The Magars (Nepali: नेपाली-मगर) are an indigenous ethnic group of Nepal whose homeland extends from the western and southern edges of the Dhaulagiri section of the high Himalayas range south to the prominent Mahabharat foothill range and eastward into the Gandaki basin. In Nepal, there are a good number of people who identify themselves as Magar people. Representing 7.14% of Nepal’s population according to the 2001 census, this is the largest indigenous group in Nepal. According to the 2001 census, 74.60% of ethnic Magar were Hindus and 24.47% were Buddhists.
The Magars are divided into 7 major groups as: Thapa, Ale, Rana, Budhathoki, Roka, Gharti, and Pun. All Magar clans intermarry one with the other and are officially of equal social standing. Because of the geographical position of their country, the Magars were amongst the first to receive immigrants from the plains of India. It follows, therefore, that a great number of their customs and ceremonies conform very closely to those of the Hindus of India. The Brahmans first found their way into Nepal amongst the multitudes of Indians, fleeing before the Muslim invasion in the twelfth century. They were the first to convert the local peoples to Hinduism. It is clear that the Brahmans found in their new mountain homes many willing converts; yet a large number refused to adopt the new faith. To the former the Brahmans granted the sacred thread, but to the latter they denied it; hence there sprang up such tribes as Rokas, Thapas, Budhathokis, Ranas, Ghartis, and so on, names which are today found amongst the clans of both the Chettris/Kshatriyas and Magars.
Nothing whatever is known of the early history of the Magars. The first mention of them is the fact that in AD 1100, the Magar King of Palpa and Butwal, Mukunda Sen, invaded and conquered the Nepal (Kathmandu) valley. It is always understood, however, that they have resided round about Palpa from time immemorial and that they were probably the earliest settlers from the north. This part of the country was formerly divided into twelve districts, each under its own ruler, being known as the Barah, or twelve Magarant or twelve Thams, the members of each supposedly being of common extraction in the male line. Some records show these twelve areas as being Argha, Gulmi, Isma, Musikot, Khanchi, Ghiring, Rising, Bhirkot[disambiguation needed], Payung, Garhung, Dhor and Satung, but it is probable that some of the latter places should have been excluded in favour of Palpa, Galkot, Dhurkot, Char Hajar Parbat and even Piuthan and Salyan.
The Magars of middle and western Nepal lay claim to an exciting role in Nepal's formative history. Their kingdom was one of the strongest of west Nepal in and around Palpa District during the time of the 22 and 24 rajya principalities (17th and early 18th centuries). Hamilton, during his research in Nepal in 1802, came to a conclusion that all the kings of 24 principalities including Sen King of Palpa in the Western Nepal were Magars. Magars believe that they have the same origins as the Thakuris and vise-versa. It is believed that many of the aristocracy among Magars assumed and acquired the Thakuri caste and status. In recent years many scholars and historians claimed that Nepal's former ruling Shah kings were the descendants of Magar Kings of the Barah Magarath/Kali Gandaki Region. The 18th-century king, Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of the modern Kingdom of Nepal announced himself as a Magar king. According to Hamilton, Mincha and Khancha Khan, the forefathers of former Shah kings of Nepal, were of Magar descent. Baburam Acharya, the most prominent historian of Nepal, also confirmed that Nepal's former Shah kings were the descendents of Magar Kings.
Many prominent historians of Nepal have claimed that Aramudi, 8th Century ruler of Kali Gandaki Region, was a Magar King. "Aramudi" is named after the Magar language. 'Ari'-'Source of Water' + 'Modi'-'River'='Arimodi' or 'Aramudi', thus the literal meaning of Aramudi is 'source of river'. Jayapida [782-813 AD] whose other name was Vinayaditta, a king of Kashmir, invaded Kali Gandaki Region, a traditional homeland of the Magars of Nepal. Aramudi resisted the invasion and virtually defeated Jayapida. After capture by Aramudi, he was taken to the right banks of the Kali Gandaki river, in a strongly built fort, where Aramudi imprisoned him. Jayapida was a powerful king of Kashmir who ruled for 31 years and defeated the kings of Kanyakubja(Kannauj), and Prayag/Allahabad in Utter Pradesh, India. He was in a conquering expedition to the valley of the Ganges.
