Magar people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Magar is a Sino-Tibetan ethnic group of Nepal and northern India 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. According to Nepal’s 2001 census, 1,622,421 people identified themselves as belonging to the Magar ethnolinguistic group, representing 7.14% of Nepal’s population and making them the largest indigenous ethnic group in the country. According to the 2001 census, 24.60% of ethnic Magar were Hindus and 54.47% were Buddhists and the rest Christian Protestants. [1]
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[edit] History
The Kham Magar who live in the rugged highlands of Rukum, Salyan, Rolpa and Pyuthan districts in Rapti Zone are thought to have migrated from Siberia. This southward migration is evident in various shamanistic practices and other cultural features. They claim to occupy the original Magar homeland in Nepal from whence migration to the south and east proceeded.
Until the rise of the Shah dynasty, the Magar were the ruling class in the whole of Nepal. Some historians even believe that the Shah dynasty are the direct descendants of Magar. Other historians, however, believe this to be an undeniable part of history that has been suppressed so not to elevate the community's collective ego. The history of Nepal is largely written by people of Bahun ethnicity, who are considered to be masters in playing with the truth. A learned non-Bahun, non-Hindu historian will likely have no hesitation in accepting these claims.
Just like any other Nepali, some members of the Magar community fought in the Nepalese Civil War.
[edit] Language
Of the 1,622,421 Magar people in Nepal, 770,116 speak a Magar language as their mother tongue. The Kham Magar of Rapti Zone speak Kham language. In Dolpa District, the Magar speak Tarali or Kaike language. The Magar languages are rooted in the Bodic branch of the Tibeto-Burman family.
[edit] Religion
In addition to shamanistic practices possibly brought from Siberia, the northern Magar practice Tibetan Buddhism in which their priest is known as Bhusal. The social process of Sanskritization has drawn southern Magar populations to develop a syncretic form of Hinduism that combines animist and Buddhist rituals. Hindu Magar villagers recognize three classes of priests- Rama, Jaisi and Dhami.
Generally speaking, Buddhist and Hindu practices are best developed among Magars living in contact with Tibetan Buddhists and Indo-Aryan Hindus respectively. They are less evident in Kham hinterlands particularly in rugged 3-4,000 meter ranges along the boundary between Rukum and Pyuthan-Rolpa districts. These hinterlands are geographically and therefore culturally isolated from the beaten tracks of transhimalayan trade routes and from rice-growing lowlands colonized by Hindu Indo-Aryans.
[edit] Occupations
Magars traditionally engage in agriculture and in the military. The Magars are prominently represented in Nepal’s military, as well as in the British and Indian Gurkha regiments, along with the Limbu, Rai, and other martial ethnic groups from the hills of Nepal. Today, members of the Magar community are also employed as professionals in the fields of medicine, education, government service, law, journalism, development, aviation and in business. They can be found doing well in many fields in East Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.
[edit] Notable Magar
- Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar aka Badal, until recently, was defense minister of Nepal
- Lakhan Thapa Magar, first martyr of Nepali state
- Balaram Gharti Magar,Former Cabinet minister and famous politician
- Mahabir Pun, recipient Magsaysay Award, considered Asia's Nobel prize
- Pro Dr Trilok Pati Thapa,Institute of Medicine,Tribhuvan University,Kathmandu
- Dr. Gobinda Prasad Thapa retired Assistant Inspector General of Nepal Police
- late Lt. Col Narayan Singh Pun (Ex. Minister) Mediator of Government and Maoist
- Gore Bahadur Khapangi (Ex. Minister)He played major role to establish the Nepal Magar Association
- Suresh Ale Magar Revolutionary Maoist leader (member of legislature parliament.)
- Fatik Thapa (Member of legislative parliament)Leader of magar community
- M.S Thapa Leader of Magar Community,President of Rastriya Janamukti Party(Member of parliament),great writer of magar language,lawyer and a social activist.
- Pardip Thapa famous magar journalist
- Sanjog laaphaa famous magar actor
- Rom Bahadur Thapa,former Inspector General of Police,Nepal Police,Highest ranking police officer in Nepal
- Khadga Jeet Baral, highest decorated and honored Inspector General of Police(ret.), ambassador of Nepal to Burma, Member of the U.N, and former Member of Parliment.
- Ram Bahadur Thapa "Badal" Minister of Defense, Revolutionary leader
- Pramila Thapa Magar is Nepal's female black belt champion and world black belt sparring champion and 10-board breaking champion. She is the first female Tae kwon do coach in Nepal. She is also first female 4th Dan champion in Nepal, awarded from king Birendra. The belt is a special three-inch thick black belt with gold embroidery.
- Vim charan Thapa, campus chef,writer; sharada, parkhal, and other many books.
- Prakash Thapa Magar, Ex-Boxer, Nepal champion and South Asia Champion.
- Uttam Raj Thapa Magar, Chess Champion of Nepal, 2008 - present
[edit] References
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This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (May 2009) |
- Nepal Population Report 2002
- Rastriya Janajati Bikas Samiti
- Nepal Ethnographic Museum
- Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities
- Magar Studies Center
- One Day of War; Shushila Magar
- Revolutionary Autonomous Region Declared in Western Nepal
- [1]
- magar, Dor Bahadur. (2004). People of Nepal. Kathmandu: Ratna Pustak Bhandar.
- pramila thapa magar -: one of the best tae kwon do player , coach and the first international gold medalist in Nepal .
- Late, Professor Jagat Bahadur Singh Burathokey, Head of the Geography Department, Tribhuwan University
