Rai people

Mankhim (Tample) of 'Rai' at Aritar, Sikkim

The Rai, also known as the Khambu (people of Khumbu region), is one of Nepal's most ancient indigenous ethnolinguistic groups. The Rai belong to the Kiranti group or the Kirant confederation that includes the Limbu and the Sunuwar ethnic groups.

The traditional homeland of the Rai extends across the Solukhumbu, the Okhaldhunga (Wallo Kirant or Near Kirant), home of the Bahing,Wambule subgroups), Khotang, Bhojpur and the Udayapur districts (Majh Kirant or Central Kirant) in the northeastern hilly/mountainous region of Nepal, west of the Arun River in the Sun Koshi River watershed. Rais are also found in significant numbers in the Indian state of Sikkim and in the northern West Bengal towns of Kalimpong and Darjeeling.

Description

According to Nepal's 2001 census, there are 635,751 Rai in Nepal which represents 2.79% of the total population. Of this number, 70.89% declared themseleves as practising the traditional (Kiranti/Kirant) religion and 25.00% declared themselves as Hindu. Yakkha were measured as a separate ethnic group of which 81.43% were Kirant and 14.17% were Hindu. The Rai are divided into many different sub-groups - Bantawa, Chamling, Sampang, Dumi, Jerung, Kulung, Khaling, Lohorung, Mewahang, Rakhali, Thulung, Tilung, Wambule, Yakkha, Yamphu, Sunuwar,Ambula , etc. Some groups number only a few hundred members. The languages together with the traditional religion of the Rai is known as Kirant.

More than 32 different Kiranti languages and dialects are recognized within the Tibeto-Burman languages family. The oral language is rich and ancient, as is Kiranti history, but the written script remains yet to be properly organised as nearly all traces of it was destroyed by the next rulers of Nepal, The Lichhavis and almost eradicated by the Shah dynasty.

The traditional Kiranti religion, predating Hinduism and Buddhism, is based on ancestor-worship and the placation of ancestor spirits through elaborate rituals governed by rules called Mundum. Sumnima and Paruhang are worshipped as primordial parents. A major Rai holiday is the harvest festival, Nwogi, when fresh harvested foods are shared by all. The Bijuwa or Nakchhung (Dhami) or Priest plays an important role in Rai communities.

Because of the fiercely independent nature of the Rai community and its location at the eastern end of the consolidated Nepalese nation-state, the Rai were given exceptional rights of Kipat autonomy and land ownership in their homeland of Majh (middle) Kirant.

Subsistence agriculture of rice, millet, wheat, corn and even cotton is the main occupation of the Rai although many Rai have been recruited into military service with the Nepali army and police, and the Indian and British Gurkha regiments and Singapore Police Force.

Rai women decorate themselves lavishly with silver and gold coin jewellery. Marriage unions are usually monogamous and arranged by parents, although "love marriage",bride capture(in the past) and elopement are alternative methods. Music (traditional drums and string instruments: yele, binayo, murchunga, dhol and jhyamta), dance (Sakela or Sakewa dance) and distilled spirits (alcohol) called aaraakha, ngashi, or waasim are central to Rai culture.

Sakela or Sakewa dance is the greatest religious festival of Kirant Rai.

Despite lack of AFFIRMATIVE ACTION or RESERVATION in Nepal (it is being considered now for ethnic groups and other minorities!!), many Rais have reached high positions and contributed to National development.

Kirat History and Culture

Nepal is a very ancient country, which was ruled by many dynasties in the past. Among them, the Kirant rule is taken as a very significant one, being the longest period that extended from pre-historic to historic period. In ancient Hindu scriptures, Nepal is referred as the "Kirant Desh" or "the Land of Kirants".

When the 28th Kirant King Paruka was ruling in the valley, the Sombanshi ruler attacked his regime many times from the west. Although he successfully repelled their attacks, he was forced to move to Shankhamul from Gokarna. He had built a Royal Palace called "Patuka" there for himself. The Patuka Palace is no more to be seen, except its ruins in the form of mound. "Patuka" had changed Shankhamul into a beautiful town. The last King of the Kirant dynasty was Gasti. He proved to be a weak ruler and was overthrown by the Sombanshi ruler Nimisha. It brought to the end of the powerful Kirant dynasty that had lasted for about 1225 years.

After their defeat, Kirants moved to the eastern hills of Nepal and settled down divided into small principalities. Their settlements were divided into three regions; namely, "Wallo-Kirant" or "near Kirant" that lied to the East of Kathmandu, "Majh-Kirant" or "central Kirant" and "Pallo-Kirant" that lied to the far east of the Kathmandu valley. These regions are still heavily populated by Kirants. Rai(Khambu) are the inhabitant of near and central Kirant. Although, they are also quite densely populated in "pallo-Kirant".

By religion, Kirants were originally nature worshippers. They worshipped the sun, the moon, rivers, trees, animals and stones. Their primeval deities are Paruhang and Sumnima. Hinduism was introduced to and imposed on the Kirants only after the conquest of Gorkhali rulers whose root was in India. Kirants were quite tolerant and liberal to other religions. That was why Buddhism flourished during the Kirant rule in Nepal. Buddhism had rekindled a new interest and attitude among the people. Kirants had also built many towns. Shankhamul, Matatirtha, Thankot, Khopse, Bhadgoan and Sanga were prosperous cities with dense population. Thus, it can be safely said that the Kirant period had paved the way for further development and progress of Nepal in all sectors in future.

Famous Rais

Lain Singh Bangdel - Artist, Writer, Art Historian (Former Chancellor of the Royal Nepal Academy).

Ram Prasad Rai - "Jan Mukti Morcha" Revolutionary leader and Commander of 1950 AD/2007 BS revolution in east Nepal.

Narad Muni Thulung - Former Acting Prime minister and Cabinet minister, Revolutionary Commander and leader of 1950 AD(2007 BS)Revolution - "Jan Mukti Morcha".

Bal Bahadur Rai-Former acting Prime minister,Cabinet minister;central committee member,Nepali congress party

Ratna Kumar Bantawa - Revolutionary Leader, recognized martyr & founder member of Nepal communist party(UML)

Professor Dr Noble kishor Rai,Linguist and educationist;Former Ambassador to Germany.

Professor Dr Indra jit Rai,military science scholar,conflict expert and educationist.

Dr Swami Prapannacharya,Ph D.,Ved and sanskrit scholar

Indra Bahadur Rai - Famous Writer, Honorary Ph D, Winner of Madan puraskar and first winner of Indian Academy Prize in Nepali literature. One of the pioneer of literary movement Tesro Ayam (The Third Dimension).

Pawan Kumar Chamling - Hon Ph D, Chief Minister of Sikkim, Poet.

Dr Shankar man Rai,American Medical Association prize winner,Plastic surgeon

Byakul maila,Pradip kumar Rai,national anthem lyricist