Origin
Genetically and physically, Magar people are Mongoloid/east Asian. They are believed to have migrated from Tibet like the Gurungs and other prominent ethnic groups, however, there is an interesting mythical story describing Magar’s origins and versions of three different language groups are presented.
The origin of the Magar of the Bara Magaranth (twelve Magar kingdoms east of the Kaligandaki River) is that in the land known as Seem there lived a tribe of people. There were two brothers named See Magar and Chintoo Magar who began to have differences. As a result, one stayed back and the other headed south and after a series of migrations reached the place called Kangwachen. This is in southern Sikkim on whose northern end lived the Bhutia people while at the bottom or southern end settled these Magar immigrants. As the years passed the Magars became very powerful and made the northern Bhutia their vassals. At this time the Magar king named Sintoo Sati Sheng (shang) ruled in a very despotic manner and the northern bhutia conspired and assassinated him. Later on the queen of this king took revenge and poisoned 1000 Bhutia people at a place called Tong Song Fong, meaning "where a thousand were murdered." But later on, the Bhutia won and so the Magar had to again migrate further south and from there they moved in all directions among which one group migrated to Simrongadh. They are believed to have moved towards the Bara Magarnth area of Palpa, Gulmi, Dhor, Gherung, etc. One group moved towards the Okhaldhunga region and another group seems to have returned to the east. No dates are given.
A second Magar federation called Ather Magarat (18 Magar Kingdoms) was situated west of the Kaligandaki River, inhabited by Kham Magar. They have a different origin legend. There were four brothers, so says the legend, and one day they went hunting but got lost. They camped at a place and distributed the chores to do. From these four brothers the various jats or tribes emanated. The first tribe was the Bahun Magar (the eldest brother’s tribe), then came the Thakuri Magar (the second eldest brother), then the Khas Magar (the third brother) and lastly the Kami Magar (the youngest brother). Thus the Khas Magar became the Kham Magar of today, it is said.
The Tarali Magar are said to have originated from the union of a male whose mother had fled the region of Jumla during a war of the Kalyal kings there. It is not known who her spouse was but she is said to have arrived at Tarakot in a very pregnant condition and given birth to this boy. One day the boy saw a strange phenomenon in the jungle lake where he went with his cattle. The lake was alleged to be filled with milk and surrounded by a large forest. The boy spotted seven shining creatures like fairies bathing in the waters of the lake. He was enthralled and came to observe them daily. One day he told his mother about this strange sight and she advised him to touch the youngest of these angels so that she would became human and thus he would be able to marry her. This happened and the boy brought the beautiful damsel to his mother, but when they asked her who she was she replied in a tongue, which was incomprehensible for them. The devi was offered some bread and she uttered the words "Tai khe nan." Slowly they began to learn the language of this woman and Kaike was spread among themselves. The language was called Kaike, meaning language of the Gods.
Bernard Pignede also collected other texts from various sources that tell the origin of Magar.
In Nepali
One of the texts which was in Nepali came from the east of Nepal where the Rais and Limbus live. It goes as follows: "The Kirati are the oldest inhabitants of Nepal. Soyenbumanu who lived in the land of Hemonta had several children. The second, Thoinua, went off towards Japan. The third went towards Thailand, Burma and Cochin-China. The eldest went towards Tibet and arrived at the northern frontier of India. His name was Munainua. He had ten children: Yoktumba, founder of the Limbus; Yakakowa, founder of the race of Rais; Lunpheba, founder of the Larus; Thanpheba, Suhacepa, founder of the Sunwars (Chepangs, Thamis); Gurupa, founder of the Gurungs; Mankapa, founder of the Magars; Toklokapa, founder of the Thakalis; Tamangs and Sherpas; Thandwas, founder of the Tharus; and of the Danwars. For thirty-three generations, the Kirati governed in Kathmandu."
