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Home , Bhaktapur, Flag of Nepal, Kirati people, Licchavi (kingdom), Malla dynasty (Nepal), Prithvi

TM Federal Democratic Republic of CultureGrams Kids Edition 2012

Sanghiya Loktāntrik Ganatantra Nepāl

Nepal has its own calendar (Bikram Samvat), with the New Year in mid-April. The , in northern Nepal, contain some of the world’s highest peaks; six are over 26,000 feet (8,000 m), including Sagarmatha (Mount Everest). Climbers refer to these select few as the eight-thousanders. Cows are considered sacred in Nepal; people should not point a foot at them or touch them. In Nepal, personal privacy is rare; it is considered strange to want to spend time alone. Lord Buddha, the founder of , was born in the foothill town of . Nepal’s is the only country flag in the world that is not quadrilateral (square or rectangle). Similar to Bigfoot, the legendary Yeti is an ape-like creature said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal.

Flag

The is the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles. The triangles traditionally represented two rival ruling families. Later they came to represent Nepal’s desire to be independent as long as the sun and moon last. The triangles are also said to represent the Himalayas.

National Image

The Himalayas are considered sacred to both Buddhists and . Himalayas literally means “abode of snow.” The gods are believed to live in the highest peaks, and one should not cross through their territory without leaving an offering.

Land and Climate

With an area of 54,362 square miles (140,800 sq km), Nepal is about the size of Bangladesh or the state of Wisconsin. Completely landlocked, Nepal is bordered by China and in the north and in the south. The Himalayas, in the north, are home to some of the world’s highest peaks; covered in snow year round, six of these peaks are over 26,000 feet (8,000 m), including Sagarmatha (Mount Everest), at 29,034 feet (8,850 m). The middle hills region covers half of the country and includes the capital city . The hills are marked by steep terraces, carved into the sides of them by the hardy people who grow food and make their homes there. To the south lies the , the only flat area in Nepal. The majority of the nation’s crops are grown here, particularly rice. Humid subtropical jungles are found in the Terai, along the northern rim of the Gangetic Plain.

Few other nations in the world experience such differences in climate as Nepal. In the north, cool summers and harsh winters prevail. Temperatures are similar to those in arctic regions. This climate contrasts with the subtropical climate of the south. Monsoons from the Indian Ocean bring plentiful rainfall to the sub-Himalayan regions

1 TM CultureGrams Nepal throughout the summer months.

Population

Nepal is home to around 30 million people. Around one million of them live in the capital of Kathmandu, while about half the population lives in the Terai. Because of the wide range in climates, many Nepalese move back and forth between regions according to the season. Life in Nepal is ruled by the caste system, which separates people into different groups according to the social class they were born into. People cannot move to a higher caste or marry outside of their own caste. Often a person’s caste determines what craft they will learn or what job they will have. The Indo-Aryan group includes the two highest Hindu castes, the Brahmins (traditional priests) and (warriors), as well as the lowest caste, the Shudras (artisans). The Vaisyas (merchants and traders) are ranked above the Shudras. Some of the largest ethnic tribal groups include the Gurung, Magar, Rai, Limbu, Thakali, and the Sherpa, who are mainly farmers but are also known for being highly skilled guides and climbers. A large population of Indians and Tibetans also live in Nepal.

Language

Nepali is the official language of Nepal, though most people choose to speak their individual ethnic group’s native language. Nepali is similar to and the two languages share the same writing system, in which each written character represents a specific sound. The use of Nepali is influenced by the caste system, so people use more formal, respectful words when speaking to someone of a higher caste and less formal phrases when talking to someone from a lower caste. Hindi is spoken widely in the Terai region, while several Tibetan dialects are common in the north. More than a dozen different languages are spoken in Nepal on a daily basis. In the cities and at many private schools and universities, English is spoken, taught, and used in business transactions.

Can You Say It in Nepali?

Hello Namaste (Nah-MAH-stay) Good-bye Namaste (Nah-MAH-stay) Please Kripaya (kree-PIE-ya) Thank you Dhanyabad (DHAN-nai-bat) Yes Hajur (HA-jur) No Chhaina (Chai-NA)

Religion

The majority of the Nepali population follows , which encompasses a traditional set of beliefs including the law

2 TM CultureGrams Nepal of karma, which states that every person’s actions have a set of consequences. Together, those actions and consequences determine what sort of existence the person will have after this life is over. Eleven percent of the people are Buddhist. For the most part, Hindus and Buddhists share customs and worship at each other’s shrines. The three supreme gods in Hinduism are the creator, the preserver, and the destroyer. Nepal is home to many important religious holy sites, where faithful followers come to visit and worship. These include the Pashupatinath , dedicated to the god Shiva, and the birthplace of Lord Buddha, in Lumbini. About 4 percent of the population is Muslim.

