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News: The Allahabad High Court quashed a 2021 order denying forest rights claims of the Tharu community under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
About Tharu Community
- The Tharu community is an indigenous ethnic group living in the Terai region of India and Nepal.
- Distribution: The Tharu people live in southern Nepal and northern India, mainly in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar in the Indian Terai.
- Naming: The term ‘Tharu’ is thought to be derived from sthavir, meaning follower of Theravada Buddhism.
- Status: The Tharu community was notified as a Scheduled Tribe in India and is officially recognized in Nepal.
- Socio-Cultural Features:
- Livelihood and Economy: Most Tharu people practice agriculture, cattle rearing, fishing, hunting, and collection of forest products.
- Social Structure: They follow a patrilineal system, but women enjoy greater property rights, and joint family living is common.
- Settlement Pattern: They live in compact villages in forest clearings and follow a joint family system in long houses called “Badaghar.”
- Local Governance: The panchayat system is strong, and the head is known as “Pradhan,” showing organised local decision-making.
- Art Forms: Ashtimki and Mokha paintings use natural colors and depict religious and cultural themes, while Sikki grass crafts are widely used.
- Traditional Practices: Denhari earthen vessels are used for storing grains and also hold cultural and religious importance.
- Religion and Beliefs: The Tharu follow a blend of animism, Hinduism, and nature worship, reflecting close ties with the natural environment.
