aerial view of terai plains near Biratnagar, Nepal

The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion. In northern India, the Terai spreads eastward from the Yamuna River across Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Corresponding parts of West Bengal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Assam east to the Brahmaputra River are called Dooars.^[1] The lowland plains of the Terai lie at an altitude of between 67 and 300 m (220 and 980 ft). North of the Terai rises the Bhabhar, a narrow but continuous belt of forest about 8–12 km (5.0–7.5 mi) wide.^[2]

Etymology[link]

In Hindi, the region is called तराई tarāī meaning foot-hill.^[3] In Nepali, the region is called तराइ tarāi meaning the low-lying land, plain, especially the low-lying land at the foot of the Himālayas, south to the border with India.^[4] Nepalis may also call it Madhes (Nepali: मधेस), particularly when noting its ethnic compositions similar to adjacent India and unlike the ethnic makeup of the "hills" (Nepali: पहाड​, pahārd). The region's name in Urdu is ترائي tarāʼī meaning lands lying at the foot of a watershed or on the banks of a river low ground flooded with water, valley, basin, marshy ground, marsh, swamp; meadow.^[5]

Geology[link]

The Terai is crossed by the large perennial Himalayan rivers Yamuna, Ganges, Sarda, Karnali, Narayani and Kosi that have each built alluvial fans covering thousands of km² below their exits from the hills. Medium rivers such as the Rapti rise in the Mahabharat Range. The geological structure of the region consists of old and new alluvium, both of which constitute as alluvial deposits mainly of sand, clay, silt, gravels and coarse fragments. The new alluvium is renewed every year by fresh deposit brought down by active streams, which engage themselves in fluvial action. Old alluvium is found rather away from river courses, especially on uplands of the plain where silting is a rare phenomenon.^[6]

The Terai region has a large number of small and usually seasonal rivers, most of which originate in the Siwalik Hills. The soil in the Terai is alluvial and fine to medium textured. Forest cover in the Terai and hill areas has decreased at an annual rate of 1.3% between 1978 and 1979, and 2.3% between 1990 and 1991.^[2]

As the Terai is increasingly deforested, drained and brought under cultivation, the connection with wetness fades in contemporary usage. Terai becomes a geographic, not a hydrographic term, for districts in the plains near or bordering the Siwaliks. A permeable mixture of gravel, boulders, and sand enables the water table to sink 5–37 m (16–121 ft) deep. The Terai zone is composed of less permeable layers of clay and fine sediments, bringing groundwater to the surface in springs and wetlands.

The reduction in slope as rivers exit the hills and then transition from the sloping Bhabhar to the nearly level Terai causes current to slow and the heavy sediment load to fall out of suspension. This deposition process creates multiple channels with shallow beds, enabling massive floods as monsoon-swollen rivers overflow their low banks and shift channels. The 2008 Bihar flood was only an example of recurrent catastrophes in the Terai.

Climate[link]

Comparing the climates of Chandigarh in India at the Terai's western edge with Biratnagar in Nepal near the eastern edge illustrates several differences:

• Moving inland and away from monsoon sources in the Bay of Bengal, climate becomes more continental with greater summer-winter difference.
• In the far western Terai, which is five degrees latitude further north, the coldest months average 3 °C (37 °F) cooler.
• Total rainfall markedly diminishes from east to west. The monsoon arrives later, is much less intense and ends sooner. Winters are wetter in the west.

Terai in Nepal[link]

In Nepal, Terai is differentiated into "Outer" and "Inner" Terai.

Outer Terai or Madhes begins at the southern edge of the Siwalik Hills. In ordinary usage the Terai extends to the border with India, even if drier, cleared agricultural land well south of the marshes may be included. The Outer Terai of far-western Nepal consists of Kanchanpur, Kailali, Bardiya and Banke districts. These were once called the Naya Muluk and lay on the periphery of the Awadh dynasty. After Nepal lost the Anglo–Nepalese War (1814–16) these districts were annexed by the British in the Sugauli Treaty and returned in 1860 as reward for Nepal's military aid in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.^[7]

East of Banke the Nepalese outer Terai is interrupted where the international border swings north and follows the edge of the Siwaliks adjacent to Deukhuri Valley. Here the Outer Terai is entirely in Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti and Balrampur districts. East of Deukhuri the international border extends south again and Nepal has three more Outer Terai districts Kapilvastu, Rupandehi and Nawalparasi.

