People and Culture - Nepal - page 55

family. The caste system is a trait of Hindu culture and society.
In today's modern society, it poses a growing stumbling block
to widespread acceptance of the Hindu faith and its practices.
The caste system was implemented in ancient times as a
way of dividing people by work and occupation. Wise and
knowledgeable people were graded as Brahmins and assigned
to teach and counsel people in the society. The bravest people
were selected as Chhettris and assigned to protect people in
the society. Some strong people were grouped as Baishyas and
assigned the duty of supplying goods in the role of business-
men. The last group were Sudras, people who were assigned to
work in the fields and other primary industries, such as logging
and mining. According to Hindu mythology, the God Brahma
is the creator of Earth and its creatures. Thus, each caste is a
product of part of Brahma's body. The Brahmins, for example,
were created from the mouth of Brahma; Chhettris were from
his arms; Baishyas were born from his lap; and Sudras were cre-
ated from the feet, symbolizing the bearing of weight.
In the traditional classification system, the four-caste hier-
archy further includes 36 Varnas (social categories). Regard-
ing the caste system, King Prithvi Narayan Shah symbolically
referred to Nepal as “A Garden of Four Jats and Thirty-six Var-
nas.” Today, in a very general sense, Nepalese society is divided
into three major caste groups. They are: Tagadhari (wearers
of the holy sacred cord), which includes Brahmin, Chhettri,
and Thakuri; Matvali (liquor drinking), which includes ethnic
groups such as the Gurung, Rai, and Limbu; and Pani Nachalne
(untouchables), which includes the various occupational castes.
This caste system was first codified by the ruler Jung Bahadur
Rana as the National Legal Code (Muluki Ain) of 1854.
LANGUAGE
Few countries in the world of comparable size share Nepal's
diversity of languages. Some 70 different tongues are spoken by