The origin of Magar is still in speculations. There are information scattered here and there about Magars. But some of
these are not based on the evidences, some are incomplete, some
contradict each others, and moreover information are missing in between
the periods of history.
John T. Hitchcock, in
The Magars of Banyan Hill writes about Magars: Magar
homeland is the middle mountain belt drained by the Narayani and its
tributaries. One cannot travel very far anywhere in this area without
encountering Magar shelters in high mountain pastures or Magar villages
on mountain slopes and hilltops. When one takes the Longview of Magars
who inhabit this region, one notices traits they have in common. They
pursue a form of mixed agriculture and combine stock-raising with
growing crops in fertilized fields. All observe caste restrictions and
claim to be Hindus. All observe a marriage rule that forbids an alliance
with the daughter of the father’s sister but encourages one with the
daughter of the mother’s brother. And most Magar, as one of their two
languages, speak a tongue that is part of a large Asiam language family,
Tibeto-Burmese.
However, when one takes a closer view,
differences appear, especially on each side of a line that divides
their homeland roughly into northern and southern halves. The Magar
tribe is split into number of sub tribes. In the southern half of the
region, the sub tribes that predominate almost to the exclusion of any
others are the Ale, Rana, Thapa, and Burathoki; it was in this southern
area, anciently called the Bara Mangaranth, that Magars first made their
appearance in written history. During the twelfth century, they sacked
the Kathmandu Valley that long had been the seat of urban, civilized
culture in Nepal. almost all Magars in this area carry on sedentary
agriculture with emphasis on millet, maize, and in many areas, irrigated
rice. The influence of Hinduism is strong, and as their house language
the Magars here speak a Tibeto-Burman dialect called Magarkura.
Magar
in the northern half of the area belong to a different group of
subtribes. Here one finds the Bura, Gharti, Pun and Rokha. They also
grow maize, and at lower altitudes grow irrigated rice; because most of
them live at higher altitudes than Magars further south, there is more
emphasis upon crops such as barley and potatoes, which are better suited
to cold. There is more stock herding in the north, and some Magars
follow a transhumant pattern, living at one place during the winter and
shifting with their herds to high pastures during the summer. Northern
Magars have been more lightly touched by Hinduism. Not all of them have
retained an indigenous home language, but those who have speak a
Tibeto-Burman dialect called Kamkura. It resembles Magarkura but the two
languages are not mutually intelligible.
John T. Hitchcock
further writes, “Magar origins are lost in obscurity. The tribe seems to have
been part of a very ancient influx of Mongoloid, Tibeto-Burman speaking
peoples into Nepal, probably from the north and east. It also seems
probable, in view of differences between its northern and southern
halves, that the tribe represents two different streams of
migration…..In the legends of many peoples of world there are stories
that tell how they came from some distant land to their present home.
The Magars of Banyan Hill have no such legend. When asked where they
came from they answer, ‘We have lived here always.’”
(John T. Hitchcock,
The Magars of Banyan Hill; Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966, p.4)
The
editors of the
above book George and Louise Spindler write, “This is a
case study of a people who have occupied and used their land for
centuries, who have changed the very shape of the mountain upon which
they live with their terraces, who have worn footpaths connecting
farmsteads deep into the soil, and whose stone resting platforms for
wayfarers are enclosed by the great roots of the banyan trees planted
long ago to provide shade. They are a people who have no legends of
origin from another place. They feel they belong where they are, and
indeed they do, for the people fit the land and the land fits them. And
not only do the people live on their land as they feel they always have,
but their many godlings that control life and the resources upon which
life is based are at home there also and must be treated with regular
sacrifices of food.” (Ibid, p.vii)
Following are the
extract from
'The Gurkhas' of Eden Vansittart (based upon the 'Notes on
Nepal', 1895 AD and 'Notes on Gurkhas' 1890 AD), Anmol Publications, New
Delhi, Re-print 1993 (The spellings are original and not altered):-
The
Western division is inhabited by Doti and other non-Gurkha tribes and
until the close of the last century was divided in, 22 separate
principalities which were collectively called the Baisi Raj and were all
tributary to the Raja of 'Yumila'-Jumla.
