Magar Caste : Largest Indigenous Inhabitant Of Nepal
Magar Caste
The Magar Caste are the largest ethnic group among the indigenous tribes living in Nepal. According to the 2068 census, the population of Magars is 18,87,733. They live in all 75 districts of Nepal. However, especially in Baglung, Myagdi, Tanahu, Palpa, Nawalparasi, Pyuthan and Rolpa districts, there is a majority of Magars. They have basic social traditions, language, way of life, manners, dress and customs. The last name of the Magar community is Upathar. They worship their clans according to different surnames and sub-clans. And, while performing pooja, they perform the ritual of calling their ancestors from the main bag to the pooja mandapa.
The Magar caste is a multi-lingual community. Religiously and culturally, the Magars seem to be more influenced by Hinduism, but have embraced Buddhism as an ethnic religion. They are continuing the original traditional culture.
According to Iman Singh Chemjong in a book titled Introduction to the Magar Caste published by the National Foundation for the Upliftment of Indigenous Tribes, according to Kirat Mundhum, the Magars came from a place called Sim in the northern Himalayan region and settled in the southern part of Nepal under the leadership of Singh and Chitu. Similarly, according to MS Thapa Magar, author of the ancient Magar and Akkha scripts, the Magars migrated to the Indian subcontinent from the Pamirs of China about 4,000 years ago during the Stone Age or Hunting Age. And, in the long run, with the beginning of the era of animal husbandry and agriculture, they entered Nepal from the far west and north, looking for a suitable place to make a living.
However, according to Bamkumari Budhamagar, the origin of the crocodiles is not in any part of China, but in the present Rukum district’s Hukam Makot. In those two caves of Hukam Makot, the descendants of Pal (white) had established twelve kingdoms from the present Ridi to East Gurkha, while the descendants of Mol (black) had established eighteen states from Ridi to West Mahakali.
The Rapti and Gandaki areas, known as Magarat, have been densely populated since ancient times. It is said that the Karnali province of the Magar dynasty was a state in the present Simikot of Humla and Kushma region of Parbat district. It is said that during the unification of Nepal, the Magars lost their kingdom and the Magars spread to all 75 districts. At present, besides Nepal, Magars live in Sikkim, Meghalaya, Uttaranchal (Dehradun) of India as well as Bhutan, Burma, Hong Kong, UK and other countries.
In the Magar community, folk festivals related to nature like Bhumya, Maghe, Rankhe-Jhankri Mela and Chandipurne are in vogue. The original dances of the Magars are especially Sorathi, Maruni, Ghantu, Kaura, Hurra.
Language of Magar Caste
There are three types of language groups in the Magar community of the Bhote-Burmese family. He has twelve crocodiles, eighteen crocodiles and kaike. The linguistic community has originality. According to the 2068 census, there are 78,8,530 Magar speakers.