Thapa, Bijaya
PhD, English Depart
Daito Bunka University
英語学専攻
博士課程後期課程
大東文化大学大学院
2016
Introduction
The Magars are one of the indigenous ethnic nationalities of Nepal representing 10% of the total population. Their ancestral homeland extends from the Western and the Southern edges of the Himalayas to the Mahabharat foothills in the South and Kali Gandaki river basin in the East. The Magars ruled while establishing their own Kingdoms in ancient Nepal called the Barha Magarat (12 Magar Kingdoms) located east of the Gandaki River and the Athara Magarat (18 Magar Kingdoms) located west of the Gandaki River.
They have won mother tongue and won culture. Mid 18th century they loosed their kingdoms, then started fighting to be Gurkha army.
Origin
Genetically, we do not have any data of Magar people. Just it is beginning of DNA test from myself. Physically, Magar people are Mongoloid/East Asian. They are believed to have migrated from Tibet via Sikkim like other prominent ethnic groups.
There are three different versions of mythical stories describing the origins of Magars. It was relative to three different language groups are presented. The Magar of the Bahra Magaranth east of the Kali Gandaki River) is said to have originated in the land of Shim. Two brothers, Shim Magar and Chintoo Magar, fought, and one remained in Shim, while the other left, ending up in Kangwachen in southern Sikkim. The Bhutia people lived at the northern end of this region. Over time, the Magars became very powerful and made the northern Bhutia their vassals. Sintoo Sati Sheng ruled in a very despotic manner, and the Bhutia conspired to assassinate him. Sheng's queen took revenge and poisoned more than 1,000 Bhutia at Tong Song Fong, meaning "where a thousand were murdered". They started out civil war and drove the Magars, and forcing them to again migrate further south. As part of this migration, one group migrated to Simrongadh, 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 Athara Magarat was situated west of the Gandaki River, inhabited by western Magars.
History
The first written history about Magar people dates as back as 1100 AD.[3] But it is widely accepted that they have resided around Palpa from time immemorial. They are also thought to be 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[4] or twelve Thams, the members of each supposedly being of common extraction in the male line. Some records show these twelve areas as being Arghakhanchi, Isma, Musikot, Gulmi, Khanchi, Ghiring, Rising, Bhirkot, Payung, Garhung, Dhor and Satung.[5] However, it is probable that some of the latter places should have been excluded in favor of Palpa, Galkot, Dhurkot, Char Hajar, Parbat, and even Piuthan and Salyan.
The Magars of middle and western region played a role in Nepal's formative history. Their kingdom was one of the strongest of west Nepal. Around Palpa during the time of the 22 and 24 Kingdom principalities (17th and early 18th centuries).[7] The 18th-century king Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of the modern Kingdom of Nepal called himself the King of Magarat.
Many prominent historians of Nepal have claimed that Aramudi, an eighth-century ruler of the Kali Gandaki region, was a Magar King.[8][9][10][11] "Aramudi" derives from the word for 'river' in the Magar language.[12] 'Ari'-'Source of Water' + 'Modi'-'River'='Arimodi' or 'Aramudi', thus the literal meaning of Aramudi is 'source of the river. But due to the lack of historical evidence, there are some conflicting ideas among the historians.
The Magar are structured with septs and sub-septs (sub-clans). The smallest groups are gotras. Broadly speaking, Magars are divided into two main groups: Baraha Magarati and Athara Magarati. Before the unification of Nepal in the 18th century by the King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the Magarati land was divided into two Magarati states. West of Kali Gandaki was called eighteen Magarati and East of Kali Gandaki was called twelve Magarati. They are mainly Ale, Budha, Pun, Rana and Thapa clans. Within these seven clans, more than 1100 sub-clans can be found. These Magar clans intermarry with one another and are equal in social standing.[6]
Linguistically, the Magars are divided into three groups. Barha Magarati speaks Dhut dialect, and Athara Magarati speaks Pang and Kaike dialects.
Language
Around 3 million Magars are in Nepal, nearly 788,530 speaks Magar language as their mother tongue. The western inhabitants of Nepal didn't use to speak the language in the past. But recently, almost everyone has started learning the language. The western Magars of Rapti Zone speak Magar Pang. In Dolpa District, the Magar speak Magar Kaike language. The Magar languages are rooted in the Buddhic branch of the Tibetan family. Magar Dhut (Magar Kura) speakers are all Magar clans residing in twelve Magarat. Similarly, Magar Pang speakers are all Magar clans from eighteen Magarat. Magar Kaike language speakers are all Magar clans in Karnali zone. Recent government of Nepal told the total population of those who spoke the Magar language are about 2.5% percent of the total population of Nepal, of which more than half lived in the Western hills of Nepal.
