Rajbhandari

Rajbhandari (राजभण्डारी) is a Newar surname of people originating from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.[1] It is said that the Malla king, Jayasthiti Malla, appointed treasurers to look after the wealth. The king honored them with the title of “Bhandari”. As time passed, the Bhandari were replaced by the Raj-bhandari.[2] Rajbhandari belong to the high-caste "Chhathariya" (छथरे/क्षत्रीय) sub-group of Shrestha (श्रेष्ठ) caste among other surnames such as Malla (मल्ल), Maskay (मास्के), Joshi (जोशी), Pradhananga (प्रधानांग), Pradhan (प्रधान), Acharya (आचार्य), Amatya (अमात्य), etc.[3] They are considered as “Brahmaputra Kshatri (ब्रह्मपुत्र क्षेत्री)” who are required to wear “Janai” (the sacred thread) around their neck. In modern times, the tradition became less strict. Surnames "Bhani (भनी)", Talchabhari (ताल्चाभारी)", "Bhandel/Bhadel (भँडेल/भदेल)" are variants of "Rajbhandari".[1]

Originally, three types of Rajbhandari lived in Nepal according to their “Gotra” (lineage) and the social status

References

  1. 1 2 Levy, Robert I. (1990). Mesocosm Hinduism and the Organization of a Traditional Newar City in Nepal. University of California Press.
  2. ↑ Gellner, David (1986). Language, caste, religion and territory: Newar identity ancient and modern. Cambridge University Press.
  3. ↑ Dor Bahadur Bista (People of Nepal)


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