Magars in the context of "Kulamandan Shah Khand"

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⭐ Core Definition: Magars

The Magars, also spelled Mangar and Mongar, are the largest indigenous group in Nepal and are a Tibeto-Burman linguistic group native to Nepal and Northeast India, representing 6.9% of Nepal's total population according to the 2021 Nepal census. They are one of the main Gurkha tribes.

The first home of the Magars was to the west of the Gandaki River and, roughly speaking, consisted of that portion of Nepal which lies between and around about Gulmi, Arghakhanchi, and Palpa.This part of the country was divided into twelve districts known as Bahra Magarat (Confederation of Twelve Magar villages), which included the following regions of that period: Argha, Khanchi, Bhirkot, Dhor, Garhung, Ghiring, Gulmi, Isma, Musikot, Rising, Satung, and Pyung.During the medieval period, the whole area from Palpa to Rukum Rolpa was called the Magarat, a place settled and inhabited by Magars.Another confederation of eighteen Magar kingdoms, known as Athara Magarat, also existed and was originally inhabited by Kham Magars.

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👉 Magars in the context of Kulamandan Shah Khand

Kulamandan Khand(Nepali: कुलमण्डन खाण्ड) was the founder of Shah dynasty and the ancestor of King Prithivi Narayan Shah. The title Shah was given by the Sultan of Delhi to the Khand Thakuri of Kaski for their acts of bravery for their sultanate. His son Yasho Brahma Shah succeeded him as the King of Lamjung and Kaski. His eldest son Narhari Shah became ruler of Lamjung while the second son ruled over Kaski. His youngest son, Dravya Shah ruled the Kingdom of Gorkha.

The word Khan, derived from Khagan, a historical title in Mongol cultures, originated in the Eurasian steppes to denote a king or ruler; evolved from a noble title in the Seljuk Empire to denote sovereignty in the Mongol Empire, later lost importance and became a surname in the post-Mughal era. Historically, the Khand kings were closely related to the Magars. According to locals, the community who consume local alcohol are called Magars, while those who don't consume local alcohol change their caste and start writing Khand Thakuri. Both the Magar and Khand Thakuri communities worship Kuldetia or Kul-.Puja Alamdevi temple (Nepal's former Shah King's maternal or family deity) in Syangja district, which requires a magar priest (Maski Rana Magar). National and International Historian and Anthropologist like Dr. Rajaram Subedi, Francis Buchanan-Hamilton who studied them stated that Khand (Thakuri) and Magar are two brothers Khancha Khand and Mincha Khand which is also a Magar language.

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Magars in the context of Shah dynasty

The Shah dynasty (Nepali: शाह वंश), also known as the Shahs of Gorkha or the Royal House of Gorkha, was the ruling Chaubise Thakuri dynasty and the founder of the Gorkha Kingdom from 1559 to 1768 and later the unified Kingdom of Nepal from 1768 to 28 May 2008.

The Shah dynasty traces its historical ancestor to King of Kaski, Kulamandan Shah Khand, whose grandson Dravya Shah captured the throne of Ligligkot from Magars King (Dalsur Ghale Magar) with the help of accomplices from six resident clans of Majhkot and Ligligkot. Dravya Shah named his new kingdom Gorkha.

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Magars in the context of Ethnic groups in Nepal

Ethnic groups in Nepal are delineated using language, ethnic identity or the caste system in Nepal. They are categorized by common culture and endogamy. Endogamy carves out ethnic groups in Nepal.

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Magars in the context of Magarat

Magarat is a name for the area settled and inhabited by Magars, one of the oldest and the largest indigenous ethnic groups of Nepal. It is a geographical cluster in Nepal that existed in the modern territory of Nepal before the Unification of Nepal. It extended westward from the Budhi Gandaki River and encompasses mordern-day districts like Palpa, Rukum, Rolpa, Myagdi, Baglung, Pyuthan, Arghakhanchi and many more.

Palpa district, Eastern Rukum and Rolpa of Nepal (majority of Kham Magars), located in Province 5 of Nepal, are the top three districts of Nepal with the highest indigenous Magar population, with significant population also in Baglung, Myagdi district and Parbat, and they are located in Gandaki Province in western Nepal.

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Magars in the context of Hinduism in Nepal

Hinduism is the largest religion in Nepal. In 2006, the country declared itself a secular country through democracy, after the abolition of its monarchy. According to the 2021 census, the Hindu population in Nepal is estimated to be around 23,677,744 which accounts for at least 81.19% of the country's population, the highest percentage of Hindus of any country in the world. Vikram Samvat, one of the two official calendars used in Nepal, is a solar calendar essentially the same to that widespread in North India as a religious calendar, and is based on Solar unit of time.

Among the ethnic groups are the Bahun, Thakuri, Tharu, Chhetri, Magars, Hill Dalits, Madheshi, Newari people. Meanwhile, among the major ethnic groups Sherpa, Rai, Limbu, Gurung and Tamang have lowest percentage of followers of Hinduism within the group.

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