Religion
The original religions or beliefs of Magar people are Animalism (Shamanism, Tengriism and the western Magar practice Siberian shamanism). In which their priest is known as Saru, Rana, Ale, Thapa Magars have been practicing shamanism during the pray.
Shaman is called Dangar and Jhankri. Magars have an informal cultural institution, called Bhujel. Who performs religious activities. Organizing peoples and agriculture-related festivities, traditions, and customs, strengthens social and production system, manages resources, settles cases and disputes and systematizes activities for recreation and social solidarity.[17]
Dress and ornaments
Magars of the low hills wear Kachhad (like a skirt) or wrap loincloth (underwear), Bhoto (self-made dress) or a shirt with vest and Nepali topi. The women wear the phariya, sari or lungi (long skirt) and chaubandi choli (like a blouse) and patuka. Tiki (triangle shape scrap). Dresses of women's are closed on Magar culture. Because, every magar women has garment skills. The ornaments are the madwari on the ears, bulakhi and phunli on the nose, the silver coin necklace (haari) and the pote with the tilhari gold cylinder, jantar, dhungri, naugedi etc. Male normally doesn't wear ornaments, but few are do gold earring, bracelet and rings.
Occupations
Military and Agriculture is the main income sources. The largest number of Gurkha soldiers are Magars in Nepal, India, England and also Singapore Police. Sarbajit Rana Magar became the head of government during the regency of Queen Rajendra Laxmi.[20] Biraj Thapa Magar, General Abhiman Singh Rana Magar and Sarbajit Rana Magar headed the Nepal army. Biraj Thapa Magar was the very first army chief in Nepal Army's history.[21] Magars are famous as gallant warriors wherever they served in the past. Very few are also employed as professionals in medicine, education, government, journalism and in business etc. in Nepal and other countries.
Some of the northernmost Magars have become quite prosperous by engaging in long-range trading that takes them from near the northern border to the Terai, and even beyond to Darjeeling and Calcutta. Were it not for their role in the Gurkha regiments of the Indian and British armies, their self-sufficiency might be endangered.[22]
Toni Hagen, who did his field research in Nepal during the 1950s, observed
Magars possess considerable skill as craftsmen: they are the bridge builders and blacksmiths among the Nepalese, and the primitive mining is largely in their hands. On the lower courses of the Bheri & Karnali rivers, a great number of Magars annually migrate to the Terai & their manufacture bamboo panniers, baskets, and mats for sale in the bazaars along the borders. In their most northerly settlement, on the other hand, the important trading center of Tarakot on the Barbung river, they have largely adopted their way of life, their clothes, and their religion to that of the Tibetans; like the latter, they also live by the salt trade. As regards race, the Magars have almond-shaped eyes or even open eyes, whereas Mongoloid's eyes are very rare.
Military service
Many of the Magars are distinguished themselves in the military as a warrior. And my family background also same. Still many of Magars are in service under the British and India Army. They are involved in the I world war, and also in the II world war, they got 5 Victoria Cross (13 Victoria Cross awarded to Gurkhas) were awarded to the Magars. Dipprasad Pun is a first Nepali winner of the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross in Afghanistan in 2010.
- World War I
- R. man Kulbir Thapa 2/3 Gurkha Regiment is the first Gurkha, who Winn Victoria Cross for recognition of his valor and bravery in France in 1915. His hometown is at Gulmi, Bharse.
- R. man Karan Bahadur Rana, 2/3 Gurkha Regiment also from Gulmi. He got Victoria Cross in Egypt in 1918.
- World War II
- Sub. Lalbahadur Thapa, 2nd GR form Nepaltar. He got Victoria Cross in Tunisia in 1943.
- Honorable Lieutenant Tul Bahadur Pun, 6th GR. He got Victoria Cross in Burma in 1944.
- Sub. Netra Bahadur Thapa, 5th GR. He got Victoria Cross in Burma in 1944.
