The Madhesi Caste System in Nepal: A Comprehensive Analysis of Social Stratification, Historical Codes, and Contemporary Dynamics in the Terai

This paper offers a descriptive overview of caste among the Madhesi people of Nepal's Terai plains. It outlines how Madhesi Hindu society is organised into the four varnas and many jatis, from high-caste "twice-born" groups to artisan, service and Dalit communities. It then examines how the Muluki Ain of 1854 placed these groups in a single state-enforced hierarchy. The paper also looks at Terai Muslims, indigenous groups such as the Tharu, Rajbanshi and Dhimal, and the particular position of Madhesi Dalits. It then traces the shift from the abolition of legal caste distinctions in 1963 to the 2011 anti-untouchability law and the equality and inclusion provisions of the 2015 Constitution. It concludes that caste inequality persists in practice, mainly through weak enforcement, landlessness and unequal access to education and public services. The paper is based on a review of published literature.