A Cultural Guide to the Nepalese People Introduction The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal or Republic of Nepal is located in south Asia. It is bordered by China to the north and by India to its south, east, and west. Though Hinduism is practiced by a vast majority of the people, a strong Buddhist tradition also exists in Nepal. For its relatively small size of 56,827 sq mi and a population of 29.5 million, it is very diverse, both in its landscape as well as culturally. Kathmandu is the capital and the largest city in Nepal. The official language is Nepali, which is prevalently spoken by the people, and the state currency is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR). The Himalaya mountain range runs across Nepal‟s northern and western parts, and eight of the world‟s ten highest mountains, including the highest, Mount Everest, are within its territory. Nepal has a diverse landscape, ranging from the humid Terai plains in the south to the mountainous Himalayas in the north. History Nepal‟s history begins with the arrival of the Kiratis from the east, in the 7th or 8th century BC. However, little is known about them. It was during this period that Buddhism first came to the country and it is claimed that Buddha and his disciple Ananda visited the Kathmandu Valley and stayed for some time in Patan. By 200 AD, the Licchavis came from north India, overthrew the last Kirati king, and replaced Buddhism with Hinduism. With Hinduism, the caste system was also introduced, which still continues. In 879, the Licchavis were succeeded by the Thakuri dynasty. This period is referred to as the „Dark Ages,‟ which continued until several centuries later, the Thakuri king, Arideva, founded the Malla dynasty that began another renaissance of Nepali culture. Despite earthquakes and occasional feuding between the independent city- states of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, the dynasty flourished, and reached its zenith in the 15th century under Yaksha Malla. The valley was conquered in 1768 by Prithvi Narayan Shah, the Ghorkha, who lived in the easternmost region. The modern state formed by the unification of Nepal was thus formed, with its capital in Kathmandu. The kingdom‟s power expanded, fuelled by a strong army, until the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. A war with Tibet in 1792 and further clashes in 1814 with the British over a territorial dispute, led to the surrender of Sikkim and most of Terai. The Shah dynasty continued in power during the first half of the 19th century until the Kot Massacre of 1846 led to Jung Bahadur‟s seizure of power and control. He took the title of Rana and proclaimed himself prime minister for life, and later made the office hereditary. For the next century, the Ranas and their offspring lived lavish lifestyles in huge Kathmandu palaces, while the rest of the population scrambled for subsistence. The Rana‟s corrupt regime came to an end soon after WW II. [email protected] • www.villagevolunteers.org Page 1 of 5 King Tribhuvan was anointed ruler in 1951 and struck up a government that comprised of Ranas and members of the newly formed Nepali Congress Party. After this brief experiment with democratic elections, King Mahendra, Tribhuvan's son and successor, decided that a partyless panchaayat system would be more appropriate for Nepal. The king selected the prime minister and cabinet and appointed a large proportion of the national assembly, which duly rubber- stamped his policies. The Nepalese, fed up with years of hardship and suffering under a crippling trade embargo imposed by the Indians, rose to what was called the Jana Andolan or the “People's Movement” in 1989. King Birendra dissolved his cabinet, legalized political parties and invited the opposition to form an interim government. The panchaayat system finally ended. Today, Nepal functions as a Federal Democratic Republic, and is run by a Communist (Maoist) party. Geography Nepal is divided into 14 zones and 75 districts that are grouped into 5 development regions. Each district is headed by a permanent chief district officer who is responsible for maintaining law and order and coordinating the work of field agencies of the various government ministries. Nepal is divided into three geographic areas: the plains, hills, and mountain region. The plains lie in the southern lowland. They border India and are part of the northern rim of the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains. They were formed and are fed by three major rivers: the Kosi, the Narayani, and the Karnali. This region has a hot, humid climate. The hill region (Pahad) adjoins the mountains and varies from 1,000 to 4,000 meters (3,300– 13,125 ft) in altitude. Two low mountain ranges, the Mahabharat Lekh and Shiwalik Range (also called the Churia Range) dominate the region. This region includes the Kathmandu Valley, the country‟s most fertile and urbanized area. The valleys called Inner Tarai (Bhitri Tarai Uptyaka) are at elevations above 2,500 