Literature Survey
The literature that deals in one way or another with the Magar history is abundant yet highly dispersed among other works, none of which take up matters of the Magar history as a main topic of discussion. The starting point for the doctor’s dissertation, which is envisioned is two. They are An Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul by William Kirkpatrick (1811) and An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal by Francis Buchanan Hamilton (1819). The first of these accounts, though published in 1811, was actually written in 1793. It states that Magars at that time were considered as Chetris (the second highest caste) whereas only a hundred years later their caste status had declined to that of being impure, yet touchable. Whether this reference to Chetri status was meant to apply to all Magars or to only those of the Hindu faith is not clear. The second reference work by Hamilton was published very soon after the Anglo-Nepalese War and has the much more ethnic history. The history of various ruling families, including the royal family of the Magar kingdom of Palpa and the Gorkha royal family which united Nepal into one nation, is given in some detail. A Nepalese Brahman source of Hamilton is stated to have described the Nepalese royal family as being of Magar origin, something which might be true, as the chief temple of the royal family was a Magar temple and the chief priest a Magar. They themselves claimed to have been Rajput and to have come from Northern India, something which also applied to the royal family of Palpa which was closely related to that of Gorkha. The DNA project which is being undertaken might one day determine the truth of the matter and, if not, at least narrow down the range of possibilities to be further explored.
Another book is written in English, which is of importance, but needs careful use is History and Culture of Kirat People by Iman Singh Chemjong. This work has much useful information, some of which has been taken from original documents in the Limbu and Nepalese languages. Unfortunately, he does not sufficiently distinguish between the various Sino-Tibetan peoples inhabiting Nepal and, being Christian, interprets the Biblical story of Noah and his sons literally, forcing impossible connections with the various ethnic groups of Nepal. Though, in some senses, a ground-breaking work for his era of Nepalese scholarship, serious work is needed to disentangle the invaluable from the useless and to reconstruct properly exactly where many of his references are to be located.
Magar Sanskriti (Magar Culture) written by Dharma Prasad Shiris-Thapa, though written in Nepalese, leaves many questions unanswered. For instance, who are the Magars, why are they called Magar, is it because of they speak the same language or do they have the same ancestor? That’s why I decided to do a DNA test project or it is beginning on the way from me.
References
- Chemjong, Iman Singh (2003). History and Culture of Kirat People. Kathmandu, Nepal: Kirat Yakthung Chumlung Central Office
- Hamilton, Francis Buchnan (1819). An Account Of The Kingdom Of Nepal. Edinburgh: Archibald Constable And Company
- Hitchcock, John T (1966). The Magars Of Banyan Hill. USA: Holt, Rinehart And Winston, Inc.
- Jayaswal, K.P. (2016). Chronolgy And History Of Nepal. Delhi, India: Facsimile Publisher, 12 Pragari Market, Ashok Vihar, Ph-2 Delhi- 110052
- Kirkpatrick, Willim J. (1811). An Account Of The Kingdom Of Nepaul. London: William Miller
- Thapa, Shyamu (2015). Ethnic Politics in Nepal. Lalitpur, Nepal: National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities
- Sinjali, Bishnu Kumar & Budha, Karna Bahadur (2014). Magar kham/Pang la ro ra. Kathmandu, Nepal： Magar Woman Association Ktm
- Budha, Karna Bahadur (2008). Bahu Bhashiya Nepali-Magar Shabdasuchi. Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal Magar Student Union, center
- Thapa, Hirasinghaw (2009). Magar (Dhut) -Khas-English Dictionary. Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal Magar Sangh
- Ale, Beg Bahadur (Namkhan) (2008). Mikdiyang Forjhoch Rikma. Kathmandu, Nepal: Adibasi Janajati Utthan Pratisthan
- Shiris-Thapa, Dharma Prasad (2014). Magar Sanskriti. Kathmandu, Magar Prangik Samuha
- Baral, Keshar Jangh (2011). Palpa, Tanahun Ra Syangja Magarharuko Sanskriti. Kathmandu, Nepal: Asmita Book Publication & Distribution P.L.
- Budha, Bhojbikram (2016). Magar Jatiko Rajnitik Itihas. Kathmandu, Nepal: Magar Prangik Samuha
- Poon, Yam Bahadur & Gharti, Jhakendra (2014). Magar Jati. Kathmandu, Nepal: Magar Prangik Samuha
- Sinjali, Bishnu Kumar (2014). Adibasi Magarka Bibidh Paksyaharu. Kathmandu, Nepal: Magar Addhyan Kendra
