This paper attempted to answer how the perspectives and experiences of Tharu people provide an insight into the perception of traditional governing system in the society. This paper will deals about the Matwa system(village ledership) of Tharus and their traditional institution Khyala. I engaged in this study as a researcher which includes indiividual discussion and interview with few Matawas/Barghars and activities of Dang, Banke, Bardiaya, Kailali and Kanchanpur districts of Lumbini province and Akhanda Far western Province. Similarly I reviewed some of the relevance literatures and examined them to analyze the Matwa System and Khyala the traditional institution, Tharus. Readers’ can see the political influence in the customary and traditional Matwa system has caused an imposition that has modified the system in the essence and greed of political leaders. The findings support to understand the importance of traditional governing system of its challenges, some efforts separate policy making about Matawa system in the local governments as well as federal government. The Tharus, Matawas and the social Activists and scholars were empowered regarding the cultural identity of Tharus and the continuation of their traditional governing system.

Keywords: Matwa, Khyala, Bakheri, Magh, Dangaura.

Introduction

Nepal is a multi-cultural, multilingual, multi-religious and multi-racial country as declared in the Constitution of Nepal. The Tharus are 1807124 (6.2%) out of 29164578 population of Nepal that indicates they are the second largest indigenous group in Nepal . In spite of being a small country in south Asia, Nepal rooms for more than 125 caste/ethnic groups (Central Beureau of Statistics [CBS], 2021). With the vast diversity of cultures across Nepal, many communities have their own system of local governance; however, this study examines only one of these systems, and that is the Khyala system of the ethnic Tharu group, located in the Terai region of Nepal. This study looks at two districts in the Western Terai region. Both the Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali and Kanchanpur districts are historically populated by Tharu communities. These districts were also locations with a high number of Dangura Tharus. As a community member, I have many villages of the above mentioned district. Dang District is my birth palace, my entire childhood I spent at beltakura Gaun nearby Tulsipur of Dang District. My intent throughout this study is to understand the traditional structure and role of this local institution, the effect of the government parallel system on this system as well as the role played by local leaders or potential for a role, in the development process in these communities, and the current changes and challenges facing this traditional institution in the context of a changing Nepal. By examining the relationships between this local governing system and the various governmental and non-governmental actors in these regions, I seek a better understanding of the dynamics of national and local political activities. As a whole, I attempt to convey the link between the changing state at a national level and at the rural level, and its implications for local, traditional, and cultural institutions.

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