clans residing in Dolpa and Karnali districts. Language and script Of the 1,887,733 Magar population in Nepal, about 788,530 speak Magar language as their mother tongue while the rest speak Nepali as their mother tongue. The western inhabitants of Nepal did not speak the language in the past. But recently, almost everyone has started learning the language. The Magar languages are rooted in the Bodic branch of the Tibetan family. The Magar language, Magar Kura, is spoken in two major dialects and a number of sub dialects reflecting the geographic distribution of the group. The Western Magars of Rapti Zone speak Magar Kham language. In Dolpa District, Magars speak Magar Kaike language. Magar Dhut language speakers are all Magar clans residing in Twelve Magarat. Similarly Magar Kham language speakers are all Magar clans from Eighteen Magarat. Magar Kaike language speakers are all Magar clans in Karnali zone. Magar Akkha or scripts are used in Sikkim as a Magar language script. Many scholars including MS Thapa have been in forefront to implement the Akkha script to write Magar language in Nepal. New generations have been learning it. Akkha script is said to be closely associated with Brahmi script. Magar words in use Many Magar words are used even today, especially as location names. Magar toponyms in Nepali include: tilaurakot (place selling sesame seed), kanchanjunga (clear peak), and * Tansen (straight wood) Some scholars opine that the amount of Magar words in Nepali indicates that Magarat (historic Magar lands) were larger than generally believed, extending from Dhading to Doti. They note that the place suffix -Kot indicates a place from which Magar kings formerly ruled. Kali Gandaki (Gandi), Rapti, Bheri, Marsyangdi, Modi all the river names with di or ti suffix are named after Magar language. Similarly, places like Thabang, Libang, Bobang, Baglung (Banglung) etc. are also named after the Magar language. Magar historian Ms Bom Kumari Budha mentions that Ridi was the border between Athara and Barah Magarat in ancient time. This can be attested by the different places' names in Kham Magar language in the west and Magar Dhut language in the east of Ridi. Religion Magars follow Buddhism, Bon and Hinduism. The original religions or beliefs of Magar people are Shamanism, Animism, Ancestor worship and northern Nepal's Magar follow Shamanism (Bon). Magars are the main priests of the famous Manakamana Temple in Gorkha District, Budha Subba Temple in Dharan