History of Magar Community in Assam during 19th century

Abstract

Northeast India has been an example of Cultural pluralism and diversity with different customs, traditions, cultures, languages, and castes belonging to numerous ethnic groups and tribes. The Nepalese or Nepalis have settled in and around the Northeast since the Colonial period in India, basically for military service. Nepal was united under King Prithvi Narayan Shah during the 18th century who built a strong kingdom known as the Gorkha Kingdom. The Nepalese were regarded as Gorkhas who were skillful warriors—during the late 18th century adopted the policy of territorial expansion which created a territorial dispute between British India and Nepal. The Gorkhas faced the mighty British army during 1814 which is known as the First Anglo Nepalese War, which ended in 1816 with the treaty of Sugauli and ended their territorial disputes. During the war, the British admired the courage and skills of Gorkhas and decided to recruit them into the British military especially ethnic tribes like Magars and Gurungs. The Nepalese by the 19th century was divided into Martial and non-martic races the Martial race was regarded as Gorkha which largely consisted of ethnic tribes where whereas the non-Martial race was called Nepalis who were useful for working as laborers in British economic fields. Both Nepalis and Gorkhas were forced to settle in Northeast India for military service and to work in tea gardens, petroleum, coal mines, etc. The magar community is one of the oldest ethnic tribes of Nepal they were regarded as a Warrior tribe who were recruited into the Gorkha army of the Gorkha Kingdom and soon they impressed British Officials during the Anglo-Nepalese war which led them to become a part of the British Gorkha Regiment. Magars were not only recruited in British Military but they also served them by working in economic sectors in Northeast India during the 19th century. The Magars were not only categorized as a Martial race by the British but also as a Non-martial race which made them settle or migrate to serve in the British forces as well as work in different economic sectors, especially in Assam for Tea gardens, Coal mines and Agriculture etc.