Features

Khyal System

The guard of Bathuwatal village of Bardiya district announced for the khyal (Meeting) about the road construction. The villagers started the khyal at yard of Matawa (Head of the village) Rangilal Tharu. They discussed about road construction and connection of electricity at village and Matawa Rangilal announced the decision of the meeting, which was to construction the road of old road of Gairagaun, Tharah road, and Hume pipe gravel on kohalpur road. Construction of new road to link musarawa Bahyar and gravel by the middle and south villagers. Tharu's culture is different the discuss before the decision about the problem by gathering one of the members of village such as development project, justice, common construction etc. There are chosen the Matawa, Agahawa (Morning the work and give the information to matawa), village guard pleader by the villagers. The villager involve to commune activities on the common decision and they also displays they thought and dissatisfaction on that meeting. So we can say that this type of Tharus tradition is closely related to democratic system. Because of the conflict the government involvement in village was less or the government could not reach to the villages, But, there were continuing the development works because the major Tharu community were regularly involved in to the development work with out nay wags and formal project. They were active to dam for irrigation, bridge on local rivers, road construction, school build, and electricity. Connection such as the villagers of bathuwatal village, Bardiya, were involved to big the pole for electricity, connected the wire, up to seven kilometre long distance, graveled on the road without any wages.

Khayala members on KulahiTharus were mainly stayed in Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur, and Surkhet of westwrn part of Nepal. They are preserving their cultural organization, such as 'Khyal" in Dang, "Jutyahla" in Bardiya, "Kishnashi" in kailali. They also select the Agahwa chirakya, village guard, pleader Lohar (basical to make the iron weapon for agriculture) woth the matawa, basically they select these all posts in Maghi, which is greatest festival of Tharu caste. But chirakya and Lohar selection tradition is not in resistance in Dang district, this selection tradition is also called "Maghidewani" or"Bhakheri'in Tharu language. They also evaluate the part work and make a plan for next year at the selection time. They also make rule and regulation for justice. The question may origine that how the Khyala is organized? Mr. Yagya raj Chaudhary, Geta of kailali, says Maghi Dewani is become in every year. All the villagers gather * they discussed thae part work and evaluate. If they are satisfied on the xwork of former Matawa, Bhalmansa, Aghawa, village guard, etc and they select again them otherwise, they select new members.

The tradition of to work on development is coming from thousands year ago. More than 37% Tharu are living in Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, Kanchanpur of western Terai and more than 400 hundred khyala organization are active in these districts. The organization also has political power before 237 years ago the unification of Nepal by the then King Prithivi narayan shah, but the organization is political rightness and only existence for the protection of tradition.

Mr. Dayaram Khadka, former chairman of dhadhawar VDC (Village Development Committee) say because of political right less of Khyala, the local development work is direct effected, he says again, the functional responsibility of development is to barghar but the legal responsible person is another. At this situation, the development work cannot move smoothly because of the conflict between them, so the legally. Rightful person con not do smoothly work and successful person has not got right to work so that. If Barghar, who is functionally responsible to work in village, should get legal right in local bodies.

The Khyala organization, which is legally rightles by the state is playing vital role in local development work in every peace or conflict situation. So Mr.Arvind Rimal (LDO- Local Development Officer of Kailali) says, 'the development programe of district will effective throught khyala. We see that the leadership is being by Bhalmansa in Tharu majority village, but cannot including them if we can include them the development work will more effective and peoples participation will also grow. So the inclusive meeting of secratary of VDC, Bhalmansa and members of DDC (District Development Committee). Only the inclussive meeting of Bhalmansa VDC secretary and DDC members. If the NGOs & INGOs may include there, the development work will hundred percent success. Mr. Devman Chaudhary (President of UNIQUE Bardiya) says, 'If the Programme launch the Khyala Organization the government administrative expenses will also decrease and if the donation and NGO's Programm launched through one door system, The same programme will not revise again & again. He says again, Because of the high expenses on administration the development budget is being less and it is necessary to expense & work through the khyala for development function.

INSEC (Informal Sector Service Center-related NGo to Human right) is launching the programe through Khyala Ogranization past two years in Bhauratappa of Bardiya. We asked a Question to mid-werdern coordinator of INSEC Mr. Bhola mahat, what type of different do you get effective on your programme through community? He says,' we launched our programme through, at that time the community member could not deeply rise the problem which was most necessary to solve, But we easily can reach near to the targeted problem through Khyala organization and they can easily keep their voice. we only coordinate them and they become more conscious with a little much help. we fell that if we launch the programme to related personal organization the becomes more effective and durable the organization become strong.

Khyala has really become a necessary medium for community development. If the state gives validity organization of khyala, it will help for inclusive democracy and development, but the state and political parties did not give any interest for validity and not possible to give validity in further we asked a Question what is thinking of your party the validity of Khyala organization? Mr. Bishnu Parsad Chaudhary, inchanrge of Bardiya People Government related to Nepal Communist party Maoist which party is frequently making case ethnic autonomous, say, 'There are two situation to give validity first is, if the khyal organization goes ahead with democratic system and next, if this organization goes with the feudalistic system, at this situation we can not give validity, which should be depend on acceptance of Tharu community.

Ladies members on KulahiGenerally the community and class are affected by the feudalistic system which are under the feudalistic government system but former local development state ministry and Tharu scholar Mr Mahesh Chaudhary says, ' The Tharu community was under the feudalistic government party system but there was always democratic system in khyal organization. He says again that there was no only nominate Matawa, Barghar system, But selection of the king system also was in existence in past. Selected matawa of lalaurah, Dang Mr. Jeevraj Acharya was from Brahmin Caste (There are four caste system in Hindu religeon are Brahmin, Kshetri, Baisgya and shudra) tharu king Dangisharan was also selected by the community. If the people want, They can make anybody Matawa or king or other leading post this tharu tradition system is in existence till now. This Kgyala system, which is scientific and democratic, is being weak day to day. And the leadership persons are being somber. What is the main cause to weak tradion ? Pointing the cause of it assistant professor of Tribhuvan University, Dr. Dorn Parsad ajaure, who had done research about the Tharu caste says that this system of tharu was in existence up to long time that but. The village panchayat system (Which panchyat system was developed by the king mahendra after the band on democratic system in 1958 in Nepal) made it weak because decision right and power of Khyala indirectly captured by the panchayat system. So because of activeness of panchayat system, the khyala organization become weak and cannot do any commune work at the village level.

Now, a new concept of reconstruction of the state has become a common thingking and discussion subject. So the backward people are also being active and making loud voice for their right, and ethnic caste Tharu people are also making a case to validity of khayala organization by the state, so Mr. Yagyaraj Chaudhary of geti, Kailali says,' The state must give formal validity to the democratic commune Organization. "Khyala" it must be constitutionally declare. It we become unable to constitutionally declare, we cannot use our rights and obstruct to be in same situation and our condition never will be improve.

Translated by Manoj Chaudhary

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