माझी — Majhi Scripture Portions (Nepal)
Overview
माझी (Majhi) is 8-book scripture portions in the Majhi (Manjhi) language of Nepal, published by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. and available via YouVersion/Bible.com (ID 4017). The Majhi — whose name means "boatman" (majhi = helmsman/ferryboat operator in Nepali) — are the traditional river-fishing and boat-people of Nepal's major river valleys. Their language, called Manjhi by speakers themselves, is an Indo-Aryan language of the central Pahari / transitional dialect zone. The Majhi are one of Nepal's historically marginalized janajati (indigenous nationality) communities, classified under Nepal's national ethnic and social classification system. Wycliffe's 8-book portions provide an initial biblical foundation for a community that straddles the boundary between the hills and the Terai.
Language and People
Majhi (ISO 639-3: mjz; autonym: Manjhi) is an Indo-Aryan language: Indo-European → Indo-Iranian → Indo-Aryan → Central Pahari / Eastern Pahari-transitional group. Majhi is closely related to Nepali and shares much of its basic vocabulary, but retains distinctly Majhi phonological and morphological features that distinguish it from standard Nepali. The language is written in the Devanagari script (as seen in the Nepali title माझी).
The Majhi community inhabits:
- River valleys along the major rivers of mid-hills Nepal: the Kosi River (eastern Nepal), Gandaki River (central Nepal), and Arun River drainages
- Districts along these major rivers including Dhading, Gorkha, Chitawan, Makwanpur (Gandaki drainage) and Khotang, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga (Kosi drainage)
- A geographically dispersed community defined by river-bank settlement patterns rather than a single homeland
Estimated speakers: approximately 60,000–80,000 (2011 Nepal census: ~77,000 Majhi people; the language community and ethnic community overlap closely).
Cultural Context
The Majhi are Nepal's traditional river people — skilled boatmen (majhi) who have historically served as ferrymen, fishermen, and river traders on Nepal's major river systems. Their specialized ecological niche along the rivers has both provided a livelihood and kept them geographically and socially marginal relative to hill farming communities. The Majhi are listed as a disadvantaged indigenous janajati group under Nepal's ethnic classifications. Nepal's rapid road development and bridge construction in the 20th century has significantly reduced the demand for traditional Majhi ferry services, accelerating economic marginalization. The 8-book Wycliffe scripture portions support the minority Christian community among the Majhi.
Publishing and Organizations
Published by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. (wycliffe.org), founded 1942 by Cameron Townsend.