Time Line

600 BC 600 BC The settle in the ; the Buddha is born in Lumbini AD 200 AD 200 The people come from northern Indian and conquer the Kirati, setting up their own kingdom 1200 1200 The comes to power in and ushers in several centuries of growth and learning 1364 Bengali raid and take over the Kathmandu Valley 1482 Malla dies, leaving the kingdom divided between his three sons 1700 1768 After years of fighting, ruler Prithvi Narayan conquers and unifies Kathmandu 1792 China puts an end to Nepalese expansion by defeating Nepal in Tibet 1800 1814–1816 Nepal fights a war with England, ending in the signing of the Treaty of Seaguli, which establishes Nepal’s current boundaries 1846 A line of chiefs known as Ranas seize power and rule the land for the next century, cutting it off from the outside world

1900 1923 Nepal is guaranteed freedom from outside control through a treaty with Britain 1951 The Rana rule ends

3 TM CultureGrams Nepal 1953 New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepal’s Sherpa Tenzing Norgay become the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest

1955 Nepal joins the United Nations

1959 The first free elections are held 1960 King Mahendra seizes power, suspending parliament, the constitution, and the multi-party system 1990 Violent street protests force the king to agree to free elections and a new democratic constitution 1995 Communist radicals begin rebelling in western Nepal

2000 2001 Crown Prince Dipendra kills most of the royal family as well as himself; his uncle Gyanendra becomes king 2006 After years of fighting, Parliament votes to limit the king’s powers; the government and communist rebels sign a peace agreement allowing the rebels a role in the government 2007 Parliament approves doing away with the monarchy

4 TM CultureGrams Nepal 2008 Nepal becomes a republic; Ram Baran becomes Nepal’s first president

PRESENT

The Kirati Period

Very little is known about Nepal before the sixth century BC, when the Kirati people migrated there and settled in what is now the Kathmandu Valley. This tribe began to exert control over the other peoples living in the area at the time and eventually created their own kingdom. The Kirati ruled the land for many years. In 563 BC, Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born in the hill town of Lumbini. He would later give up his title and power to become the founder of Buddhism. Thereafter he was known simply as the Buddha, meaning the Enlightened One, and he traveled across the land teaching people about how to live a peaceful, good life. Over time Buddhist monasteries (houses of prayer) cropped up here and there, and the Kirati culture progressed and developed through trade with India.

A History of Dynasties As other tribes moved into the region, the Kirati’s dominance began to decline and a series of dynasties began, which would stretch down into the present day. One of the most important and long-lasting of these was the Malla dynasty. The Mallas ruled from the 12th to the 18th century. The Mallas were Hindus, but they carefully coexisted with the Buddhists who were already there, and this period is known as a golden age of the arts in Nepal. It was during this period that the city that would become Kathmandu was founded and the majority of Nepal’s and were built. Yaksha Malla, the last and one of the greatest of the Malla kings, divided his kingdom between his three sons. They argued and ended up dividing the Kathmandu Valley between themselves. These three divisions became known as the Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan kingdoms.

A United Nepal

Weakened by the split, the Malla dynasty was defeated by a warlord known as . From the little kingdom of Gorkha, Shah united Nepal and became king in 1769. In the early 1800s, the British East India Trading Company tried and failed to conquer the country. The British were so impressed by the courage and strength of the Gurkha soldiers that they allowed Nepal to remain an independent nation. Nepal never became a British colony. In 1846, the first of the Rana rulers took control of the government and became prime minister. The Ranas ruled with an iron fist, closing Nepal to the outside world, limiting the powers of the Shah kings, and making the position of prime minister hereditary, meaning the title and position was passed down from one member of a family to another.

The Struggle for Democracy

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In 1950 the Shah King Tribhuvan fled the country for India and began to mount a rebellion against the Rana government. With the help of the Indian government and the Nepalis who were unhappy under Rana rule, he was able to overthrow the Ranas the following year and planned to set up a constitutional monarchy, meaning the king would still be the head of the country but he would appoint a prime minister to lead the government on his behalf. Ideally the people would vote for elected officials to make the laws. This did not always work out in practice, however. At the same time, Nepal was reopened to outside visitors. King Tribhuvan’s son was responsible for the first Nepalese constitution, but over the next several years there were many disagreements between the kings and the political leaders over the proper way to run the nation and whether or not to allow different political parties. Sometimes the king banned all political parties and sometimes the people staged violent riots or protests when they were displeased with the government’s performance.

Modern Nepal

In recent years the major struggle has been between the Maoist rebels belonging to the Communist Party of Nepal and the royal house. The Maoists wanted to do away with the monarchy for good and install a government run by the people. Maoist rebels and military forces have clashed numerous times, resulting in much loss of life. In 1996, King Gyenendra gave up his powers as king and the House of Representatives body of government was recreated. The following year a bill was passed to change the constitution and make Nepal a republic, thereby abolishing (doing away with) the monarchy. At the same time the government separated itself from the Hindu religion. Though there are still many challenges ahead for the new government, Nepalis look forward to a more stable, less violent period in their nation’s history.

Games and Sports

Because they do not have a lot of money to spend on sports facilities or equipment, Nepalis enjoy sports that are not very elaborate. Volleyball is popular in the country, while cricket is often played in the cities. Nepali kids love soccer and kite flying. Instead of just flying them, the goal is to try and cut the other kids’ kite strings with their own. Dhandi-biu is a popular children’s game in which kids hit a seed with a stick and try to hit it twice more before it falls. The winner is the one who hits the seed the farthest.

