The Magars and Their Cosmology

 "Source: https://www.thewondernepal.com/articles/the-forgotten-fire-reviving-the-magar-community/"

 Introduction

Deep in the hills of central and western Nepal, where the forests thicken and old stones hum beneath moss and pine needles, there lies a sacred tradition nearly extinguished by time—the shamanic rites of the Magar people. Long before temples of brick or cities of stone, the Magars lit fires in forest clearings, whispered invocations to the ancestors, and summoned spirits through smoke and drumbeats. These rites—of healing, remembrance, and communion—were once the cornerstone of Magar spiritual life.

Today, the fire is fading. The dhami, jhankri, and bijuwa—once revered for their powers to traverse the spirit world and maintain cosmic balance—are few in number, their chants unrecorded, their rituals misunderstood or dismissed as superstition. Yet in the shadows of forgotten shrines and in the memory of the hills, something still stirs. The embers of Magar shamanic practice are not entirely cold. This article seeks to rediscover the ancient fire, to understand the rites that once bound the Magars to their land, ancestors, and unseen world—and to explore the fragile efforts being made today to keep this legacy alive.

 

The Magars and Their Cosmology

The Magars are one of Nepal’s oldest indigenous ethnic groups, believed to have inhabited the mid-hills and lower Himalayan zones long before Indo-Aryan and Tibetan migrations. Today, they form one of the largest Janajati populations in the country, spread across districts like Palpa, Rolpa, Rukum, Gulmi, Baglung, Myagdi, and Pyuthan.

Traditionally animistic and shamanic, the Magars believe in a layered universe inhabited by humans, nature spirits, ancestral souls, and gods. These realms interact constantly, and any disruption—be it illness, crop failure, or misfortune—is interpreted as spiritual imbalance. It is the task of the dhami (spirit-medium) and bijuwa (ancestral priest) to restore that balance.

Unlike codified religions, Magar shamanic practice was fluid, local, and oral. Rituals varied from village to village, lineage to lineage. But common to all was the central role of the sacred fire and smoke—the mediums through which ancestors were called, spirits fed, and diseases exorcised.

 

Fire and Smoke: The Sacred Medium

Among the Magars, fire was more than physical warmth—it was a portal. The hearth was a shrine, the smoke a message. Ritual fires (aggini) were lit with specific woods: uttis (alder), salla (pine), and paiyun (wild cherry), each chosen for its spiritual resonance. The smoke that rose from offerings—grains, rice, ghee, meat, and sacred herbs like titepati (Artemisia)—was believed to nourish ancestors and carry prayers to the unseen.

This smoke served several sacred functions:

• Purification: Homes, bodies, and ritual grounds were cleansed with wafting smoke.
   
• Invocation: Spirits were summoned through the fire’s breath—spoken names sent skyward.
   
• Protection: Smoke marked sacred boundaries during healing or trance rites.
   
• Possession and Speech: In trance, a dhami would inhale the smoke and become the voice of an ancestor or deity.
   

The fire was always circled anti-clockwise, symbolizing a return to origin. When performing the kul puja—ancestral rites—the bijuwa would carefully trace the family lineage, name the spirits, and offer cooked rice and raksi (homemade liquor) into the flames. In this moment, the dead were present, fed, and honored.

 

The Shamans: Dhami, Jhankri, and Bijuwa

Shamanic roles in Magar society were varied, each with specific powers and responsibilities.

Dhami

• Often entered trance states to communicate with deities or spirits.
   
• Diagnosed causes of illness or misfortune by observing animal behavior or dreams.
   
• Conducted seasonal rites to ensure harmony between village and nature.
   

Jhankri

• A healer and spiritual warrior.
   
• Used ritual instruments like the dhyangro (frame drum), bells, and feathered headgear.
   
• Fought off evil spirits (bhut, bokshi, or kecchari) that afflicted individuals or livestock.
   

Bijuwa

• Specialized in ancestral rites.
   
• Maintained oral genealogies and ritual calendars.
   
• Officiated kul pujas, death rituals, and life-cycle ceremonies.
   