Baisi is derived from Bais (twenty two). The names of these principalities were-
Jumla,
Jagwikot, Chain, Acham, Rugham, Musikot, Roalpa, Mallijanta, Balhang,
Daelekh, Darimeka, Doti, Sallyan, Bamphi, Mellianta, Jehari, Kalagaon,
Goriakot, Gutam, Gajur, Jajarkot, Bilaspur.(p. 3)
Towards
the close of the last century the Central Division included in its
limits, besides the Kingdom of Gurkha proper, 24 other independent
principalities, collectively called the Chaubisia Raj, or 'country of
the 24 kings'. These principalities were called- Lamzung, Tanhung,
Golkot, Malibam, Sathung, Garhun, Rising, Ghiring, Deorali, Palpa,
Pokhra, Bhirkot, Butwal, Gulmi, Nuwakeot, Kashi, Isma, Dharkot, Musikot,
Argha, Pyung, Latahung, Kaikho, Piuthan. Previous to the conquest of
the western hill by Gurkhas, Jumla was the chief of the 46
principalities into which the country between the Kali and the province
of Gurkha proper was divided, and all of which were nominally tributary
to the Raja of Jumla.(p. 4)
The aboriginal stock of
Nepal is most undoubtedly Mongolian. This fact is inscribed in very
plain characters, in their faces, forms, and languages. Amongst the
aborigines of Nepal must be counted the Magars, Gurungs, Newars,
Sunwars, Khambus, Yakhas, Yakthumbas, Limbus, Murmis, and Lepchas. (p.6)
……The
most ancient records would seem to prove that Nepal was originally
inhabited by Mongolians. Probably from one of the great waves of
Mongolian conquest, which spread through the breadth of Asia from east
to west, some side wave was washed over the bleak snows of the mighty
Himalayas into the fertile plains and valleys of Nepal. Finding here a
cool and bracing climate and fertile soil, this mass of Mongolians
settled down and adopted the country as their own. But again, the
southern boundary of Nepal rested on India, from whence continual
streamlets of natives were finding their way into Nepal. (p. 8-9)
….In
the Saka year 811, and Nepal Sambat 9(AD 889) on the 7th Sravara Sudi, a
Saturday, Nanya, Deva Raja came from the south Karnataki country and
entered Nepal. He brought with him the Saka Sahkala era and introduced
it. Amongst the troops that there with him were Newars, from a country
called Nayeva, who were Brahmaputra Chattris and Achars. He defeated the
Malla Rajas, and established his court at Bhaktapur or Bhatgaon, he
ruled over it as well as over Lalitapattan (present Patan), and Kantipur
or Katmandu, and established a dynasty, which lasted about 220 years
and gave six kings. The sixth and last king of this dynasty, by name
Hari Deva, had at this time (about 1100 AD) a Magar in his service, who
through the machinations of the ministers, was dismissed. This man
returned to his home and praised Nepal as having houses with golden
roofs and golden pranalis or dharas. The Magar Raja, by name Mukunda
Sena, a brave and powerful monarch, having heard of this, came to Nepal
from the west with a large number of mounted troops, and subdued Hari
Deva, the son of Rama Sinha Deva. Of the Nepalese troops some were slain
and others fled. Great confusion reigned in the three cities. The
victorious soldiers broke and disfigured the images of the gods and sent
the Bhairava, in front of Machindranatha, to their own country, Palpa
and Botwal. With this Raja the Khas and Magar castes came to Nepal.
These men having no mercy, committed great sins, and the southern face
of Pashupati showed its frightful teeth, and sent a goddess named
Maha-mari (pestilence) who, within a forthnight, cleared the country of
the troops of Mukunda Sena. The Raja alone escaped to the east in
disguise. On his way back to his own country he arrived at Devighat and
died there.(pp. 15-16)
…..The famous Prime Minister Bhim Sen was the descendant of a Magar Thapa, as was also General Amar Sing.(p. 67)
To
the north and to the west of Sallyan, numbers of Matwala Khas are to be
found. They are rarely if ever found to the east of the Gandak river.
There can be no doubt that this race found its origin somewhere about
Sallyan or perhaps still further west. The Matwala Khas is generally the
progeny of a Khas of Western Nepal with a Magar woman of Western Nepal.
If the woman happens to belong to the Rana clan of the Magar tribe, the
progeny is then called a Bhat Rana. The Matwala Khas does not wear the
thread. He eats and drinks and in every way assimilates himself with the
Magars and Gurungs. He invariably claims to be a Magar. Amongst the
Matwala Khas are to be found those who call themselves Bohra, Roka,
Chohan, Jhankri, etc. These are easy to identify, but it is more
difficult to find out a Matwala who calls himself a Thapa. His strong
Magar appearance, his not wearing the thread, and his eating and
drinking freely with the real Magars, all tend to prove him to be what
he almost invariably claims to be, viz., a real Magar. The writer has
found men in the ranks who for years had served as and been considered
Magars, but who really were Matwala Khas. Some very excellent results
are obtained amongst the Matwala Khas, although the greater proportion
are coarse-bred and undesirable.(p. 70)
Of very ancient
Magar history we know nothing, and the first time that they came into
prominence as a great power is about AD 1100, when hear that Mukunda
Sena, the Magar King of Palpa and Botwal, invaded and conquered the
Nepal Valley, and committed terrible atrocities during the reign of Hari
Deva, King of Nepal.
The principal seat of the Magars
was most of the central and lower parts of the mountains between the
Jhingrak ( Rapti of Gorakhpur) and Marsiangdi rivers. That they resided
about Palpa from time immemorial is well known. Doctor F. Hamilton in
book published in 1819 says that the Magars, who resided to the west of
the Gandak River, seem to have received the Rajput princes with much
cordiality. Until the arrival of Rajputs and Brahmans, the hill tribes
seem all to have eaten every kind of animal food, including the cow.
Each tribe appears originally to have had a priesthood and duties
peculiar to itself, and to have worshiped chiefly ghosts.
The
Magars have for many centuries more or less admitted the supremacy of
the doctrines of the Brahmans, and consequently they have adopted many
Rajput customs, ceremonies, and names. The Gurungs also, but to a very
much lesser degree, have borrowed from Rajputs, but this does not give
either of these two tribes any claim to any other descent than
Mongolian.
Owing to the geographical position of the
tract of country inhabited by the Magars, they were the first to receive
immigrants from the plains of India, and thus conversions were more
numerous amongst the Magars than any of the other tribes living further
north or east.
I am interested to organize a detailed research on the history, origin, language, culture of this community. Does any one have the idea of how to do it or is any one interested in this work. I think it will be a great research work.
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