Tuladhar
Encyclopedia
Tuladhar also called Nagari , is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal...
: तुलाधर) is a caste from the Newar
Newar
The Newa , Newār or Newāl) are the indigenous people and the creators of the historical civilization of Nepal's Kathmandu Valley. The valley and surrounding territory have been known from ancient times as Nepal Mandala, its limits ever changing through history.Newas have lived in the Kathmandu...
community of the Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley , located in Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and the Buddhists. There are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites within this valley.-Etymology:The city of...
in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. The name Tuladhar is derived from the Sanskrit words tula (weighing scale
Weighing scale
A weighing scale is a measuring instrument for determining the weight or mass of an object. A spring scale measures weight by the distance a spring deflects under its load...
) and dhar (possessor), thus meaning scale-bearer or in general, merchant. Tuladhars belong to the Uray group which includes Kansakar, Tamrakar
Tamrakar
Tamrakar is a caste from the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The name Tamrakar is derived from the Sanskrit words "tamra", meaning copper, and "aakar", meaning shape or to give shape....
, Sthapit, Bania, Sindurakar, Selalik and other castes. They follow Newar Buddhism
Newar Buddhism
Newar Buddhism is the form of Mahayana-Vajrayana Buddhism practiced by the Newar ethnic community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. It has developed unique socio-religious elements, which include a non-monastic Buddhist society based on a caste system and patrilinial descent...
and speak Nepal Bhasa
Nepal Bhasa
Nepal Bhasa is one of the major languages of Nepal, and is also spoken in India, particularly in Sikkim where it is one of the 11 official languages. Nepal Bhasa is the mother tongue of about 3% of the people in Nepal . It is spoken mainly by the Newars, who chiefly inhabit the towns of the...
as a mother tongue. Traditional Tuladhar neighborhoods are Asan
Asan
Asan is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It is located at , bordering the Seoul Metropolitan Area to the north. Asan has a population of approximately 250,000.Asan is known for its hot springs and is a city of spas....
, Nyata (also known as Naradevi) and Jhwa Baha in Kathmandu where they hold a number of cultural performances annually including religious dances and music concerts.
History
Tuladhars are best known for their history as trans-Himalayan traders conducting trade between Nepal, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. From centuries past, they have maintained business houses in Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
, Shigatse
Shigatse
Shigatse is a county-level city and the second largest city in Tibet Autonomous Region , People's Republic of China, with a population of 92000, about southwest of Lhasa and northwest of Gyantse...
, Gyantse
Gyantse
Gyantse is a town located in Gyangzê County, Shigatse Prefecture. It was historically considered the third largest and most prominent town in the Tibet region , but there are now at least ten larger Tibetan cities.-Location:The town is strategically located in the Nyang River Valley on the ancient...
and other towns in Tibet and in Kalimpong and Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
in India moving goods by mule caravan over the Himalayan
Himalayan
Himalayan can refer to:* The Himalayas mountain range* Himalayan , the type of cat* List of rabbit breeds#Himalayan, the breed of rabbit* The Himalayans, a band...
passes. The merchants used two trade routes to travel to Tibet. One went north from Kathmandu and crossed the Himalaya at Kuti (now known as Nyalam
Nyalam
Nyalam , traditionally known as Tsongdu is a small Tibetan town near the Nepal border. It is the county seat of Nyalam County in Xigaze Prefecture . It is 35 km from Zhangmu town in the same county, which is the point of entry to Nepal.Nyalam is situated at 3,750 metres above sea level...
) or Kyirong, also spelt Gyirong
Gyirong
Gyirong may refer to:*Gyirong , village in Tibet*Gyirong County, county in Tibet...
. The other route started at Kalimpong and passed through Nathula or Jelepla on the Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
-Tibet border. These trade routes are offshoots of the ancient Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
.
