Magar People

Magars are another Tibetan group that descended from the plateau long ago. No one knows when exactly they came, the first record of them isn’t until 1100 ce. Nowadays they are Nepal’s largest ethnic group, roughly 7% of the population. While they were historically Buddhists, their close interactions with Hindus from the plains and the Hindus from Nepal lead many of them to adopt Hindu traditions and ceremonies. Converts to Hinduism were granted sacred threads and a higher caste standing in the Nepali state to encourage this change. Magars have several languages that are completely distinct from one another; however, many Magar no longer speak their mother tongue and instead speak only Nepali.

Here is a picture of a Magar woman. The Magar people can be found from around the Dhaulagiri range extending through the lower hills to the Terai.

Magar woman

Magar woman from Pyuthan, Nepal

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