they had authorities in the village committees like president, bichari (clerk), gouro, goret, jayabar, etc. The custom of mannyajan is disappearing gradually. The Danuwars rank high at getting things done by upasana (worship) of invisible spiritual/metaphysical power. They use shamans and mantrabidya (knowledge of spells) to a maximum degree. They believe that man can become a tiger, can cross the river and can become invisible solely by the power of using mantra (spell). They regard Bihibani as their family god. They erect a small open hut in an open space under a pipal tree in the eastern side of their settlement with a view to placing their favourite gods and goddesses by carving their images on wooden plate. Thereafter they worship them by offering sacrifice to them. Hen eggs, he-goats and she-goats are offered in the worships. The worship is conducted by shamans. Sister's son and jwain (sister's or daughter's husband) also become priests for such worships.

Danuwars in recent days do farming but their family occupation is hunting itself. Fishing is their regular job. Since they are indigenous people they are very simple and straightforward in nature. As a consequence, they are exploited by others. Some of them have even lost their properties due to these reasons. In a number of places, however, they are well established in terms of local standards. In some places they also do boating for those who want to cross river (Gurung, 1980).