In Chitwan district east of Nawalparasi the international border again follows the southernmost Siwaliks, placing the outer terai in Bihar's West Champaran district. Then the international border extends south and the Nepalese Outer Terai is continuous across eleven districts to the country's eastern border. These additional districts are: Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusa, Siraha, Saptari,, Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa.

The 2001 national census counted 10.3 million population (45% of the national total) in the outer Terai districts.

Inner Terai[link]

Inner Terai (Nepali: भित्री तराई, Bhitrī Tarāī) is also called ''Bhitrī Madhes (Nepali: भित्री मधेस). It consists of seven elongated valleys (Nepali: उपत्यका, upatyakā) lying within the Siwalik Hills or between them and the 1,500-2,700 metre Mahabharat Range further north. In India these valleys would be called Dūn (Hindi: दून), for example Dehradun. Most of these valleys extend east-west or SSE-WNW parallel to enclosing ranges. They are five to ten kilometers wide (north-south) and up to a hundred kilometers long (east-west).

Nepal's Inner Terai valleys are (from west to east):

• Jogbudhā (Nepali: जोगबुढा) in Dadeldhura district north of outer terai Kanchanpur district; a relatively small and undeveloped valley near the western border with India.
• Surkhet (Nepali: सुर्खेत) in Surkhet district, located north of outer terai Kailali and Bardiya districts.
• Deukhurī (Nepali: देउखुरी), in Dang and eastern Banke districts. The international border follows the Duduwa Siwaliks south of this valley.
• Dāng (Nepali: दाङ​)Valley parallels Deukhuri but north of it, also in Dang and Banke districts.
• Chitwan (Nepali: चितवन) occupies Chitwan and Makwanpur districts. Chitwan district borders Bihar, India's West Champaran district to the south while Makwānpur lies north of Nepal's Parsa district.
• Marin Kholā (Nepali: मरिन खोला) is a small valley in Sindhuli district north of outer terai Sarlahi, Mahottari and Dhanusa districts.
• Udayapur (Nepali: उदयपुर) is in Udayapur district north of Siraha and Saptari.

The 2001 national census counted 2.3 million population (10% of the national total) in these seven Inner Terai districts (counting Banke district as Outer Terai). Adding 45% in the outer Terai gives 55% of Nepal's population living in its Terai districts.

History[link]

The Terai was heavily forested with Sal before heavy logging began in the 19th century, particularly for use as railroad sleepers. Foresters of the British Raj were of the opinion that in ancient times the Terai was cleared and cultivated. After Buddhism went into decline, the area was largely abandoned, and quickly re-vegetated with shrubs and trees, but took much longer — centuries perhaps — for Sal forest to return.^[7]

Inner Terai valleys historically were agriculturally productive but extremely malarial. Some parts were left forested by official decree during the Rana dynasty as a defensive perimeter called Char Kose Jhadi, meaning four kos forest; one kos equals about 3 km (1.9 mi). A British observer noted, "Plainsmen and paharis generally die if they sleep in the Terai before November 1 or after June 1." British travelers to Kathmandu went as fast as possible from the border at Raxaul in order to reach the hills before nightfall.^[7]

Except for indigenous peoples with genetic resistance, a malaria eradication campaign in the 1950s using DDT made the Inner Terai habitable for the first time.

Ethnic groups[link]

Tharu people have been living in the Terai for many centuries, and reputedly had an innate resistance to malaria. Following the malaria eradication program using DDT in the 1960s, a large and heterogeneous non-Tharu population settled in the region.^[8]

Pahari farmers from the mid-hills moved to the plains in search of arable land including Bahun, Chhetri and Newar. Tharus constitute the traditional population in the western Terai. The eastern part has been occupied by castes and ethnic groups that migrated from India — the Madhesi people, a term that sometimes also includes the Tharu people. High caste migrants from the hills have purchased, or otherwise got hold of large landholdings. Together with traditional Tharu landlords, they constitute the upper level of the economic hierarchy, which in the rural parts of the Terai is determined to a large extent by the distribution and the value of agriculturally productive land. The poor are the landless, or near landless, Terai Dalits, including the Musahar and Chamar, as well as the traditional fishermen, the Mallaah, and some of the hill Dalits. In particular the Musahars rarely get other work than hard farm labor.^[9]