These roles were often hereditary, passed from father to son or uncle to nephew. Initiation involved dreams, illness, visions in the forest, or direct possession—signs that a spirit had chosen the individual for this sacred work.

 

Ancestral Rites: The Kul Puja and Beyond

Central to Magar spirituality is the belief that ancestors do not disappear—they remain close, watching, guiding, and, if neglected, punishing. Honoring them is both a duty and a necessity.

Kul Puja (Clan Ancestor Worship)

• Performed annually or during major transitions: births, marriages, house construction.
   
• Involves offerings of boiled rice, eggs, raksi, chicken, and sometimes blood sacrifices.
   
• Names of deceased ancestors are recited in precise order to invite their presence.
   
• Fire and smoke are used to “open the way” and serve the meal to the dead.
   

Failure to conduct kul puja was believed to invite misfortune—illness, accidents, and spiritual restlessness.

Death and Rebirth

• Death was not the end but a journey through pachhyo lok—the afterworld.
   
• The bijuwa helped guide the soul through rituals like pitri karma and panche batti (five lamp ceremony).
   
• Rebirth was both feared and celebrated; sometimes, infants were named after deceased kin believed to have returned.
   

 

The Drumbeat and the Trance

The heart of many Magar shamanic rites is the dhyangro, a frame drum struck in rhythmic patterns to summon spirits or induce trance. Each beat was a step into the invisible. The jhankri would begin slow, eyes fixed on the fire. As the beat quickened and incense thickened, the world around would blur. When the spirit entered, the jhankri’s voice would change, face contort, and movements shift into a divine presence.

In trance, the jhankri might:

• Diagnose illnesses caused by spirit possession.
   
• Identify curses or witchcraft.
   
• Retrieve lost soul fragments (la) of the afflicted.
   
• Recite myths or chants as the voice of gods or ancestors.
   

Witnesses often wept, trembled, or joined in ecstatic song. For them, this was not performance but divine encounter—a moment when the world opened.

 

Sacred Landscapes and Spirit Geography

For the Magars, certain places were charged with spirit energy—natural temples of power. These included:

• Forest Clearings (ban khel): Where initiations and healing rites were conducted.
   
• Hilltop Shrines (deurali): Offerings made before travel or harvesting.
   
• Waterfalls and Springs (jhari, mul): Home to jhyangri spirits—some benevolent, others dangerous.
   
• Old Trees (bar, pipal, chilaune): Believed to house ancestral or guardian spirits.
   

These places were maintained with respect. To build near them, cut trees, or bathe during certain lunar phases was forbidden without permission from a dhami or bijuwa. With modernization, many of these places are now roadsides or farmland. The spirits remain, but few remember how to speak with them.

 

Decline and Disappearance

The decline of Magar shamanic rites has been rapid in recent decades, driven by multiple factors:

Conversion and Religious Pressure

• Christian missionary activity in hill districts has led many Magar families to abandon ancestral rituals.
   
• New faiths discourage what they consider “idol worship” or “witchcraft.”
   

Modern Education and Migration

• Children grow up in boarding schools or cities, disconnected from their village traditions.
   
• Young Magars increasingly see dhami-jhankri practices as backward or shameful.
   

Loss of Ritual Knowledge

• Oral transmission has broken down. Chants are forgotten, lineage trees incomplete.
   
• Many elders died during the Maoist conflict without passing on knowledge.
   

Tourism and Misrepresentation

• Some shamans are hired to “perform” rituals for trekkers—diluting the sacred into spectacle.
   
• Authentic practices are confused with stereotyped Himalayan shamanism or Tibetan Tantric displays.
  

DECODING MAGAR MIGRATION IN NEPAL

 I have talked a lot about Magars in my blog, the different aspects of the Magar culture I have come across so far, with the available resources to me.

 

But still as the time passes, we come across some new things or information that compels me to think about the articles I have written in the past in my blog. So, again today I thought of re-visiting and rekindle our origin or know more about ourselves in broader way.

 

This very idea comes to me when I was reading a book named “Kirat Limbu Culture” written by Dr. Nawaraj Subba. It fascinated me by two things number one is they have a written book, which gives lot of insight into their history & culture & second thing is mention of Magars in that book.

