" The
origin of Mangar tribe as mentioned in Kirat chronology is a place in the north
called Shin. From there, a group of people under the leadership of two leaders
came to the south. The names of the leaders were Shing Mangar and Chitu Mangar.
The people of the southern country called them Tangsang Thapa which means the
people came from the far away north. Later on, these Mangar tribes multiplied
and were divided into 12 groups under twelve leaders and called themselves
Barah Mangars.
The names of the twelve Mangars were Shinjali Thapa, Hongjali Thapa, Hungchun
Thapa, Chhodey Thapa, Pudkey Thapa, Mundey Thapa, Udhro Thapa, Bairong Thapa,
Ishar Thapa, Barahi Thapa, Hangyung Thapa and Hangshe Thapa.
When they came to Sikkim they settled there permanently. They built Jongs or
Forts or castles, wherever they settled and called them Mangar Jong or the fort
of Mangars or the castle of Mangars.
Pandit Sarad Chandra Das proves the existence of Mangars in Sikkim and Eastern
Nepal.
"The legend which he heard of the Mangar tribe and the ruins of their
forts and towns in the valley of Kangbachhan river in the East Nepal is very
interesting; people said that the account is correct and true."
"The upper valley of Kangbachhan river was occupied by the people of
Tibetan stock and the lower valley was occupied by the Mangar tribe whose king
was called Sintusati Sen. The Mangar king attacked the Tibetan people and ruled
over them. He extracted a heavy tax from them."
"His deputies always oppressed the people to squeeze out money from them,
so the Tibetan people started to conspire against the Mangar king. One day when
the Mangar chief had gone to visit the Tibetan village with many followers,
they were surrounded and killed by the Bhutias. When the Mangar queen heard
this sad news of her husband, she planned to take revenge on the Bhutia
subjects.
"She, therefore, ordered for a grand funeral in the honour of the
departed soul. The funeral was fixed to take place six miles up the river,
midway between the two great
villages of the Kangbachhan valley, so that all the villagers might assemble
there.
After the queen's followers had finished drinking, poisoned wine was given
plentifully to the Bhutia villagers, who suspecting nothing, drank freely and
all died. In this way, nearly one thousand men and women died. The infants in
arms were taken away by the queen's followers. The place where this foul deed
was committed was now called 'Tongsong Phug' or the place which witnessed one
thousand corpses. As a result of this, a Tibetan army invaded several Jongs
belonging to the Mangar queen. She had no preparation to fight the enemy, so
she shut herself in one of her castles or Jongs and her soldiers defended the
castle for three months.
"This Tibetan soldiers then tried to compel the Mangars to surrender by
depriving them of water. At last, the queen, aware of this intention, threw all
the water she had in store towards the camp. The Tibetan soldiers thinking that
she had abundence of water inside the castle raised the seize and went to a
distance to watch the movement of the Mangar people. She immediately collected
her soldiers and pursued the enemy. When a skirmish took place, she fell
fighting nobly. The rest of Mangars left their place of Kangbachhan valley and
migrated towards south west direction and reached as far west as Simang Garh
situated about six miles east of present Birganj of central Nepal. When their
number multiplied they were divided into two groups under the leadership of
Phalemi Khan and Yomchhammi Khan and spread towards eastern and western
directions. Phalemi Khan led his horde towards West Nepal and settled in Palpa.
Yomchhammi Khan returned to Limbuwan in the east and settled in Shanpur of
Chainpur and intermingled with Limbu nationals and became Limbus of Sinjali
Thapa, Rana, Aley and Pun clans.
Those who settled in Palpa of West Nepal were divided into Thapa, Aley,
Pun, Burathoki, Rana, Gharti, Bohra, Roka, Chohan, Konwar, Uchai and Roho
tribes and called themselves Magar, instead of the original name Mangar.
In the East Nepal and Sikkim, the Mangars are so called because they were the
children of Mang or Mong or Mongol people. The Chinese and Burmese people
people call Mang or Mong for Mongolians; and ar or arui means children. So,
Mangar means the children of Mongols. Most probably, it can be correct
interpretation, because their complexion proves that they are no other than
scattered Mongolians although before the 12th century AD there were no tribes
in Central Asia called the Mongolians. There were many nomadic tribes called
Kin, Kir, Kirait, Karatai,, Karakhitai, Khitai, Uigur or Hor, Monchu, Mongku,
Tungut, Seljuk, Karluk, Turk, Burun, Sak, Kushan, Hun, Abar, Uichi, Kajak,
Chin, Khas, Thak, Gyarung and Mangyak. They were all nomads except China. They
used to live in tents and had no permanent inhabitants. Frequent antagonism and
plundering among themselves were their main object. There was no such name as
Mongol in the world upto the 12th century AD.
