Magar vs Kirat

 

Magar vs Kirat

 

How closely related are Magars & Kirats to each other? Are Magars part of Mahakirati group?

 

Understanding the relation between these two groups is not only the key to understand Nepal history but the history of Magars itself. I personally think that these answers will help in understanding Magars history & ancestors in much better way. The history which was always look from the perspective of Khas Aryans & Bahuns.

 

My main reference of the subject is from the book “Kirat-Limbu Sanskriti” written by Navraj Subba. When I say Kirat here I consider Rai, Limbu, Sunuwar etc under this word. (Whether other groups come under this group or not is the topic of another debate). One thing I have liked about this book is writer has taken the reference of another writer’s book which was written in past related to the Kirats. In the book he has mainly focused on the journey of Kirat & Limbu. However, the he has shown relation between Kirat to Babylon civilization, I am not so in line with him. He has taken the reference of Kirat Mudhum (Kind of their history & mythology) & some words that resembles with Babylon civilization.

 

In this what I want to add is that Kirat may have Babylon connection but saying Kirat originated or Kirat ancestors were from Babylon is too much of the bold claim. However, my understanding says that Kirati is actually have Northen connection they should have this route Siberia-Mongol-China-Tibet instead of Babylon-Iran-central Asia-India route. One of the main factors that contradict Nawraj Subba’s theory is the physical appearance of Kirats only. Now the next question is how does Kirati Mudhum has high resemblance with Gangetic or Aryan people. My answer is because the Mudhum & ancestry is written by Aryans. One thing we have to understand is that Aryans were literate & they were good in keeping ancestry record, which can be seen today also. There is a possibility that few elite Bahuns may have aligned with Kirats, who were already settled in Eastern Himalayans North of present-day Bihar. And this alignment doesn’t happen with Kirat only, this was the general trend at era. It happened in India when Aryans came, it happened in China when Buddhist monk visited China & so is with Muslim Clergy & Christan missionary. The Aryans I am talking about is high class Aryans, who always use to look for new kingdom where they can spread their influence & establish themselves on high position. The same this which happens with Islam & Christianity in Medieval period. One of the finest example is influence of Hinduism & now Christianity on Magars in current period.             

 

Here, few people may ask then what about their scripture. Scripture & books written was always the blends of myths & reality, to make or show reality some out of the world thing or superior than other. That what those literate people were mastered in & in return they use to get lot of respect & high position in king’s court. One thing I want to mention here is that Kirats were influenced by Aryan Brahmins at very early stage, the stage when these clergymen spreading in Gangetic plain, that’s the reason we can see the mention of Kirat people in Mahabharata also.

 

Now lets comeback to our main topic. As Nawraj Subba has mentioned that in Kirati Mudhum, Magar group is mentioned as part of the Mahakirati group. Its possible, how much weight is there in this claim, I will say very substantial. There are two things that connects today’s Magar with today’s Kirat:

1.    Physical appearance

2.    Language   

Second thing mentioning of Magar group in Kirati Mudhum under Mahakirati group also establish that all the groups mentioned in the Mahakrati group were already living in present day Nepal.  

 

Next question comes is how closely related we both groups are. Then my answer will be very much. We are as closely related as how Dravidians of South India are, how Hans, Manchu, Tibetans are related in China. Though technically every human being (Homo Sapiens) has come from a single mother. Here, we are talking about present day groups, I can definitely say that Magar & Kirat had more close common ancestry as compared to Magar & Gangetic people or South Indian Dravidian.      

 

There are few mentions of Magars in Kirat history, but one thing was clear at Mahabharat era also Magars were already had a different identity. Identity of their own as Magars.

 

What are the other common features between Magars & Kirats.

 

1.    Tantra philosophy may have come from Kirant root, though in ancient time all religion has deep root in Tantra even Hinduism & Buddhism (particularly Tibetan Budhism). Dhami & jhakri is common n both groups.

2.     Maghe Sankranti is main festival of Kirats. It is celebrated as victory over Kathmandu by King Yalambar. Maghe Sankranti is also celebrated as Kirati new year. Maghe Sankranti is also the main festival of Magars, but the thing is we still don’t know why it’s the major festival of Magars. We might find the answer in Kirat history.