Economy[link]

The Terai is the most productive region in Nepal with the majority of the country's industries. Agriculture is the basis of the economy.^[10] Major crops include rice, wheat, pulses, sugarcane, jute, tobacco, and maize. In the eastern districts from Parsa to Jhapa they support agro-based industries: jute factories, sugar mills, rice mills and tobacco factories.

Cities over 50,000 population in Nepal's Terai include:

Mahendra Highway crosses the Nepal Terai from Kankarbhitta on the eastern border in Jhapa District, Mechi Zone to Mahendranagar near the western border in Kanchanpur District, Mahakali Zone. It is the only motor road spanning the country from east to west.

Tourism[link]

Tourist attractions in the Terai include:

• Lumbini, birthplace of Lord Buddha (near Siddharthanagar)
• Bardia National Park (near Nepalganj)
• Chitwan National Park (near Bharatpur)
• Janakpur - the birthplace of Sita, wife of Rama in the Ramayana.

Terai in India[link]

This section requires expansion.

In India, Terai extends over the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. These are mostly the districts of these states that are on the Indo-Nepal border.

• Uttar Pradesh: Pilibhit
• Uttaranchal: Udham Singh Nagar district, Gonda district, Ballia, Bahraich, ...

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Chaudhary, D. 2011. Tarai/Madhesh of Nepal : an anthropological study. Ratna Pustak Bhandar, Kathmandu. ISBN 978-99933-878-2-4.

External links[link]

• WWF: Map of ecological divisions of Nepal, showing the Terai

Erika Sawajiri (沢尻 エリカ, Sawajiri Erika^?, born April 8, 1986 in Nerima, Tokyo) is a Japan-based actress, model, and musician. Her alias in her music career was Kaoru Amane, but she has recently started her own project under the name Erika. She was affiliated with Sony Music Entertainment Japan for her record label (formerly as Kaoru Amane and later Erika), and Stardust Promotion for her talent agency (with her real name, Erika Sawajiri) before her contract was terminated in late 2009. On September 10, 2010, it was announced that she signed with Avex label for talent management and music releases. She became popular after playing a girl who suffered from an intractable disease called spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD) in the nonfiction drama 1 Litre of Tears.

Biography[link]

Erika was born to a Japanese father and an Algerian-born French mother of Berber extraction^[1][2][3] and is the youngest of three children. Her father owned sixteen racehorses, including Edonokoban (エドノコバン), giving Erika ample opportunities to engage in horseback riding as a child. Her father disappeared from home when Erika was 9 years old, returning when she was in her third year at junior high school, only to die from cancer that year. Her second eldest brother died in a traffic accident when she was in her first year at high school. Her eldest brother is a former actor. Her mother managed a Mediterranean restaurant and Erika sometimes worked. The restaurant is no longer in business. The family is extremely close knit, and often used Erika's photoshoots and other work as an opportunity to travel together as a family.^[4]

In 1999, Sawajiri passed the Stardust audition after graduating from elementary school. She became part of the idol unit Angel Eyes and began modeling for junior fashion magazines such as CUTiE and Nicola. She later won the grand prize for the 2001 Seikore and became a regular on the BS news program Harajuku Launchers. In 2002, Sawajiri started her career in film as well as extending her modeling career as a gravure idol. Her first film was Mondai no nai Watashitachi.

She became one of Fuji TV's Visual Queens in 2002. On the NTV variety show The Yoru mo Hit Parade, she became a regular from April till late June, shortly after leaving the program for the CX news program Chou VIP Fortune no Tobira from mid-June till late August. In November, she was on the CBC variety show Bijou Dokyuu and TBS show B-1. She got her big break when she was cast in the TBS TV drama Hotman. Her most notable role was in 1 Litre of Tears in 2005 when she portrayed a girl with the degenerative disease spinocerebellar degeneration.

