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People group profile · PG006207

The Eastern Magar of Nepal

The Eastern Magar of Nepal, numbering about 613,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic group indigenous to Western Nepal and Northeast India.

They are an indigenous people in the South Himalayan people cluster of the Himalayan Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Magar.

Pray for the Eastern MagarPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Eastern Magar people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Eastern Magar

Fast facts

Country
Nepal
Population
613,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
South Himalayan
Primary language
Magar (mgp)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, Concentrated CP Activity
Lostness priority
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Gandaki zone: Tanahu District, east of Bagmati River, central mountains, Okhaldhunga, Taplejung, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Chainpur, Terhathum, Ilam, and Letang are main centers

Where they live

Gospel status

The Eastern Magar are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical but there has been initial or concentrated church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting

Next steps for the Eastern Magar

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Hinduism

75% adherents

Primary language

Magar · Sino-Tibetan family

71% speak Magar

Gospel resources in Magar

  • Bible available, published 1991
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Eastern Magar

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

Download a prayer guide

Magar, Eastern in other countries

The same people (ROP3 102848) is reported in 2 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
MagarIndia349,000Engaged yet Unreached
Eastern MagarBhutan9,100Engaged yet Unreached

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