Magar Vs Kirat : Is Magar part of Kirat family?

"After the fall of Kirat dynasty in 330 AD, Kiratas scattered in different part of Nepal. Those that settled just outside the Kathmandu valley like present day regions such as Jugupyaro, Thadpa, Darkha, Cheptu Gau and Sindhupalchowk district are known today as Chepang, Jirels, Hayu and Thami.

Those Kirat that settled east of Kathmandu became known as Rai, Limbu, Dhimal, Sunuwar and Yakkha today. As for those Kirat who remained in the Kathmandu valley became part of Newar family. Meanwhile, scholars and historian have identified Kiratas who settled west of Kathmandu as Baramu, Chhantyal and Magar.

Magars are settled mainly in Palpa, Gulmi, Myagdi, Rukum, Salyan and Rolpa (Ukyab and Adhikari, BS2057:45). They are also found in Arghakhanchi, Syangja, Parbat, Baglung, Dolpa, Surkhet, Sindhuli and Udaypur. Their traditional land area was referred to as "Athara Magarat" or the eighteen regions of Magars and "Bara Magarat" or the twelve regions of Magars. The area belonged to what is today called Karnali and Gandaki regions.

According to their mythology, the Magars evolved from two types of caves, namely Pelma Khar Pu or barely dispersing cave, and Yoma Khar Pu, or hornet's cave and scattered in all four directions (Budhamagar, BS2059).

Magar Custom and Rituals:
Magars have their own language which belongs to the Tibeto-Burman family and has three divisions called Kham, Kaike and Magarati. Magars have their own separate costumes and cultures. Even the rituals of Bara Magarat, Athara Magarat and Dolpa are slightly different (Budhamagar, BS2053). They have, like those of Gurungs, singing and dancing groups such as Ghatu, Kaura, Jhabre, Nachari, etc.

Magars are basically followers of Buddhism. Even though majority of them are Hinduized, they worship hunting gods and goddesses within their families and outside, the gods of dead ancestors or their grandfathers and grandmothers. They have adopted their own practice of worship. They bury their dead and they have their own belief system regarding life after death (Hitchcock, 1966:25-34). From the perspective of their ancient faith system, they appear as worshippers of nature or as animists again conforming to other Kirati groups like Chhantyal, Dhimal, Rai and Limbu whose religion revolves around worshiping of nature, land and ancestors.

Magar like other Kiratis believe in shamanism and their dhami (the faithhealer) is called Dangar and their jhankri (another kind of faithhealer or shaman) is called Rama. The traditional spiritual and social leader of Magars was called Bhusal who was very influential in the early days (Bista, 1996:66).

Magars have an informal cultural institution, called Bheja. Bheja performs religious activities, organizes social and agriculture-related festivities, brings about reforms in traditions and customs, strengthens social and production system, manages resources, settles cases and disputes and systematizes activities for recreation and social solidarity (Dhakal, 1996). Christening ceremony is held on the fourth day in Bara Magarat, whereas the naito lagaune or navel-fixing ceremony is held on the twenty-second day in Rukum. In many places relatives are employed in lieu of priests for the job of conducting such ceremonies. There is a special cultural practice of offering phultika (literally "marking forehead with wet rice grains and offering flower") to the firstborn son. A ritual of anna prasan or starting of cerealfeeding is held in the sixth month if the baby is a boy and in the fifth month if it is a girl. The Magars of Pipaldanda and Humik in Palpa district, however, perform the cerealfeeding ceremony by touching the baby's mouth with cooked rice three times on the very day of christening ceremony (Baral and Magar, BS2050:62).

Magar is one of the four group that were codified as "namasine(unslaveable) in the Muluki Ain (National Code) of Nepal written by Jang Bahadur Rana in 1854. The other three are Gurung, Limbu and Rai. While the rest of the Nepalese ethnic group were classified as slaves(masine) in the Muluki Ain, the tyrant Rana government could not enslaved these four group. Outside Nepal, these four group are known as the Gurkhas or the "bravest of the brave".

By: Dilip Rai

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD4xr5nJrBE