Nwagi Festival and Paudi Heritage
Paudeli communities in western Baglung are celebrating the Nwagi festival on Sunday. Residents say they have been observing Nwagi since 1734 B.S. As part of the celebration, a ten-day fair has been organized at Khar Bazaar in Badigad–5.
Among Paudeli families, it is customary to eat Nwagi in the month of Mangsir. When the paddy ripens and is ready to be harvested in Mangsir, the local Jordan variety of rice is soaked in curd, then mixed with banana, sesame (silam), and sugar to prepare a special Nwagi dish. Those who have their own fields share Nwagi not only within their household but also with people who do not own land, as well as with relatives and close friends. Elder community members say the practice of eating Nwagi is linked to remembering the contribution of ancestors, a spirit of mutual support, and the happiness of local residents.
The Paudi area is closely tied to the broader history of the Khas kingdom. The Khas state, established in the 12th century, broke apart around the 15th century during the Malla period. Among the Baise and Chaubise principalities that emerged, parts of present-day Baglung—such as Daga Tumdanda, Jaljala, and some areas of Pandavkhani—as well as the Izra area of Gulmi, fell within the territories of the Isma and Musikot states. Historical records show that some parts of Daga were also revenue areas (mauja) of Musikot.
Linked to this history, the Paudi region has its own distinct background. The former Jaljala and Gwalichaur Village Development Committees (VDCs) of Baglung and the Paudi Amrai VDC of Gulmi are collectively known as the Paudi area. This region has a dense Magar population. In the Kham language spoken by the Magar community, “pom” refers to a Himalayan peak or high ridge, while “di” means water.
On this basis, Paudi carries the meaning of a river flowing from a high ridge. Over time, the word changed in common speech and became “Paudi,” explained Krishna Bahadur Ghimire of Badigad–5. “In the inscription of Gulmi Durbar, it is written that the Paudi area is understood as the riverbank region of the Badigad river flowing from Rudratal and the Nisti stream flowing from Madane Lekh,” Ghimire said.
In the history of medieval Nepal, during the expansion of the Jumla kingdom, the border of the Isma state once reached Daregaunda in the former Gwalichaur VDC. However, with support from the Galkot and Parbat states, Isma halted Jumla’s expansion plan. Because of this, the Paudi mauja came to hold political significance, and Nwagi began to be celebrated as a festival of joy, according to another local resident, Gunanidhi Ghimire.
“After the paddy ripens in the fields of Paudeli residents in Gwalichaur of Baglung and in Arewa, Amarai and other areas of Gulmi, it is customary in the first week of Kartik to set the dates for harvesting the paddy and eating Nwagi under the supervision of the priest of Chhatra Kot in Musikot, along with local residents and elected representatives,” he said. This year, the date for harvesting paddy was set for Kartik 10, and the day for eating Nwagi has fallen on Mangsir 1.
“There is a practice in Mangsir of deciding both the time for eating Nwagi and the direction in which to face while eating it,” Ghimire said. “After performing a hom with Nwagi in each household, it is offered to the deities in the names of Thanpati, Chhatrabhumi, and Siddha, and then eaten within the first week of Mangsir.”
Festival