It was in the 12th century AD, when Chengiz Khan called a meeting of all the
above mentioned tribes and when all the tribes unanimously elected him to be
their Gurkhan or the Khan of Khans or the King of Kings, he proposed that a
common name for all the separate tribes of Central Asia should be Mongol. Then
all the tribes unanimously agreed and from that time only the people of Central
Asia began to call themselves Mongol. Chengiz Khan himself belonged to the Mong
Ku tribe and Chinese people used to call them Mong Ku Tata. A branch of this
race settled in Hungary in Europe and called themselves Magiar tribe.
It appears that long before the adoption of such name of Mongol in Asia,
a branch of Manchu and Tungut migrated to Korea and Japan and made their
permanent home there, Similarly, a branch of Kirait, Uigur and Mongku tribes
also spread towards Suchuwang or Kham, Unam, Burma, East India and Nepal. They
did neither hear the name Mongol nor they claim it to be their origin.
Therefore, the Mangar tribe of Nepal must be from the composite group of Kirait
and Mongku, who came to Sikkim and bacame Mangar. There are certain Lapcha
tribes called Mongormu. It appears that some of the Mangar tribes might have
mixed with the Lapcha tribe of Sikkim and became a Lapcha Kirat people.
Further, there is a folklore among Nepalese that Mangars are a sect of Kirat
people who brought sweet potatoes into Sikkim and Nepal. Specially, the Lapcha
tribe called it Mangorbook or the potatoes introduced by Mangar tribe.
There is another proof of the affinity of the Mangar and Lapcha tribe in
counting numbers. The Mangar tribe counts one, two,three, four,five as kat, net
or nis, sam,buli,banga and the Lapcha tribe says kat,net,sam,fali,fungu. These
are the evidences of the residence of Mangar Kirat people in Sikkim. Not only
that, but the Mangar chiefs were so active in Sikkim that they kept on fighting
with the Sikkimese chiefs upto the 18th century AD. Sikkim history mentions
that the Sikkimese chiefs tried their best to bring the Mangar chief under
their power by keeping matrimonial connection with them. Chhangzat Karwang, the
Chief Minister of Sikkim married the daughter of one of the Mangar chiefs of
Sikkim and wanted to keep friendly relation with them, but the Mangars were
never influenced by the Buddhist Kings and Ministers of Sikkim. When the Mangar
Chief of Sikkim understood that nothing could be expected from the Buddhist
King of Sikkim they totally neglected the Sikkimese relation and the Sikkimese
also dropped all the records of Mangar people from the history of Sikkim.
Still there are many places in Sikkim and East Nepal called Mangar jong
or the Fort of Mangar tribe.
On the contrary, the Mangars of West Nepal prospered so much so that they
formed a league of twelve Khans and established a state and called it Barah
Mangrat, the central government of which was at Bhirkot. Khan means king in
Magar language. Now, I write the word Magar as pronounced by Nepalese people.
According to Brian Hodgson and Captain T. Smith the league of Twelve Magars
consisted of Satahung, Payahung, Bhirkot, Dhor, Garahung, Rising, Ghiring,
Gulmi, Argha, Khachi, Musikot and Isma.
Each of these twelve districts had its own Khan or King, though they had agreed
by common consent to regard the Khan of Bhirkot as their Overlord.
But in later period, this system of government was ceased as the Kings of
Palpa, Rising, Ghiring and Rajarkot claimed independent Kings with the title of
Shan Hang. Thus, they were broken into two prominent Kings of Khan dynasty and
Shan dynasty. They had their own language and culture. Dhami was their
religious priest. Long before the coming of the Hindu influence into their
kingdoms, there was a Kirat King called Bali Hang, who had an extensive Kingdom
from Pokhra to Gorakhpur and the Magars had spread from the hilly region to the
Terai region.
As time passed on, the Shan Kings extended their Kingdom towards south and east
of Palpa and the Khan Kings extended their kingdom towards north and east of
Bhirkot.
When the Hindu missionaries began to spread Hinduism in the Western Nepal, the
Shah King of Palpa was the first to be converted into Hinduism and became a Hindu
Rajput King and claimed his descent from Sen family of India. His name was
Chilla Rai. Similarly, when Hindu missionaries approached the Chief of Bhirkot,
who was of Khan family, for conversion, he refused them and remained a pure
Magar King. His name was Khan Chha Khan which means the King's Son King.
