Gurung people


The Gurung people, also called Tamu, are an ethnic group from different parts of Nepal. They are one of the main Gurkha tribes. They are densely populated in Manang, Mustang, Kaski, Lamjung, Gorkha, Parbat and Syangja district. According to 2011 Census, the total population of Gurung is 522,641.

History

Their traditional religious scripture is known as Pye-ta Lhu-ta which contains oral accounts of their traditional history. According to their legend, the Gurung were a wandering tribe that traversed west across Tibet prior to their entry into Mustang. Their Tibetan Sojourn pre-dates the introduction of Buddhism there in the 7th century as the Gurung religious traditions are basically animistic. They celebrate their feasts and festivals and carry out the ceremonies and practices related to worship, birth, death and marriage in accordance with the Bon and Buddhist religion. Losar is the main and biggest festival of Gurung, observed according to the ancient calendar of western Tibet.

Geographical distribution

At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, 522,641 people identified as Gurung. The frequency of the Gurung people was higher than national average in the following districts: Manang, Lamjung, Mustang, Gorkha, Kaski, Tanahun, Syangja, Dolpa, Chitwan, Dhading, Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung, Parbat, Rasuwa, Tehrathum, Ilam, Kathmandu, Nawalparasi and Rupandehi.

Religion

Priestly practitioners of the Gurung Dharma include Ghyabri and Pachyu. Shamanistic elements among the Gurungs remain strong and most Gurungs often embrace Buddhist and Bön rituals in communal activities.
According to the 2011 census, the majority of the Gurungs practise either Buddhism or Hinduism. However, a small minority practises the original Bonpo religion.