Holidays

Nepal follows a calendar called Bikram Samvat, which is based on the different phases of the moon. As a result, Nepalis celebrate the New Year in mid-April instead of January. (two weeks in September and/or October) celebrates the triumph of good over evil; it is a time of gift-giving, family gatherings, feasts, and rituals performed for the of Victory. Tihar is a three-day festival in October or November. Also known as the Festival of Lights, rows of lights are lit on every building to honor the Goddess of Wealth. Men and women also go caroling. Tihar is a time when women return home to their parents to be taken care of, purify themselves, and pray to have sons. A son is considered special because he stays near his parents (even after marriage) and cares for them in their old age. The full moon of the month Baisakh (April/May) celebrates the day Buddha was born, the day he was enlightened, and the day he passed into nirvana (the Buddhist state of happiness similar to heaven).

6 TM CultureGrams Nepal Food Nepalese eat two meals each day and an afternoon snack. In most homes, men and any guests are served first, followed by children; women eat last. Higher-caste Hindus will not eat food touched by those outside their caste or religion because it is considered impure. Rice and potatoes are important foods and are served with most meals. A typical breakfast and dinner meal is dal bhaat (white rice and lentil soup), curried vegetables, and achar (pickled vegetables). Many high-caste people are vegetarian or eat no meat but goat meat, while Muslims do not eat pork. Hindus do not eat beef and it is a crime to kill a cow. Fruits are eaten as snacks or dessert. Roti is a kind of flatbread made from wheat, barley, or corn that is ground into flour and then baked. The Nepalese enjoy using many spices in their food. Even their milk tea is spiced with anything from cinnamon and ginger to pepper.

Schools

Schools are few and far between in Nepal. Though education is technically free, the government does not have enough money to spend on building schools and paying teachers, and so most schools are located in the cities. Children in the country often have to walk many miles to get to their school and even then it is usually quite crowded and sometimes does not have electricity. Textbooks are expensive and rare, so students must memorize their lessons. Marriage is considered more important for girls than getting an education, and so most Nepali girls leave school by the time they are 12. They stay home and take care of their younger siblings and work with their family. The government is currently trying to use funding from foreign countries to improve the educational system in Nepal.

Life as a Kid

Life as a kid in Nepal is not easy. In many cases, sons are preferred to daughters because traditionally sons work and bring money to the family. They stay with their parents and take care of them as they get older, and they carry on the family name. Growing up, Nepali children help take care of their brothers and sisters, and if their families farm, they help grow and cook the food, as well as harvest the crops. Outside of the cities, children often have to walk long distances to their schools each day. But many young children work jobs as well to help their families get by. After school they do their homework and play with their friends. Very few families own televisions. Nepali children love singing, dancing, and attending local festivals with friends and family.

Government President: Prime minister:

For many years Nepal was a monarchy, which means the country was run by a king. Now the head of state is a president, whose role is mostly as a figurehead. The prime minister and his Council of Ministers actually leads the central government. The lawmaking body is the Constituent Assembly. It is made up of 601 members, 240 of whom are directly elected by the public, 335 by proportional representation (how many seats they get depends on how many votes they receive), and 24 are appointed by the Council of Ministers. The voting age is 18.

Money and Economy

7 TM CultureGrams Nepal

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. Many people don’t have a job, and corruption (acting dishonestly in exchange for money) is a serious problem within the government. People often have to offer government officials money or other goods in order to get anything from electricity to a job. The majority of the population works in agriculture and many people run their own farms, but they produce barely enough food to feed themselves. Most of the money goes to the rich, while very little of it makes it into the hands of the nation’s poor. A large group of Nepalis work in neighboring India and send their money home. Tourism is the second largest industry, but the violence and instability in the country during the last few years has discouraged travelers from visiting Nepal. The currency is the Nepalese rupee (NPR).

Getting Around

The government owns all the major transportation facilities in Nepal. Very few people own cars, so most people travel by foot or bicycle. The majority of the best roads are found in the south, and traffic travels on the left side of the road. Walking is most common, though, because of the rugged and mountainous terrain. Rickshaws (bicycle taxis) are available in cities and towns. Buses travel between cities. Kathmandu and other cities have microbuses, taxis, and tempos (motorized three-wheel vehicles). Animals are often used to pull carts and transport goods from one village to another.

A Common Garden Many different cultures combine to make up the nation that is Nepal. In recent years Nepal has become the center of several waves of migration. The Kiranti from the east and the Khas from the west make up two of the largest ethnic groups. But there are more than 100 different ethnic groups, or castes, and they each speak their own mother tongue. Nepal is often referred to as a common garden, with the different flowers representing the many castes and native peoples. Many of these ethnic groups share common myths and memories, and that sharing gives them a sense of pride and unity.

Learn More Contact the Embassy of Nepal, 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008; phone (202) 667-4550; web site www.nepalembassyusa.org. Or contact the Nepal Tourism Board, web site www.welcomenepal.com.

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