225 
1894.] E. Vansittart— Tribes , Clans, and Castes of NepRl. 
food, and in Nepal drink a kind of beer made from rice, called janr and 
a kind of spirit called raksi. In our battalions they will drink any 
English wine, spirits or beer. They are intensely fond of soldiering. 
They are very hardy and extremely simple-minded. They are kind- 
hearted and generous, and, as recruits, absolutely truthful. They are 
very proud and sensitive, and they deeply feel abuse or undeserved 
censure. They are very obstinate, very independent, very vain, and in 
their plain clothes inclined to be dirty. They are intensely loyal to each 
other and their officers in time of trouble or danger. 
Near the Magars was settled a numerous tribe named Gurungs, 
whose manners are in most respects nearly the same with those of the 
Magars. This tribe was very much addicted to arms. 
It would appear that a Gurung chief, who was Raja of Kaski, 
settled in Ghandrung, where the Grurungs were most predominant.. 
These people were strongly attached to his descendants, by whom they 
were not disturbed in their religious opinions or customs, and in their 
own homes they practically still continue to follow the doctrines of Sakya 
as explained to them by Lamas of their own tribe. 
No Grurungs have as yet been admitted to the dignity of Khas, but 
with their constant intercourse with the Khas, who are Hindus, their 
original faith is getting weaker, aud in time will disappear. 
It may here be pointed out that none of the high-sounding titles 
which are to be found amongst the Magars, and which were evidently 
brought in by the Brahmans from Hindustan, are to be found among 
the Gurungs. 
Amongst the thousands of Gurkhas I have seen, I have never met a 
SurajbansI Gurung, and doubt the existence of any. 1 
The Gurung tribe consists of two great divisions— 
1. The Charjat (Carjat). | 2. The Solahjat. 
The Charjat, as its name implies, is composed of four castes, viz. : — 
1. Ghallea. 3. Lama. 
2. Ghotani (sometimes Ghundani). 4. Lamchania. 
Each of these four castes comprises a number of clans, and some of 
these are again sub-divided into families. The Charjat Gurung might 
be called the Gurung nobility. 
Every Gurung recruit knows perfectly well whether he belongs to 
the Charjat or to the Solahjat, but numbers of the latter will try to claim 
the former. A little trouble will almost invariably bring out the truth. 
1 The Gerlen, Rilten, and Samri clans are the best of the Ghalleas. The 
Samundar, Kialdung, and Khagi clans I have also met. I have never met a single 
case of a Sinjali or SurjabansI Gurung of any kind. Nor do I believe in their 
existence after careful enquiry. Sinjali and SurjabansI are continually met amongst 
Magars, but never amongst Gunings.. 
