Western Magar Dhut — Scripture Portions (1991)
Overview
Western Magar Dhut is a 7-book scripture portions edition in the Western Magar language of Nepal, published in 1991 by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. and available via YouVersion/Bible.com (ID 4406). The title reflects the dialect name: "Dhut" is the broader dialect cluster designation for the Magar varieties spoken in the western hill districts; "Western Magar Dhut" specifies the western sub-variety. These 1991 portions represent early pioneer scripture work; a full New Testament in Western Magar has since been published and is available as an Android app (Western Magar Bible (NT), distributed via nepalmatribhasha.org).
Language and People
Western Magar (ISO 639-3: mrd; autonym: मगर भाषा — "Magar language") is a Tibeto-Burman language of the Sino-Tibetan family, classified within the Himalayish sub-group. The Magar language complex has three primary groupings: Western Magar (mrd; Palpa and western Syangja districts), Central Magar (Tanahu, Nawalpur, eastern Palpa), and Eastern Magar (ISO: mgp; Udayapur, Okhaldhunga, Sindhuli). The principal structural difference between Western and Eastern/Central Magar is pronominal marking on the verb — present in Western Magar, absent in Central and Eastern. The varieties are distinct enough to warrant separate ISO codes and separate translation projects; a separate YouVersion Eastern Magar edition (mgp) also exists.
Western Magar (mrd) is concentrated in:
- Syangja District (western portion) — primary stronghold
- Palpa District — central area
- Parts of Tanahun and Parbat Districts
- Scattered communities in Surkhet, Jajarkot, and Dailekh Districts (reflecting Gurkha-era dispersal)
The historical Magar homeland was the Bahra Magarat (Confederation of Twelve), a bloc of twelve territories — Argha, Khanchi, Bhirkot, Dhor, Garhung, Ghiring, Gulmi, Isma, Musikot, Rising, Satung, and Pyung — west of the Gandaki River in west-central Nepal. At its height (roughly 17th–early 18th century) this region was called Magarat. The Magar kingdom was among the strongest of western Nepal before its incorporation into the expanding Gorkha state under Prithvi Narayan Shah, who relied heavily on Magar soldiers and considered himself "King of Magarat."
Gurkha tradition: The Magar people have been at the center of Gurkha military service since the British began recruitment in 1815 (post-Anglo-Nepalese War). Magars constitute the largest single ethnic group in Gurkha regiments — British Army Gurkhas, Indian Gorkha Regiment, and the Gurkha Contingent of Singapore Police Force. This military connection drove significant Magar migration across Nepal and into the diaspora.
Estimated speakers: approximately 789,000 (mrd, Western Magar Dhut, per SIL/Ethnologue; closely matching the 2011 Nepal census figure of 788,530 Magar Dhut L1 speakers). The Magar ethnic population totals approximately 2,013,498 (2021 Nepal census, ~6.9% of the national population), making them Nepal's third-largest ethnolinguistic group — but over half have shifted to Nepali as primary language. The language is under pressure despite its large nominal speaker base.
Religion: predominantly Hindu (with traditional Bon/animist practices); Buddhist minorities in higher-altitude communities; Christianity is a small but growing minority.
Publishing and Organizations
Published by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. The 1991 publication was pioneer work. Ongoing Western Magar translation and literacy work has continued through SIL Nepal in coordination with local churches; a complete NT is now available through Nepal MatriBhasha (nepalmatribhasha.org). Additional resources include a JESUS film and "Words of Life" audio (Global Recordings Network).