 

In fact, as far as I know we Magars neither have any written historical documents nor have any oral knowledge that is passed down from generation to generations. The only exception here could be Sorathi dance, which again gives very limited information and only shows some recent events probably 400 to 500 years old. First let’s discuss what could be the possible reason of non-existent of written and oral Magar history. One of the very possible reasons could be the non-existent of the great intellectuals in Magars people in past & second is their isolation from the world & third which is less likely though it got destroyed by Ranas as people talked about. But I am not very fan of the third reason because written or oral history if ever existed cannot simply destroyed by a single ruler, at least there could have some possible traces that could have given some power to this claim. However, Kirati ‘Mundhum’ shows the presence of some great intellectual Kirati people, who thought of preserving their history & ancestors’ story just like Aryans did with Vedas.     

 

Now, the only thing that remain is the culture, the religious practice & traditions. That too got overshadowed by Hinduism in many places & remaining tasks I guess will be completed by Christianity. And at the end we have no true cultural identity of ourselves. The only thing that will remain Magar as an identity is surname. Though continuous change is a part of world cycle, but knowing ourselves & our own identity is a significant aspect of human life.  

 

I have discussed about Magar origins in details in my blog & I have even covered the genetic aspects. Still, with the time I thought that few more information I should share here. The one thing didn’t cover here is Magar origin from the aspects of Kirat chronology. Based on the Kirat Chronology, the Magar people originated in the 5th century from a place called Shin in the northern Himalayas. Led by two leaders, Shing Mangar and Chitu Mangar, they migrated south, with their arrival causing the people of the southern regions to refer to them as Tangsang Thapa, or "people who came from far away in the north". Here, I want to also add that ‘Tangsa’ is the word normally used for ‘people of highlands. Tangsa tribe is also found in Arunachal Pradesh, India & Myanmar.

As their population grew, the Magars split into twelve clans known as Barah Mangar. Iman Singh Chemzong's History and Culture of Kirat People detail that after their arrival in what is now Sikkim, the Magars built fortified settlements called Mangardzong.

 

Before, we go further, it’s important to know who Kirats are. Let’s discuss it in short. Fortunately, there are good number of books available regarding Kirat people, unlike Magar people. However, different scholars have different theories on their origin. Two main theories, one is obvious that they came from Northern region & other says that they came from Southern- West region & has roots in Babylon empire. And the very interesting aspects is mention of Kirati people in Mahabharata, whose timeline is approximately 1000 BC. If we look at the word Kirat, different scholars have different interpretation. But in my opinion it could have linked to a Mongolian region tribe with the similar name. My view on Kirati people is Kirati people is definitely came from Northern or Western region in Nepal, even their DNA can say this loudly. The thing is they are the first Himalayan people (South-East origin) who came in contact with Aryans. And one of the views I want to put here is Aryan invasion theory. Aryans never invaded South Asia, it’s the philosophy and some great intellectual people that have travelled from Caucasian region and they have literally taken their knowledge with them and try to spread it all over the world. The thing which normally happens with any religion, take any big religion Buddhism, Christianity, Islam etc. This thing is as simple as this and I know why people try to make complex. So, lets comeback to our subject, the influence of Vedic people on Kirati people is since Mahabharata era. So, when religious people enter comes, what they will do. They want to keep themselves on top position. By influencing the most powerful man of the region. To remain with Royal people. This is one the very reason why Kirati people have written history “Mundhum” and Magar people don’t have any. So, overall, Kirati are south-eastern people with Aryan influence, so the trace of their Babylon origin is because of Vedic influence.

 

My view, the Mahabharata era Kirat people are one of the first major batches of Magar people. Let’s understand this way. Gandaki & Rapti region are the two main region of Magar settlement. There is no doubt that Magars are the earliest settlers of the region, because majority of the names in the region is in Magar language. Though few people must have been there along Gandaki corridor or major rivers coming from both South & North, the Mahabharata era Kirati people make the first batch of Magar people in the region. When I say Kirati people I mean South-East ethnic people. These are not those Magar people which are mentioned in Kirati Mundum, who came to Sikkim region around 5^th Century CE as mentioned earlier. In fact, the Magar people mentioned in the Mundhum is the 2^nd influx/batch of Magar people. And in my opinion, they are the one who carried the name Mangar with them.    