meters (8,200 ft) and are sparsely populated. The mountain region, situated in the Great Himalayan Range, makes up the northern part of Nepal. It contains the regions of highest altitudes in the world. The world‟s highest mountain, Mount Everest (Sagarmatha) at 8,850 meters (29,035 ft) is located here on the border with Tibet. Seven other of the world‟s ten highest mountains are also located in Nepal. These are: Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Kanchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu. Climate Nepal‟s climate varies with its topography and altitude. It ranges from the tropical to the arctic. The low-land Terai region with a maximum altitude to approximately 305m, lies in the tropical southern part of the country, and has a hot and humid climate, where temperatures can rise above113 Degree Fahrenheit in the summer. The mid-land regions are pleasant almost all the year round, although winter nights are cool. The northern mountain region, at an altitude above 3,300m has an alpine climate with considerably lower temperature in winter as can be expected. Nepal primarily has four seasons: Spring, between March and May; Summer, between June and August; Autumn, between September and November; and Winter, between December and February. These seasons are accompanied with their characteristic natural bounties. For instance, spring is a time when rhododendrons, Nepal‟s national flower blooms; and autumn is considered to be the best time in Nepal and the Dashain and Tihar festivals are celebrated. [email protected] • www.villagevolunteers.org Page 2 of 5 Culture The Himalayas run across Nepal‟s northern and western parts. Eight of the world'\‟s ten highest mountains, including the highest one - Mount Everest are in Nepal, making it an alluring tourist destination. Lumbini, is located in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the Terai region, and is the birthplace of Buddha. This also makes Nepal a popular Buddhist pilgrimage destination. Nepal is the holy land of Lord Pashupatinath and Gautam Buddha where the Hindus and Buddhists have lived together in harmony for centuries. The Temple of Pashupatinath is Nepal‟s most sacred Hindu shrine and one of the four most important cities in the world for Shiva worshippers. Shiva is considered to be the guardian deity of the country. With Hinduism being the main religion, the cow is considered sacred. For this reason it may be difficult to find beef dishes and delicacies at restaurants. However, the same may not be true at high end hotels and restaurants. Kathmandu offers a large array of dining opportunities. There are many restaurants that serve only authentic Nepali food complete with ethnic ambience. An interesting way to understand the culture of Nepal is through its festivals. Nepal has numerous festivals throughout the year. During festivals in Nepal, cultural dances, songs and performances are practiced. There are festivals commemorating Gods and Goddesses, important historical events, agricultural seasons (like harvesting, planting, etc.), legends, and seasons. Diet Nepalese cuisine is basic and nutritious. It is a healthy and simple combination of lentils (dal), rice (bhat) and vegetables (tarkari). There is extensive use of spices and flavorings such as ginger, garlic, coriander, pepper, cumin, chilies, cilantro, mustard oil, ghee and occasionally yak butter. In most part of country, Dal Bhat (pulses and rice) is the staple food that is eaten twice a day. Snacks such as bread, chura (beaten rice), roti (flat bread), curried vegetables, milked tea and other snacks are also generally eaten in between the two big meals. Economy Nepal‟s economy is dependent primarily on agriculture and tourism. Agriculture remains an integral part of Nepal‟s economy, contributing to almost half of the country‟s GDP. The industry is also responsible for employing more than three-quarter of its population. The chief food crops are rice and wheat, mostly produced in the Terai region. However, fluctuations in annual monsoon rainfall have a great effect on the economy as it influences agricultural produce. Tourism is the main source of foreign exchange and another important economic contributor. Unfortunately tourism faces serious threats due to internal security and conflict issues from Maoist rebels. A stable political situation should be a positive step in boosting Nepal‟s tourism potential. Nepal ranks among the poorest nations in the world, with a large population living below the poverty line. There are various factors contributing to Nepal‟s poor economic situation, such as, hostile mountainous terrain, lack of resource endowment, landlocked position, lack of institutions for modernization, weak infrastructure, and lack of policies conducive to development. Historically, Nepal was solely dependent on India for trade and the lack of roads and transport facilities further limited Nepal‟s trade options with other countries, thereby, [email protected] • www.villagevolunteers.org Page 3 of 5 isolating it.