A campaign to conserve the endangered Magar languages, Magar Kham, has been started by the Kathekhola Rural Municipality in Baglung. The municipality has launched a one-month training program to revitalize the Dhot dialect in response to its dwindling usage among the Magar indigenous community.
75 residents of Kathekhola-1 received basic instruction in the Magar language during the first phase. The program’s goal is to assist participants in having basic conversations and teaching the language to future generations. The training will be extended to other wards, according to Chairperson Raju Thapa, who emphasized the municipality’s responsibility to preserve the regional language and culture.
According to locals, the language started to disappear because Kham was historically prohibited during the Galkot Kingdom’s mining operations. Two generations are now being taught together as part of the revival effort by trainers like Dilip Thapa Magar from Tanahun.
The community supported the training, which was paid for by the municipality with a Rs. 100,000 budget. Many participants can now converse in Magar for everyday household interactions after completing the program. The dialects of Dhot, Kham, Kaike, and Poike are traditionally spoken by the Magar community.
