THE KIRAT KINGDOM(C.400 B>C.-100A.D)

Among the three Mongolian communities inhabiting the three regins in the east of modern Nepal, only the Magars came into contact with the Arya cilvization through the Khasas of the west. The Khasas, however, followed the policy of exterminating Mongolian communities, hence the Magars did no welcome ther civilization. Around the same time, the Malla and Shakya republics became more populous, so only the Mahabharat mountains separated the Magars fom them. Because these mountains were not impregnable, there were frequent contacts between the Magars on the one hand and the Mallas and Shakyas on the other. Mallas and Shakyas were of Manvawa Arya stocks and so were liberal. But the Magars, who had been frightened by the Khasas, did not let Mallas and Shakyas visit their settlements. Nor was there any need for the Mallas and Shakyas to cross the Mahabharat mountains and fight the Magars in the Pahar region. Even then, contacts between the two groups introuduced the Magars to Arya civilization and taught them the value of unity. Strengthened by such unity, the Magars were able to check the Khasas beyond the Sakhiko-Lekh for several conturies. There may have been some petty principalities among the Magars, but documentary evidence is lacking.