Nepal Gurungs : Nepal  

Nepal Gurungs - Travel guide

Nepal

Gurungs

In the middle hills and valleys along the southern slope of the Annapurna Himalaya in the mid-western Nepal; the Gurungs live together with other ethnic groups like Magars, Brahmins and Chettris. These sturdy, hardworking people are Mongoloid physionomically. They extend their living territories from Gorkha in the east through Lamjung, Manang and Kaski to Syangja district.

The Gurungs are very colorful, happy and flirtatious people. A caste hierarchy divides the Gurung community into 'char jat' and 'sor jat', group of four and sixteen clans respectively. They are distinctly endogamous groups. Traditionally they prefer cross-cousins marriage. The parallel cousins marriage is, however, strictly prohibited. They also have a tradition of 'Rodi', a club of boys and girls of similar age group where dancing and singing is performed. This institution gives them ample opportunities to know, understand each other and develop love and affection. The environment in the Rodi is very flirtatious.

The Gurungs have very interesting dance tradition. They perform Sorathi, Ghado, Ghatu and others on one or many occasions. The dancing season generally starts on Shri Panchami day (On the fifth day of bright lunar fortnight some day in January or February) till the day of Chandi purnima (some day in May or April).