Magar Religion & Beliefs

As the education prevail in Magar community, more and more educated Magar scholars have started searching for its history. In Nepal where history means ‘History of Kathmandu’, there is very little written documents related to area and people outside Kathmandu. Few books on Magars have been published since then.

 

As a Magar myself I too have the curiosity to know my ancestors & their history and legacy. During or post panchayat era many Magar scholars had actively doing research and searching for the documents related to Magar history. Around 90s in quest for establishing our own identity, few Magar scholars like ‘M S Thapa Magar’ said and written that Magars are actually Buddhist. For some reason many educated Magars of that time have found it interesting (and meaningful to certain extent) and they have urged others to embrace Buddhist rituals and to leave Hindu rituals. Many stopped visiting temples, they have stopped celebrating Dashain tika, they have even started Buddhist rituals in birth, marriage and death. One of the reasons of this shift could be to establish ourselves out of Hindu caste system, where Magars are place below Brahmins & Chettris.

 

However, when I myself have started looking for the Magar history, I could not fully accept the theory that Magars were originally Buddhist. After so many years of reading and research I have come to the conclusion that this theory is wrong.

 

As I have mentioned in my earlier blog “Origin of Magars of Nepal”, Magars might have started migrating to Himalayas during 1500-2000 BC. DNA test has proved that Magars & Gurungs belong to the same family tree or group, similarly Rai, Limbu, Sherpa and Tamangs belong to same group. Even Chepangs are very close to Magars. The reason I have mentioned that Magar, Gurung, Chepangs belongs to same group is to show that Magar-Gurung-Chepangs have common ancestors. We got diversified in the course of time. I can even say that Tharu with Mongolian look are actually from Magar group, though I am not sure about Newars. Mongolian look Newar has to be from Rai-Limbu Family because of they are very much inclined toward Buddhism and their fairer skin compared to Magar-Gurung Family.  

         

And not to forget Thakali, Bhujels who also belonged to Magar-Gurung Family. So these groups todays Magars, Gurungs, Chepangs, Thakali, Bhujels, Tharu (Mongolian look), Mangars (Sikkim) either they diversified after they come to Nepal or at least they had a common family back in Tibet.

 

Today Magar community practice religions like Hinduism, Buddhism & Christianity. But is it all? But didn’t we forget about Shamanism, Animism & what about worshipping nature & ancestors? Now the question comes which religion is the religion of Magars. Here the main contenders (as per Magars scholars) are Hinduism and Buddhism, definitely not Chritainity because it’s a recent arrival in Nepal. But here I disagree with them. In this case I absolutely like the article and thoughts of ‘Jagman Gurung’. Even before Hinduism and Buddhism, we Magars were practicing Shamanism (for healing & other problems), worshipping our ancestors and worshipping the nature (mountains, river, earth, sun, moon, stars, well, air, fire etc). The fact is not only true for Magars but it si also true that it is the oldest religion of all the tribes all across the world, which need no proof. Hinduism and Buddhism came much later. In this case those who live near Indian border like Palpa, Gulmi, Syangja got more influenced by Hindu rituals, similarly those staying near Tibetan border like Dunnai, Dolpa, Mustang got influenced by Buddhist rituals. However, in middle there are many pockets/Magars which still follow the ancient rituals and not touch by either Hinduism or Buddhism. Kham Magars from Rukum & Rolpa are the perfect example of it. Recently I have seen in the youtube video that in Sikkim worshipping ancestors is still the biggest festivals of the Magars. It is called Barahi Festival. So, to present the theory that Magars are originally Buddhist is totally wrong.

 

It not only passing the wrong information to the Magars but it also alienating itself which is our own. For example, as written by Dr. Jagman Gurung in a recent article that Dashain is actually the festivals of Janjati specially Magars. One thing we need to understand that except the Sanskrit Vedas & Mantras everything else even the rituals are co-developed with influence of locals specially Magars and in this case Khas tribe. So, in short, the Hinduism we are practicing in Nepal right now is mixture of Vedic rituals, plus Magar culture & to certain extent Khas culture. So, disowning Hinduism completely is actually disowning our own culture. Why do you think all the major & famous Shakit Pithas/Devisthan have Magar Pujari? Do you think Rodhi, Sorathi, Kauda, Bhailo, Deusi, Maruni is brought by Hindu Brahmins. We still worship nature, many gods even don’t have names, we don’t need Brahmins to worship them. Do you think it is brought by Brahmins? No. Dr. Jagman Gurung even claim that using Jamara in Dashain has Magar culture influence and so is use of red colour in tika. Though red colour is prominent in Vedic cultures but in more recent times Kesari (orange colour) is the colour of Hinduism. Animal sacrifice is more prominent in Vedic culture & in Magar culture (Shamanism, bhog for ancestors and other spirits).

 

At the end, every person is free to practice whatever religion or ritual he wants. Here, my point is disowning Hinduism completely, is like disowning the culture which is our own.  More refined work or information is required in this field so that all Magars get the right & precise information.

--- Kamal Gaha Magar           

(Disclaimer; My point of mentioning M S Thapa Magar is only for this subject, otherwise I have a great respect for him and I truely admire for his effort & contribution towards research work on Magar culture & Identity)