Deukhuri Malhoriya Desauriya Kathariya

1.3.2 Deukhuri

Southern Dang district is viewed as one of the original homelands of Deukhuri speakers. They are also located in districts to the west. Deukhuri is listed in the Ethnologue with the same ISO code as Dangaura [thl]. While allowing intermarriage between their groups, Dangaura and Deukhuri speakers identify themselves as separate. Because Deukhuri communities are so close to India, Deukhuri has been influenced by Hindi. The Curriculum Development Centre CDC of the Ministry of Education of the Government of Nepal has done some development work in this variety.

1.3.3 Malhoriya

Malhoriya is located in eastern Kailali district around Tikapur, as well as in western Bardiya in the original location of the Dangaura westward migration. Malhoriya shares the same ISO code in the Ethnologue as Dangaura [thl].

1.3.4 Desauriya

Desauriya, sometimes spelled Deshauriya, is not included in the Ethnologue. “The Desauriya Tharu are a related group [to Dangaura Tharu] also inhabiting Banke and Bardiya districts” van Driem 2001:1167. The origin of Desauriya speakers is unknown, but it is generally believed that that they did not originate in the DangDeukhuri area. “In Bardiya and Banke districts, the Dangaura Tharus distinguish themselves from the Deshaurya Tharus. But Deshauriya culture is so close to that of Dangaura that I presume they could be an offshoot of an earlier wave of migrants from Dang…” Krauskopff 1995:187–188. Additional information about the location of Desauriya speakers is in section 7.2.

1.3.5 Kathariya

Kathariya Tharu is listed in the Ethnologue under ISO [tkt]. An alternate name is Khatima Tharu. Often, it is spelled Kathoriya. However, a leader of their community in Pabera, Kailali indicated to us that the correct spelling is Kathariya. It is classified as Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, unclassified. “Kathoriya Tharu are concentrated most heavily in Kailali district of Nepal but can also be found in Kheri, Bahraich, Gonda, and Gorakpur districts in India and in other areas where Dangaura Tharu are found” Boehm 1997:19. Hugoniot’s research claimed that all Kathariya villages have Dangaura speakers living in them. In addition, he reported that only Tharus living near Kathariya villages have ever heard of Kathariya Tharu 1996:3, 13. The interviews and observations of this survey verify Hugoniot’s claims that most Tharu specifically Dangaura, Deukhuri, Desauriya and Malhoriya have neither heard of nor interact with Kathariya. The origin of the Kathariya is unknown, but it is generally believed that, unlike other varieties included in this survey, they did not originate in the DangDeukhuri area. Additional information about the location of Kathariya speakers is in section 7.1.

1.4 Previous research