Pasang SherpaDangol, Rajya Laxmi2026-08-192026-08-192026https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14540/27236This dissertation examines the historical foundations, institutional dynamics, and contemporary transformation of the Guthi system within the Newar community of Nepal. Traditionally rooted in land-based religious endowments, the Guthi system has long functioned as a key socio-cultural institution regulating ritual practices, social cohesion, and community governance. The research primarily adopts a qualitative approach combining field survey data, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and case studies. The analysis has been guided by structural function, and social change theory to interpret how embedded cultural dispositions interact with structural pressures. The findings indicate that although the economic and organizational bases of many Guthis have weakened particularly due to land fragmentation and changing participation patterns, the institution still continues to demonstrate significant adaptive capacity. Rather than disappearing, many Guthis are undergoing hybrid restructuring, shifting toward contribution-based financing, flexible participation, and modern committee management while retaining core ritual and identity functions. The research work concludes that the Guthi system continues as a dynamic and evolving indigenous institution situated between tradition and modernity. Its resilience is sustained through embodied cultural practices (Habitus), community negotiation, and selective institutional innovation. The thesis contributes to broader theoretical debates on institutional change by challenging linear modernization narratives and highlighting the importance of practice-based adaptation in sustaining indigenous socio-religious systems in rapidly changing societies.enNewar communityGuthiNonprofit organizationsThesis