The Madheshi agitation of 2007 and the Tharuhat agitation of 2009 redefined the ethnic
relation between the self-identifying Tharu and Madheshi communities. At that time, the Tharu
not only contested Pahadi (hill-origin) identity but also vehemently confronted the increasing
hegemony of Madheshi caste groups by challenging the notion of Madhesh, Madheshi
labelling, and the demand for a single Madhesh province across the Tarai1
, as put forward by
the Madheshi community. Tharus that enthusiastically participated in the 2007 Madheshi
agitation, appeared to be against the same identity just two years later. Why did they turn
around? This article argues that the Tharu sensed the systematic initiation of Madheshisation of
their centuries-long indigenous identity, while Madheshi activists and leaders undermined the
concept of the Tharuhat, Tharu language and culture, by continuously insisting on the
Madheshi label, a Madhesh province, and the Hindi language. Their eventual challenge to the
Madheshi label raised questions about the legitimacy of the Madheshi agitation, a fact that
some Madheshi leaders claim is political blackmail. This article seeks to bring out the TharuMadheshi
contestation in relation to identity claims and state restructuring in Nepal, particularly
with reference to the Tarai.