| Tharu | |
|---|---|
| थारु, थरुवा, थरुहट | |
| Native to | Nepal,India |
| Region | Terai |
| Ethnicity | Tharu (incl.Bhoksa) |
Native speakers | 1.7 million in Nepal (2021 census)[1][2] 370,000 or more in India (1997–2007)[2] |
| Dialects | |
| Devanagari | |
| Official status | |
Official language in |  Nepal |
Recognised minority language in | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Variously:thl – Dangaura Tharutkt – Kathariya Tharuthr – Rana Tharuthe – Chitwania Tharuthq – Kochila Tharutkb – Buksasoi – Sonha |
| Glottolog | thar1284 |
 Regions in Nepal and India with significant Tharu population | |
TheTharu (Tharu: थारु,Hindi:थरुवा) orTharuhat (Nepali:थरुहट) languages are any of theIndo-Aryan languages spoken by theTharu people of theTerai region in Nepal, and neighboring regions ofUttarakhand,Uttar Pradesh andBihar in India.[5][4]
Tharu languages are spoken in the Tharu community. These languages are similar to other neighboring languages. Tharu language is one of the major language spoken inNepal.[6]
Although their own precise classification within Indo-Aryan remains uncertain, Tharu languages have superficial similarities with neighbouring languages such as Kumaoni,Awadhi,Maithili,Bengali,Rajbanshi andBhojpuri. The lexicon of certain Tharu households is indicative of an archaic, 'indigenous' substratum, potentially predating bothSino-Tibetan orIndo-Aryan settlement. Tharu languages appear to be transitional within the context of Indo-Aryan.[7]
Tharu communities in different parts of Nepal and India do not share the same language like the other ethnic groups as it varies between the eastern, central and western Terai. There are various Tharu languages spoken by the severalendogamous subgroups of Tharu that are scattered over most of the Terai region.Lexical similarity between various Tharu languages varies between 81% and 51% depending upon the Tharu language.[8]
Dangaura andKathariya Tharu are mutually-intelligible Tharu variants spoken west of theGandaki River, by approximately 1.3 million people.[9][10] Furthermore, an additional variant of Tharu, known asSonha, is largely mutually intelligible with Dangaura.[11]
Rana Tharu andBuksa are mutually-intelligible Tharu variants spoken by approximately 250,000 people west ofKarnali river and in the Indian states ofUttrakahand andUttar Pradesh. It sounds similar toWestern Hindi and Awadhi.[12] The Nepal Charter dated 18 May 2020 listsRana Tharus as a distinct ethnic group and their language as a distinct language.[13]
Chitwania Tharu also known asLalpuriya Tharu, Madhya Ksetriya Tharu orCentral Tharu is spoken by approximately 250,000 speakers east of theGandaki River, in and around theChitwan Valley. Certain Chitwania variants appear to have considerable lexical similarities withManchad, aSino-Tibetan language.[14][15]
Kochila Tharu also calledMorangiya, Saptariya Tharu, Madhya-Purbiya Tharu orMid-Eastern Tharu is a diverse Tharu variant, spoken by approximately 250,000 people, in regions of eastern and central Nepal.[16] Kochila Tharu communities are not found in isolation, but live in districts intermixed with speakers of other languages. “In contrast with western Terai where the Tharus are the only and dominant ethnic minority, the eastern – especially the far eastern – Terai is inhabited by several ethnic groups with very different linguistic affiliation”. Kochila has three main dialects spoken throughout mid-central and eastern Nepal which areWestern Kochila,Saptariya Kochila andMorangiya Kochila on the basis of their intelligibility.[17]
Tharu language is the fourth most commonly spoken language of Nepal accounting for 5.88% of total population of Nepal as per the 2021 census.[18][19] According to TheConstitution of Nepal 2015 (2072 B.S.) all native languages spoken in Nepal are National languages of Nepal including Tharu.[20] TheLanguage Commission of Nepal has recommended Tharu be made an official administrative language inLumbini andSudurpaschim Province.[21] The commission has also recommended Tharu be made the additional official language in all the provinces of Nepal i.e Bagmati, Koshi, Madhesh, Gandaki and Karnali province for specific regions and purposes in the province.[22] At local level, Tharu has official status inGhorahi sub-metropolitan city ofDang district.[23][24][25]
In Nepal Tharu languages are spoken throughout the Terai region fromMechi river in the east toMahakali river in the west in following districts:[19][26]
With an increase in internal migrants and international emigration Tharu-speaking people have emerged in every district of Nepal and various countries such as the US, Japan, Qatar, UAE and Australia.[27][28]
In India Tharu language is spoken in border side areas of Nepal. In the state ofUttrakhand it is spoken in the district ofUdham Singh Nagar.[29] InBihar it is spoken inEast Champaran andWest Champaran districts.[30] In Uttar Pradesh it is spoken inLakhimpur Kheri,Balrampur,Shravasti,Gorakhpur,Basti,Bahraich andGonda districts.[4]
The following consists mostly of the Daungara and Rana dialects:
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | i | u | |
| Mid | e | ə | o |
| Low | a | ||
| Diphthong | əi | əu | |
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