The Hindu missionaries then approached the second prince whose name was
Mechha Khan or the youngest son king. The missionaries assured that he would
also be a king like his elder brother if he would accept Hinduism. So, he gave
his consent to them to convert him into Hinduism. Thus, the second prince of
Bhirkot also became a Hindu Rajput and his religious priests made him the King
of Nuwakot of Barah Mangrat. He was succeeded by Jaya Khan, Micha Khan, Bichitra
Khan, Jagdeo Khan and Kulmandan Khan. From the time of this king, he changed
his family title from Khan to Shah which carries the same meaning as king. The
descendants of King Khanchha Khan of Bhirkot, though refused to accept Hinduism
and agreed to abide by their own tribal culture, yet he with all his subjects
were so much influenced by Hinduism that all the Magar tribes ceased to follow
the teaching of their own tribal priest and followed the doctrine of Hindu
priests with respect to birth, marriage and death ceremonies and those
officials of the courts of Shan Kings and Khan Kings of Palpa and Bhirkot who
could afford for conversion into Hinduism became Hindu Rajputs and called
themselves Kshatris. In this way, the Magar Kings and their officials were
converted into Hindu civilization. Yet in the middle of 18th century AD, King
Prithvi Narayan Shah was very proud of calling himself the King of Mangrat. He
has said in his Divya Updesh, "Mangrat of Raja mai hun", "I am
the King of Mangrat". Lt. Col. E. Vansitart has also mentioned in his book
called Gurkhas, that "the famous Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa was the
descendant of Magar Thapa family, as was also General Amar Singh Thapa".146
It is a known fact that the late Great King Prithvi Narayan Shan of Gurkha
State had extended his Kingdom east and west by the strength of these Magar
army.
The Magars or Mangars are divided into twelve tribes called Thapa, Rana, Ale,
Pun, Burathoki, Gharti, Bohra, Roka, Chauhan, Konwar, Uchai and Jhakri and each
tribe is subdivided into many clans.
Among them Thapa tribes are more in number. The Rana class of Magar
tribes belonged to the same stock of Thapa but, when they were separated from
their original group and lost for three generations, they settled in a place called
Gurkha and called themselves by the name of Rana which mens chief. Thus, the
habitants of Rana Magar became the Gurkha village. Later on, the Khas people
came from Kumaon and Garhwal and mixed with the Magars and became one with them
till they were not converted into Hinduism.
Although all Magars follow Hinduism, the Pun Magars of Tibetan frontier are
still practice Buddhist religion and follow their tribal rites at their birth,
marriage and death ceremonies.
Some of the Magar clans are as follows:
Thapa Magars
Baral, Balami, Baraghari, Sinjali, Bagale, Thapa consists of Atghari,
Satgahari, Palungi, Darlam, Punwar, Setu, Singe, Roshala and Kala.
Gaha Thapa consists of Badchha, Chidi, Gora, Khan and Malangi.
Reshmi Thapa consists of Dangale, Gore and Thapa.
Saru Thapa consists of Jaurup, Japarluk, Jhenri and Paneti. Besides these,
Gurbachan, Purbachan, Tangbachhan, Simai, Pithakote, Singali, Uchai, Pulami,
Marunchan, Ramjali, Lamchhaney and Kalikotey.
Rana Magars
Assami, Arsami, Aslami, Bangling, Chumi, Charmi, Gharmi, Gyangmi, Kharka,
Eyapchaki, Lungeli, Makkim, Pali, Panti, Rilami, Ruchal, Chitorey are famous.
Pun Magars
Birkali, Baijali, Phungali, Namjali, Balali, Tajali, Thakali, Sain, Sanangi,
Sothi are famous.
Burathoki Magars
Balkoti, Deobal, Gamal, Karal, Ulange, Karmani, Pahari, Jujali, Pojonge, Thami,
Ranju are famous.
Ale Magars
Argheli, Bili, Changi, Hiski, Hungchen, Lamjel, Limial, Roho, Rimal, Rakhal,
Suyal, Sirpali, Sarangi are famous.
Gharti Magars
Baima, Banjali, Bulami, Dagami, Galami, Gamal, Kalikote, Masrangi, Pahari or
Panre, Para, Phagami, Rangu, Rawal, Rijal, Same, Sawangi, Sene, Surai,
Sinjapati, Talaji, There, Tirukia, Ulange and Wale are famous.
In my (the author’s) opinion the Magars had advanced much and had divided
into two groups of higher and lower social standing and those who were of
higher circle followed Hinduism and became themselves Thakurs or Kshetris and
observed the strict formalities of Brahmanism whereas the people of lower
circle were quite satisfied with their own familiar culture and did not mind to
follow such strict rules of Hinduism and remained Magars, such as the Koch
Kirat of Assam and North Bengal who were also converted into Hinduism and
became themselves Rajbansi Kshetri and the people of lower circle remained Mech
and Koch tribes."
"From my friend Babs who has shared this me in Orkut."
