Jirel people

Jirel people
Regions with significant populations
	Nepal; India; Bhutan; China (Tibet Autonomous Region)
Religion
	Hinduism, Buddhism and minorities of Bön, Christianity, Animism, Jainism, Kiratism, Muslim, Sikhism (by gurudwaras in Nepal)

The Jirels (Nepali: जिरेल जातिlisten^ⓘ) is an ethnic [Tibetan Origin]i group. Jirel are one of the 59 indigenous peoples in Nepal. They like to be called Jirpa, which means "people from the mountain of life." Jirpa believe that they migrated to Nepal, Jiri, and Dolakha from Tibet from the north in the ancient time crossing the pass near to Gauri Shankar mountain. The name of the mountain Gaurishankar in Jiriba or Jirel is "Tsheri/ziri". In Jirel language "Zi/Tshe" means life or light and "Ri" means mountain. Jiriba means "the People from the life mountain". They are the original inhabitants of vast Jiri and its adjoining villages in Dolkha district, the central region of Nepal. They have their own distinct language, culture, customs, rituals and lifestyles. In the beginning They were bonpoists practising phonbo "bonpo". They are now mostly Buddhist but many of the Jirel adhere to other religions, like Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. They also worship Phombo which also is in practice in tibetan known as "Bonpo" religion worldwide. Their indigenous shamanistic religious beliefs are centered on practitioners called Phombo, "Shamans" who are believed to have a direct relationship with the supernatural world.^[1] Their main occupation is agriculture and animal husbandry.^[1] In recent years they have also been involved in business, government, and teaching jobs. Many of the Jirel are in the British Gurkha Army, Indian Army, Nepalese Army, and the police. They are primarily settled in Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk Chitwan, and Ilam districts, next to Likhu, Khimti, the Jiri and Jiri Shikri rivers. Jirels have linguistic and ethnic semblance mostly with the tribes of Central Tibet , with Sherpas, Dolpos, Hyalmus, Syubas, Lhomis, Bhotes in Nepal.^[1] Jirels have their own mother tongue which is called Jirpa Kecha, and belongs to the Tibetan language family.

Footnotes

^ ^a ^b ^c The Splendour of Sikkim Cultures and Traditions of the Ethnic Communities of Sikkim. Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department, Government of Sikkim. 2017. p. 101.

References

Maibaum, Anita and Esther Strahm. 2005. Jirel-Nepali-English. Kathmandu: Center for Nepal and Asian Studies, Tribhuvan University.

[:0-1] The Splendour of Sikkim Cultures and Traditions of the Ethnic Communities of Sikkim. Cultural Affairs and Heritage Department, Government of Sikkim. 2017. p. 101.

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