Source: Wikipedia
The Magars are divided into 7 major groups as: Thapa, Ale, Rana, Budhathoki, Roka, Gharti, and Pun. All Magar clans intermarry one with the other and are officially of equal social standing. Because of the geographical position of their country, the Magars were amongst the first to receive immigrants from the plains of India. It follows, therefore, that a great number of their customs and ceremonies conform very closely to those of the Hindus of India. The Brahmans first found their way into Nepal amongst the multitudes of Indians, fleeing before the Muslim invasion in the twelfth century. They were the first to convert the local peoples to Hinduism. It is clear that the Brahmans found in their new mountain homes many willing converts; yet a large number refused to adopt the new faith. To the former the Brahmans granted the sacred thread, but to the latter they denied it; hence there sprang up such tribes as Rokas, Thapas, Budhathokis, Ranas, Ghartis, and so on, names which are today found amongst the clans of both the Chettris/Kshatriyas and Magars.
Nothing whatever is known of the early history of the Magars. The first mention of them is the fact that in AD 1100, the Magar King of Palpa and Butwal, Mukunda Sen, invaded and conquered the Nepal (Kathmandu) valley. It is always understood, however, that they have resided round about Palpa from time immemorial and that they were probably the earliest settlers from the north. This part of the country was formerly divided into twelve districts, each under its own ruler, being known as the Barah, or twelve Magarant or twelve Thams, the members of each supposedly being of common extraction in the male line. Some records show these twelve areas as being Argha, Gulmi, Isma, Musikot, Khanchi, Ghiring, Rising, Bhirkot[disambiguation needed], Payung, Garhung, Dhor and Satung, but it is probable that some of the latter places should have been excluded in favour of Palpa, Galkot, Dhurkot, Char Hajar Parbat and even Piuthan and Salyan.
The Magars of middle and western Nepal lay claim to an exciting role in Nepal's formative history. Their kingdom was one of the strongest of west Nepal in and around Palpa District during the time of the 22 and 24 rajya principalities (17th and early 18th centuries). Hamilton, during his research in Nepal in 1802, came to a conclusion that all the kings of 24 principalities including Sen King of Palpa in the Western Nepal were Magars. Magars believe that they have the same origins as the Thakuris and vise-versa. It is believed that many of the aristocracy among Magars assumed and acquired the Thakuri caste and status. In recent years many scholars and historians claimed that Nepal's former ruling Shah kings were the descendants of Magar Kings of the Barah Magarath/Kali Gandaki Region. The 18th-century king, Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of the modern Kingdom of Nepal announced himself as a Magar king. According to Hamilton, Mincha and Khancha Khan, the forefathers of former Shah kings of Nepal, were of Magar descent. Baburam Acharya, the most prominent historian of Nepal, also confirmed that Nepal's former Shah kings were the descendents of Magar Kings.
Many prominent historians of Nepal have claimed that Aramudi, 8th Century ruler of Kali Gandaki Region, was a Magar King. "Aramudi" is named after the Magar language. 'Ari'-'Source of Water' + 'Modi'-'River'='Arimodi' or 'Aramudi', thus the literal meaning of Aramudi is 'source of river'. Jayapida [782-813 AD] whose other name was Vinayaditta, a king of Kashmir, invaded Kali Gandaki Region, a traditional homeland of the Magars of Nepal. Aramudi resisted the invasion and virtually defeated Jayapida. After capture by Aramudi, he was taken to the right banks of the Kali Gandaki river, in a strongly built fort, where Aramudi imprisoned him. Jayapida was a powerful king of Kashmir who ruled for 31 years and defeated the kings of Kanyakubja(Kannauj), and Prayag/Allahabad in Utter Pradesh, India. He was in a conquering expedition to the valley of the Ganges.
