Tharus of the Indo-Nepal border

Recognized by the government of India as a scheduled tribe, the tharu people have traditionally maintained that they are people of the forest. Spread across the Terai belt in Nepal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the tharus have been known to live in the the forests of the terai for hundreds of years. 

They are also considered unique as they have lived largely in isolation from other communities in the highly populated landscape. This uniqueness led to the growth of a distinct culture that is highly interwoven with the landscape of the region. Activities as well as rituals are deeply related to nature. Infact, the food, clothing, art, religion, economy and residence patterns are based on nature. 

Tharus worship the tribal goddess called "Bhumsen" which loosely translates to the earth in the local dialect.  Historically, tharus were known to be the only community that was able to reside in the malarial jungles on the Indo-Nepal border and were known to be genetically resistant to malaria. As a community, the tharus have been involved in a mutually symbiotic relation with the forest that stands strong till this day.