Textiles and other factory products were the main exports to Tibet while they brought back wool, musk pods, hides and yak tails. This traditional business came to an end in the mid-1960s after the route through Sikkim was shut down following the 1962 Sino-Indian War
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
, and all the Tuladhar traders returned home. In the course of conducting trade, they have been a cultural bridge between South and Central Asia. Today, while they are still primarily merchants, many pursue varied professions.
Cultural life
Tuladhars observe an annual schedule of religious performances, devotional musical concerts and hymn singing sessions that are conducted at the community level. Among the prominent street performances are the Dapa Thayegu, Gunla Bajan Thayegu and Bahidyah Bwayegu festivals.The month-long Dapa Thayegu festival is held in October when they gather to sing hymns every evening. A picture of a sacred jar made of wheat, popcorn and black soyabean is displayed at Asan to mark the end of the festival.
During Gunla, the tenth month in the Nepal Sambat
Nepal Sambat
Nepal Sambat is the national lunar calendar of Nepal. It was used throughout Medieval Nepal, and into early modern Nepal, until Chandra Sumsher decided to remove it in BS 1960. It was started in 880 AD during the reign of King Raghav Dev to commemorate the payment of all the debts of Nepalese...
calendar corresponding to August which is held holy by Newar Buddhists, a musical procession goes to Swayambhu
Swayambhu
Swayambhu means Self-manifested or that which is created by its own accord.-Vaishnavism:Based on details in Bhagavata Purana and Matsya Purana, Narayana or Krishna is said to be the Self-manifested Swayambhu form of Brahman as the first cause of creation...
daily in the early morning playing Gunla Bajan music.
The Bahidyah Bwayegu festival is held in August when a procession of musicians playing Gunla Bajan music and followers make a tour of sacred courtyards in Kathmandu where statues of Dipankara Buddha are put on exhibition.
Asan Paya is part of the Mohani festival in September when a sword procession is held at Asan. The ceremony ends with the participants chopping up a gourd painted with the face of a demon.
Tuladhars from Asan and Nyata accompany their respective musical bands and take part in the parade organized to celebrate New Year's Day of Nepal Sambat, the national lunar calendar of Nepal, which falls in October.
During the twelve-yearly Samyak festival when hundreds of large images of Dipankara Buddha are diplayed at Kathmandu Durbar Square
Durbar Square
Durbar Square is the generic name used to describe plazas opposite old royal palaces in Nepal. Before the Unification of Nepal, Nepal consisted of small kingdoms, and Durbar Squares are most prominent remnants of those old kingdoms in Nepal...
and Swayambhu
Swayambhu
Swayambhu means Self-manifested or that which is created by its own accord.-Vaishnavism:Based on details in Bhagavata Purana and Matsya Purana, Narayana or Krishna is said to be the Self-manifested Swayambhu form of Brahman as the first cause of creation...
, the Tuladhars of Asan place leaf plates and the Tuladhars of Nyata serve boiled rice to the priests who come to receive alms.
Sacred dances
Sacred danceSacred dance
Sacred dance encompasses all movement that expresses or enhances spiritual experiences. It may be a part of a worship service, a group experience or a private spiritual practice.Some examples of sacred dance are:* Native American Ghost Dance...
s are another major religious performance of the Tuladhars. The Kumha Pyakhan dance (also known as Kumar Pyakhan) is held annually during the Mohani festival in September on the open-air dance platform at Asan and at Kathmandu Durbar Square
Durbar Square
Durbar Square is the generic name used to describe plazas opposite old royal palaces in Nepal. Before the Unification of Nepal, Nepal consisted of small kingdoms, and Durbar Squares are most prominent remnants of those old kingdoms in Nepal...
. A young boy from among the Tuladhars of Asan is chosen to be the dancer.
The Nyatamaru Ajima Pyakhan (also known as Swetkali Pyakhan) is held annually on the open-air dance platform at Nyata during the Pahan Charhe festival in April. Once every 12 years, special performances of this masked dance-drama are held with a larger cast in which a Tuladhar from Nyata plays the part of the deity Mahadyah. The special shows are held at the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Lalitpur
Patan, Nepal
Patan , officially Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City, is one of the major cities of Nepal. It is one of the sub-metropolitan cities of Nepal located in the south-western part of Kathmandu valley. Patan is also known as Manigal. It is best known for its rich cultural heritage, particularly its...
