Mangars: Origin and Settlement in Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling

Abstract

The history and culture of the Aryans have been extensively dealt with by different scholars but the description of the non-Aryans or the aboriginal tribes still hold obscurity either it is about their contribution to the primitive history of India or facts of their origin in the Indian sub- continent. The history of origin of Mangar or Magar in India is also shrouded in obscurity. It is due to this fact; a variant of opinions is adjoined with them. However, some scholars emphasized on the fact that the Magars or Mangars, are one of the aborigines of Sikkim and Nepal, belong to the Kirata community of the Eastern Himalayas. They are one of the oldest tribes of Sikkim. Rajesh Verma has reasonably stated that the Kiratis include Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Mangar and Tamang tribe of Sikkim. S.R. Timsina has also mentioned that the Mangars, Limbus and Lepcha are the earliest settlers of ancient Sikkim. J.D. Hooker has also described them as the aborigines of Sikkim, whence they were driven by the Lepchas westward into the country of the Limboos and by this latter further west (Nepal) still. At the end of 20th century, the identity aspirations and sense of identity have offered a new dimension to the assertiveness of the ethnic groups and similarly to this community. It is in this background, the history of origin of Mangars and their traditional values came to prominence and look for an identification of the facts in the district of Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling. Hence, the article attempts to find the history of its origin and their inhabitation in these districts of West Bengal.