Sawajiri first started her music career under the name "Kaoru Amane", the name of her character in her last drama, the TV adaptation of A Song to the Sun (Taiyou no Uta). The single went into number 1 in its second and fourth week. On July 16, 2007, Erika released her 'debut' single under only 'Erika,' "Free". The single was immediately ranked on its first day as number one on the Oricon Charts. Oricon stated that she is the only artist in 39 years to get their first two single hit number one since Hiroko Yakushimaru in 1983.

She decided to enter the entertainment world because she wanted to meet singer Namie Amuro whom she idolizes.

On January 20, 2009, Sawajiri married media creator Tsuyoshi Takashiro at Meiji Shrine in Yoyogi. The pair registered their marriage on January 7, which fell on the most auspicious of the days according to the six-day rokuyo calendar, and they held a small reception for close friends and family in Hawaii later that month.

Sawajiri and her mother both stated on separate occasions that she would return to Japan and make a comeback as soon as late summer 2009.^[5]

Sawajiri was originally scheduled to star in the live action film version of Space Battleship Yamato but was replaced by Meisa Kuroki.^[6]

In May 2010 it was announced that Sawajiri would be getting a divorce.^[7]

Controversy[link]

At the movie premiere for Closed Note on September 29, 2007, Sawajiri responded in a terse manner to reporters' questions.^[8] After much criticism in the Japanese press, she posted an apology on her website. A few days later she appeared on a TV Asahi's morning news show Super Morning, and gave them an exclusive 120-minute interview. She also denied the rumors that she was being suspended by her management.

She had planned to attend the 12th Pusan International Film Festival on October 6, 2007, but she cancelled. It was later discovered that she had been seen in a club with Tsuyoshi Takashiro, a man 21 years her senior.^[9] Sawajiri returned to Japan on March 29, 2008 after nearly three months in London with Takashiro. While in London, Sawajiri attended a language school. Her familiarity with English became evident at the airport when several cosmetics items fell out of her bag, and she exclaimed, "Oh shit!" She continued to mostly use English while at the airport, and she reportedly has become fluent enough to handle ordinary conversation.^[10]

During her two-year break from show business, she spent a year in London and a month in Australia studying English. She also spent half a year in Spain studying graphic design.

In September 2009, the Japanese media started releasing reports that her management company, Stardust Promotions, would void her contract for undisclosed reasons.^[11] Her personal website became devoid of all content save one cryptic line: "See you at the next stage." Sawajiri's mother denied that termination of her contract was the result of substance abuse by Erika.^[12]

On September 1, 2010, in an interview on CNNGo.com, she said that her apology after the 2007 movie premiere incident was a mistake. She didn't want to apologize but her management at that time forced her to apologize; "I told them 'this is my way'... but in the end I surrendered. That was my mistake." Sawajiri believes that the agencies that are forcing too much from their idols are too old fashioned and that "The managers themselves are old but we have to change this situation."^[3]

Filmography[link]

Movies[link]

TV dramas[link]

Special dramas[link]

Music videos[link]

Variety shows[link]

DVDs[link]

CM[link]

Publications[link]

Photobooks[link]

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Erika Sawajiri Official Website (Japanese)
• Erika Sawajiri Official Website (Avex Management) (Japanese)
• Kaoru Amane Official Website (Japanese)
• Erika Sawajiri at Model Imago
• Erika Sawajiri at the Internet Movie Database

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (June 2010)

Richard Galliano
Galliano performing in Stockholm in July 2009
Background information
Born	(1950-12-12) 12 December 1950 (age 61) France
Genres	Jazz
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Accordion, trombone, piano, bandoneón
Years active	1964–
Associated acts	Claude Nougaro
Website	Galliano's home page

Photo by Andrea Colombara

Richard Galliano (born December 12, 1950, Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes) is a French accordionist.^[1]

Biography[link]

He was drawn to music at an early age, starting with the accordion at 4,^[2] influenced by his father Lucien, an accordionist originally from Italy, living in Nice.

