Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0254/02546.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 9KB | 210 lines

$Unique_ID{COW02546}
$Pretitle{235C}
$Title{Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim
Glossary}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{George L. Harris}
$Affiliation{HQ, Department of the Army}
$Subject{sikkim
group
nepal
bhutan
india
called
ethnic
district
katmandu
eastern}
$Date{1973}
$Log{}
Country:     Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim
Book:        Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, An Area Study: Glossary
Author:      George L. Harris
Affiliation: HQ, Department of the Army
Date:        1973


Glossary

Authors:
Jackson A. Giddnes, Thomas E. Lux, Frederica Bunge, Frances Chadwick Rintz,
Harvey H. Smith

     anchal-Zone. The largest unit of administration below the national level.

     bada hakim-District governor. The chief administrative officer in the
traditional structure of territorial administration.

     Bhote (also called Bhotea and Bhotiya, from the Tibetan name for
Tibet)-Generic name for ethnically Tibetan groups in the higher Himalayan
valleys along the Tibetan border areas of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.

     bigha-Land unit. One bigha equals 1.67 acres.

     birta-Land from which revenues were allocated to individuals under the
Ranas. The word birta is commonly translated as tax free in lieu of a long
explanation.

     Bon-The Buddhist-influenced shamanistic religion of Tibet which has
spread to Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan along with Lamaist Buddhism.

     Colombo Plan-A program for economic development agreed upon at Colombo,
Ceylon, in 1950. Originally an arrangement among British Commonwealth nations
for aiding Asian members, it has subsequently been broadened to include other
Asian countries. The United States has also become associated with it.

     Dalai Lama-The spiritual and temporal ruler of Tibet. The sixteenth Dalai
Lama has been living in Mussoorie, India, since his flight from Tibet during
the Chinese Communist suppression of a general rebellion there in 1959.

     dewan-Indian-appointed official in Sikkim with functions similar to those
of a prime minister.

     dzong-A fortress-like religious center in Bhutan, which may function as
a district administrative headquarters as well. Also, an administrative
district.

     East India Company-A company organized in 1600 in England for trading in
India and the Far East. About 1765, jointly with the British Crown, it became
the ruling power in India. Despite several reorganizations it continued to
administer British India until 1858, when Company rule was superseded by that
of the Crown, after the Indian Mutiny.

     gaun-Village.

     gompa-Buddhist temple and, by extension, Buddhist temple school in which
religiously oriented instruction on the primary level is provided.

     Gorkha Dal-Militant political group organized in 1951 in an effort to
regain power for the Rana prime ministers.

     Gurkha-Term loosely applied to various Nepalese ethnic
groups-particularly the Magar, Gurung and Rai-from which recruits
traditionally have been drawn by the British and Indian Armies. The term is
derived from the name of the early Kingdom of Gorkha. Also an administrative
district west of Katmandu.

     Gurung-Ethnic group found mainly on the south flank of the Annapurna
massif. Some Gurung have migrated to Sikkim and Bhutan.

     guthi-Land providing income for the endowment of shrines, rest houses,
schools and orphanages.

     ilaka-District in the traditional administrative structure.

     jilla-Currently, a district or development block. Formerly, a
subdivision of a district (ilaka). Sometimes referred to as a zilla.

     jungpen-Governor or chief of a dzong in the early Bhutanese governmental
system.

     Kagyutpa-One of the so-called "Red Hat" orders of Buddhist monks. It
predominates in the Lamaist Buddhism of Nepal and Sikkim. The Bhutanese monks
belong to a branch of this order.

     Kazi-Sikkimese hereditary nobility.

     Khampa-A Tibetan (Bhote) ethnic group from which the Dalai Lama's army
was largely recruited. Many members of the group took refuge in Nepal and
Sikkim after the Chinese Communist invasion and conquest of Tibet. (Literally,
the people of Kham, a province of eastern Tibet.)

     Kiranti (also Kirat)-A group of languages spoken in eastern Nepal, which
includes Rai, Limbu, Thami, Dhimal and Hayu; by extension, the groups
speaking these languages. The Kiranti regard themselves as descended from the
Kirata, the first historically known inhabitants of the Katmandu Valley.

     Kirata (also called Kiranta)-The earliest known inhabitants of the
Katmandu Valley. The present-day Kiranti peoples claim descent from them.

     Lepcha (also called Lapche, Rong)-An ethnic group indigenous to Sikkim
and neighboring parts of India and Bhutan which, since 1826, has also lived in
eastern Nepal (Ilam District).

     Limbu (also called Subba, Ektampa, Yakthumba)-A Kiranti-speaking ethnic
group in the Eastern Mountain Region near the boundary with Sikkim. Many
Limbu have migrated to Sikkim, Bhutan and India.

     Magar (also called Mangar)-Ethnic group on the western and southern
flanks of the Dhaulagiri massif. Some members have migrated to Sikkim.

     Maharaja-Title assumed by the ruling Rana prime ministers.

     mal adda-District office for the collection of land taxes.

     maund-A unit of weight equal to 82 pounds.

     most-favored-nations clause-A clause in commercial treaties specifying
that if one of the two signatories subsequently grants a commercial favor,
such as a tariff reduction, to a third country, the other signatory will be
granted the same favor.

     nagar-Town.

     National Advisory Assembly (Tsongdu)-The legislative and advisory body
of the Bhutanese Government. Created in the mid-1950's. Membership about 140.

     Nepal Labor Organization-A workers' organization. It is governed by an
executive committee at the national level, the majority of whose members
are elected successively from local or plant, district and zonal labor
organizations.

     Newar-An ethnic group constituting about half the population of the
Katmandu Valley.

     Pahari (also called Parbate, Khasiya and Khasa)-An ethnic and linguistic
category of Hindu caste groups in the Himalayan areas of western India and
Nepal. Many Pahari have migrated from Nepal to Sikkim, Bhutan and West Bengal
in the last 100 years.

     paisa-Monetary unit. One paisa equals one-hundredth of a rupee.

     panchayat-A council or executive committee.

     penlop-A provincial governor in the early Bhutanese governmental system.

     Rai (also called Jimdar, Khambu-Yakka and Kiranti)-A Kiranti-speaking
ethnic group of eastern Nepal, many of whose members have migrated to Sikkim,
Bhutan and West Bengal.

     Raksha Dal-A paramilitary force organized during the revolt of 1950-51
by the Nepali Congress party. Consisting of about 5,000 men-mainly former
insurrectionists-it was taken over by the new government in February 1951 as
a counterforce to the Army which, on the whole, had been loyal to the Rana
ruler during the revolt. One section was disbanded early in 1952; later in
the year other units were incorporated into the Army or the civil police.

     ropani-Land unit. One ropani equals one-eighth of an acre.

     ropeway-An electrically driven endless traveling cable supported by
towers, and from which freight-carrying steel bins are suspended.

     rupee-Monetary unit used in Nepal, India and several other countries
such as Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon. The Nepalese rupee has a normal exchange
rate of 7.6 of the U.S. dollar of $0.13158. The rate of exchange for the
Indian rupee is 4.81 to the U.S. dollar or $0.2079.

     sabha-An assembly.

     Singha Durbar-Central office building of the government in Katmandu. It
contains some 1,200 rooms; was once the palace of the ruling Rana family.

     Sunwar-An ethnic group in the mountains northeast of the Katmandu Valley.

     Tamang (also called Murmi)-An ethnic group in the mountains northwest,
north and east of the Katmandu Valley.

     Tharu-Ethnic group in the Tarai. In eastern N