, Kirtipur
Kirtipur
Kirtipur is an ancient city in Nepal. It is located in Kathmandu District of Bagmati Zone 5 km south-west of the Kathmandu. It is one of the five municipalities of the Kathmandu Valley.-Etymology:...
, Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur , also Bhadgaon or Khwopa is an ancient Newar town in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It is located in Bhaktapur District in the Bagmati Zone...
and Bhonta (Banepa
Banepa
Banepa is a Municipality town located 26 km east of Kathmandu, Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 12537 and had 1956 households in it. The main attraction of Banepa is the temple of Chandeshwori, located approximately 1 km northeast of the town along the...
).
Notable Tuladhars
- Aniruddha Mahathera (1915-2003), Buddhist monk who became patriarch of Nepal, formerly Gaja Ratna Tuladhar
- Chittadhar HridayaChittadhar HridayaChittadhar Hridaya was a Nepalese poet. He is regarded as one of the greatest literary figures from Nepal in the 20th century. The title of Kavi Keshari was conferred on him by King Mahendra of Nepal in 1956...
(1906-1982), poet - Dharma Man TuladharDharma Man TuladharDharma Man Tuladhar was a Nepalese trader and philanthropist best known for the renovation of the Swayambhu stupa in Kathmandu, one of the holiest Buddhist shrines in Nepal. Popularly known as Dhaman Sahu , Tuladhar headed the restoration project which began in 1918 and ended in 1921...
(1862-1938), philanthropist and trader - Dharma Ratna YamiDharma Ratna YamiDharma Ratna Yami was a Nepalese freedom fighter, author and government deputy minister known for his radical views on social mores...
(1915-1975), freedom fighter, social reformer and deputy minister - Dhammalok MahasthavirDhammalok MahasthavirDhammalok Mahasthavir was a Nepalese Buddhist monk who played a leading role in the revival of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal. He was also a writer who contributed to the Nepal Bhasa renaissance. Dhammalok worked to promote Theravada Buddhism and Nepal Bhasa in the face of government persecution...
(1892-1968), Buddhist monk who worked to revive Theravada Buddhism, formerly Das Ratna Tuladhar - Karuna Ratna TuladharKaruna Ratna TuladharKaruna Ratna Tuladhar was a pioneer of Nepalese public transport. He was proprietor of Nepal Transport Service which he and his brother Lupau Ratna founded in 1959...
(1920-2008), trader and transport pioneer - Krishna Sundar Tuladhar, sponsor of Samyak festival held in 1880
- Kul Ratna TuladharKul Ratna TuladharKul Ratna Tuladhar, CBE was the first chief engineer of Nepal's Public Works Department where he served since its establishment in 1951 till 1957. The highlight of his term was the construction of Tribhuvan Highway which opened in 1956. This is Nepal's first highway and links the capital Kathmandu...
(1918-1984), first chief engineer - Moti Laxmi Upasika (1909-1997), poet, first short story writer in Nepal
- Padma Ratna TuladharPadma Ratna TuladharPadma Ratna Tuladhar is a former Nepalese politician and currently a human rights activist. He resides in Kathmandu, Nepal. He played an instrumental role in bringing the Nepalese Maoists to mainstream politics.-References:...
, human rights activist and former minister - Pushpa Sundar TuladharPushpa Sundar TuladharPushpa Sundar Tuladhar was a prominent merchant of Kathmandu and one of the chief donors to the restoration of the Swayambhu stupa in 1918. Swayambhu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the holiest Buddhist shrines in Nepal and the center of Newar Buddhism. The renovation project was headed...
(1885-1935), benefactor and trader
Further reading
- Lewis, Todd Thornton (1984), The Tuladhars of Kathmandu: A Study of Buddhist Tradition in a Newar Merchant Community, Columbia University.