After a long and intense period of study (he took up lessons on the trombone, harmony, and counterpoint at the Academy of Music in Nice), at 14, in a search to expand his ideas on the accordion, he began listening to jazz and heard on records the great trumpet player Clifford Brown. "I copied all the choruses of Clifford Brown, impressed by his tone and his drive, his way of phrasing over the thunderous playing of Max Roach." Fascinated by this new world, Richard was amazed that the accordion had never been part of this musical adventure.

Some later collaborations include George Mraz, Brigitte Fontaine, Al Foster, Juliette Greco, Charles Aznavour, Ron Carter, Chet Baker, Enrico Rava, Martial Solal, Miroslav Vitouš, Trilok Gurtu, Jan Garbarek, Michel Petrucciani, Michel Portal, Eddy Louiss, Ivan Paduart, Anouar Brahem, Wynton Marsalis, and Toots Thielemans. He was a key member of Claude Nougaro's band for several years as a pianist and accordionist.

Discography[link]

As leader[link]

• Flyin' the Coop (1991), with Jimmy Gourley, 52e Rue Est
• New Musette (1991), with Pierre Michelot, Phillip Catherine, Aldo Romano
• Viaggio (1993), with Charles Bellonzi, Pierre Michelot and Bireli Lagrene
• Laurita (1995), with Palle Danielsson and Joey Baron, and guests Michel Portal, Toots Thielemans and Didier Lockwood
• New York Tango (1996), with Bireli Lagrene, George Mraz and Al Foster
• Panmanhattan (re-release) (1996), with Ron Carter
• Blow Up (1997), with clarinet, soprano saxophone and bandoneon player Michel Portal
• French Touch (1998), with Michel Portal, Jean-François Jenny-Clark and Daniel Humair (first session; May 1998), and André Ceccarelli, Remi Vignolo and J. M. Ecay (second session; June 1998)
• Spleen (1999)
• Passatori (1999)
• Gallianissimo!—The best of Richard Galliano (2001)
• Face to Face (2001), with organist Eddy Louiss
• Piazzolla Forever (2003), with string quartet, piano and double bass
• Concerts (2004), with Michel Portal
• Ruby, My Dear (2005), with Larry Grenadier and Clarence Penn, as the New York Trio
• Luz Negra (2006)
• Mare Nostrum (2007), with Jan Lundgren and Paolo Fresu
• L'Hymne a l'amour (2007), with Gary Burton, George Mraz, Clarence Penn
• Love Day (2008)

As sideman[link]

With Anouar Brahem

• Khomsa (ECM, 1994)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Galliano's home page

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2009)

Shin Terai is a Japanese musician and producer most known for his work with Bill Laswell and Buckethead. On his albums he combines ambient and electronic music with dub and avant-garde jazz.

Biography[link]

Shin Terai gained some first publicity as the singer of Chaos Face, a project by Laswell and Robert Musso.^[1] Second singer on Chaos Face's only album Doom Ride was Mick Harris, the former drummer of the metal band Napalm Death.

The first album under Shin Terai's own name was Unison, released in 1999. Guest musicians included Bernie Worrell and Nicky Skopelitis, besides Laswell and Buckethead. In 2004, Laswell reworked the material for the remix album Heaven & Hell. Intermediately Terai worked as producer of Soup, a trio consisting of Laswell, guitarist Otomo Yoshihide and drummer Yasuhiro Yoshigake (also playing trumpet).

In 2007, with Lightyears another album was released under his own name. It featured the core members Laswell, Buckethead and Worrell, besides Nils Petter Molvær (trumpet), Lili Hayden (violin), Karl Berger (strings), DXT (turntables) and Laswell's wife Gigi. Additionally, Aman Laswell (son of Gigi and Bill) can be heard gabbling. Lightyears was dedicated to him.

Discography (partial)[link]

• 1994: Chaos Face - Doom Ride (as singer)
• 1999: Shin Terai - Unison
• 2003: Soup - Soup (as producer)
• 2004: Soup - Soup Live (as producer)
• 2004: Shine - Heaven & Hell
• 2007: Shin.e - Lightyears

References[link]

External links[link]

• Shin Terai discography at Discogs
• Review of Unison at Fearsmag.com
• Review of Heaven & Hell at Allmusic.com