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| Magar Costume (Female) |
Genetically and physically, Magar people are Mongoloid/east Asian. They are believed to have migrated from Tibet like the Gurungs and other prominent ethnic groups, however, there is an interesting mythical story describing Magar’s origins and versions of three different language groups are presented.
The origin of the Magar of the Bara Magaranth (twelve Magar kingdoms east of the Kaligandaki River) is that in the land known as Seem there lived a tribe of people. There were two brothers named See Magar and Chintoo Magar who began to have differences. As a result, one stayed back and the other headed south and after a series of migrations reached the place called Kangwachen. This is in southern Sikkim on whose northern end lived the Bhutia people while at the bottom or southern end settled these Magar immigrants. As the years passed the Magars became very powerful and made the northern Bhutia their vassals. At this time the Magar king named Sintoo Sati Sheng (shang) ruled in a very despotic manner and the northern bhutia conspired and assassinated him. Later on the queen of this king took revenge and poisoned 1000 Bhutia people at a place called Tong Song Fong, meaning "where a thousand were murdered." But later on, the Bhutia won and so the Magar had to again migrate further south and from there they moved in all directions among which one group migrated to Simrongadh. They are believed to have moved towards the Bara Magarnth area of Palpa, Gulmi, Dhor, Gherung, etc. One group moved towards the Okhaldhunga region and another group seems to have returned to the east. No dates are given.
A second Magar federation called Ather Magarat (18 Magar Kingdoms) was situated west of the Kaligandaki River, inhabited by Kham Magar. They have a different origin legend. There were four brothers, so says the legend, and one day they went hunting but got lost. They camped at a place and distributed the chores to do. From these four brothers the various jats or tribes emanated. The first tribe was the Bahun Magar (the eldest brother’s tribe), then came the Thakuri Magar (the second eldest brother), then the Khas Magar (the third brother) and lastly the Kami Magar (the youngest brother). Thus the Khas Magar became the Kham Magar of today, it is said.
The Tarali Magar are said to have originated from the union of a male whose mother had fled the region of Jumla during a war of the Kalyal kings there. It is not known who her spouse was but she is said to have arrived at Tarakot in a very pregnant condition and given birth to this boy. One day the boy saw a strange phenomenon in the jungle lake where he went with his cattle. The lake was alleged to be filled with milk and surrounded by a large forest. The boy spotted seven shining creatures like fairies bathing in the waters of the lake. He was enthralled and came to observe them daily. One day he told his mother about this strange sight and she advised him to touch the youngest of these angels so that she would became human and thus he would be able to marry her. This happened and the boy brought the beautiful damsel to his mother, but when they asked her who she was she replied in a tongue, which was incomprehensible for them. The devi was offered some bread and she uttered the words "Tai khe nan." Slowly they began to learn the language of this woman and Kaike was spread among themselves. The language was called Kaike, meaning language of the Gods.
Bernard Pignede also collected other texts from various sources that tell the origin of Magar.
 |
| Magar Costume (Male) |
One of the texts which was in Nepali came from the east of Nepal where the Rais and Limbus live. It goes as follows: "The Kirati are the oldest inhabitants of Nepal. Soyenbumanu who lived in the land of Hemonta had several children. The second, Thoinua, went off towards Japan. The third went towards Thailand, Burma and Cochin-China. The eldest went towards Tibet and arrived at the northern frontier of India. His name was Munainua. He had ten children: Yoktumba, founder of the Limbus; Yakakowa, founder of the race of Rais; Lunpheba, founder of the Larus; Thanpheba, Suhacepa, founder of the Sunwars (Chepangs, Thamis); Gurupa, founder of the Gurungs; Mankapa, founder of the Magars; Toklokapa, founder of the Thakalis; Tamangs and Sherpas; Thandwas, founder of the Tharus; and of the Danwars. For thirty-three generations, the Kirati governed in Kathmandu."
Source: Wikipedia
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