Shresthas

Shresthas

Srēṣṭha श्रेष्ठ
Total population
21% of total Newar population; 1.1% of total Nepal population (2001 census)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Nepal,  India
Languages
Nepal Bhasa, Nepali
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Newar peoples; Indo-Aryan peoples; Kshatriya clans; Nepal Mandala peoples; Rajputs of Nepal

The Śreṣṭha (Nepali: श्रेष्ठ) or (Newar: स्यस्य: Syaśya or श्रेष्ठ Shrestha) is the second largest Newar caste group, occupying around 21% of overall Newar population, or about 1.1% of Nepal’s total population.^[2] It is believed that the word Srēṣṭha is derived from the Newar word Śeśyah, which itself is derivation of a Sanskrit word Sista meaning 'noble', although literal meaning of the word also translated to 'best or important.'^[3] "Shrestha" itself was later adopted as the specific family surname by members of this high-caste Hindu group, although there are over 50 other recognized surnames of Srēṣṭhas.^[3] Despite their numerically low national population, their high-status and socio-economic capital puts Śreṣṭhas amongst the most socio-economically privileged and politically over-represented segments of Nepali population.^[4]

Prior to Nepal’s unification, Srēṣṭha was a collective high-status title given to those Hindu clans referred to as 'Bhāro' (from bhārdār/nobles) who served as the key non-Brahmin class of ruling, administrative and merchant class of the Malla courts. From within this broad Srēṣṭha groups are two distinct caste groups. First, they count among them the high-caste aristocratic Kshatriya, locally pronounced as Chatharīya, who are descended from the nobles and courtiers of the Malla period and consist of the ruling, land-owning and literate Hindu caste group of the Nepal Mandala, which later formed the core of government bureaucracy during the Shah and Rana period.^[5] Second, Srēṣṭha title is also attributed to the Pāñchthariya, who now mostly write their surnames as 'Shrestha', who were historically the Hindu merchant clans of the Valley, as opposed to the Buddhist merchant caste of Urāy. These Pāñchthariyas have Vaishya status in the traditional varna framework.^[6] Srēṣṭha group has also incorporated in it the socially upward Jyapu farmers and other peasants especially outside the Valley as a means of the Sanskritisation process, although their status is not accepted by the upper-level Srēṣṭha castes.