The Mahabharat era Kirat are also the very ancestors of Tharus & Newars. This we should understand it very clearly. So, in this way Kirats, Tharu, Newar & Magars have joint roots from Mahbharata era.

 

Now let’s discuss some linguistic similarities between Magars & Lepchas. Based on linguistic, historical, and cultural connections, the Magar and Lepcha people share similarities rooted in their shared origin and geographical proximity in the Himalayan region. 

Linguistic similarities

• Both the Magar and Lepcha languages belong to the Sino-Tibetan language family, specifically the Tibeto-Burman subgroup.
• Some linguistic studies have noted affinities and close relationships between Magar and other Tibeto-Burman languages of the "non-pronominalized" Himalayan group, which also includes the Lepcha language.
• Historical accounts suggest periods of interaction and co-existence between the two groups in the Sikkim region, which contributed to some linguistic connections, such as loanwords. 

What does above thing means. It means Magars & Lepchas had some kind of proximity at some point of time. I will consider this with 2^nd influx around 5^th century CE.

 

One of the things that comes in my mind is why Maghe Sankranti is the Major festival of Magars. And what is Maghe Sankranti, just a plain harvesting festival. The answer lies in Tibetan connection. We also know that Maghe Sankranti is also a main festival of Tharus, so is Lohsar main festivals of Sherpas, Tamangs, Gurungs etc. The people who had Tibetan connection or influence at some point of time, a type of harvesting feasting festival which generally comes in Jan or Feb is their main festival. Even in many tribes of Arunchal Pradesh, India festival name Mol, which is again a harvesting festival is their major festival. So, this one harvesting festival shows our common ancient root, one of the oldest tradition, when both religion & Gods were not so developed.

 

The other two names that I come across while reading Magar history is Kanchha Khan and Micha Khan. Though its written Khan its pronunciation is 'Han'. ‘Hang’ is also by Kirats for King. However, if we are talking about Khan of Gengez Khan, that it points towards Gengez Khan era around 12^th century CE, which again many scholars claim the time when Magars came to Nepal. In my opinion, third & small influx of Magars might have entered at this time with Gurungs. Hence, the date. This date also ‘match with Gurung migration.

 

Gurung DNA shows a genetic connection to the Naxi people of China, suggesting a migration from the Tibetan Plateau into Nepal. Genetic studies indicate the Gurung are of the Mongol race, with origins linked to the Naxi through a shared ancestral lineage and migration driven by the Ming Dynasty's expansion 1400 CE. This is supported by linguistic, cultural, and mythological similarities between the two groups. 

• Genetic Ancestry: DNA analysis indicates that the Gurung people are descended from the Naxi people of China.
• Migration and Displacement: Historical events, such as the Ming Dynasty's expansion, are believed to have caused a migration of the Naxi people, ultimately leading to their settlement in Nepal.
• Supporting Evidence: The genetic link is further supported by shared characteristics between the Gurung and Naxi, including:
• Linguistic connections: The Gurung language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family, which shares roots with the Naxi language.
• Mythological similarities: Both groups have origin stories that feature similar mythical ancestors (nine paternal and seven maternal), according to www.nepjol.info.
• Cultural and spiritual practices: Both populations share certain shamanistic and animistic spiritual practices, and music, dance, and storytelling are important cultural elements in both cultures. 

One thing we need to understand is that genetically we are very close to Gurungs. Even few our traditions specially our dance practice is very similar. Though religiously, Gurungs are more of Buddhist inclined unliked Magars who are Hindu or Shamanic. The above thing only says that either a 3^rd flux of Magars entered Nepal or entry of Gurungs has some influence in Magar life.  

 

So, this is the thing I though I will share with you guys. Which may help in understanding discrepancies or confusion in the history.