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CultureGrams
Kids Edition
Federal Democratic Republic of
2014
Nepal
Sanghiya Loktāntrik Ganatantra Nepāl
Nepal has its own calendar (Bikram Samvat), with the New Year in mid-April.
The Himalayas, 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 Buddhism, was born in the foothill town of Lumbini.
Nepal’s flag 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.
A popular and inexpensive snack is momo (dumplings stuffed with chicken, meat, or vegetables). Momo are
steamed or fried and served with various dipping sauces.
Nepal has one of the densest concentrations of World Heritage sites. Kathmandu Valley alone has seven World
Heritage sites within a 10-mile (15 km) radius.
Flag
The flag of Nepal 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 Hindus. 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
Area (sq. mi.): 56,827
Area (sq. km.): 147,181
Nepal is about the size of Bangladesh or the state of Wisconsin. Completely
landlocked, Nepal is bordered by China and Tibet in the north and India 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 Kathmandu. The hills are marked by
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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 Terai, 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
throughout the summer months.
Population
Population: 30,430,267
Around one million of Nepal's population lives 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 Chhetris (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 Hindi and the two
languages share the same Devanagari 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)
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Religion
The majority of the Nepali population follows Hinduism, which encompasses a traditional set of beliefs including the law
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 Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. Nepal is home to
many important religious holy sites, where faithful followers come to visit and worship. These include the Pashupatinath
temple, 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 Kirati people settle in the Kathmandu Valley; the Buddha is born in
Lumbini
AD 200
AD 200
The Licchavi people come from northern Indian and conquer the Kirati,
setting up their own kingdom
1200
1200
The Malla Dynasty comes to power in Bhaktapur and ushers in several
centuries of growth and learning
1364
Bengali Muslims raid and take over the Kathmandu Valley
1482
Yaksha Malla dies, leaving the kingdom divided between his three sons
1700
1768
After years of fighting, Gurkha ruler Prithvi Narayan Shah 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
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1846
Nepal
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
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
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1995
Nepal
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
2008
Nepal becomes a republic (government whose leaders are elected);
Ram Baran Yadav 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.
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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 temples and palaces 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 Prithvi
Narayan Shah. 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
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.
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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 (similar to baseball) 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. Dashain (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 Goddess 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).
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
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Adult Literacy: 60.3%
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 countryside
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
Capital: Kathmandu
Head of State: Pres. Ram Baran Yadav
Head of Government: PM Khil Raj Regmi (interim)
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 ceremonial. The prime minister and the Council of Ministers lead 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 26 are appointed by the Council of Ministers. The government adopted a temporary
constitution in 2007, which guarantees freedom of religion, press, and other basic rights. The voting age is 18.
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Money and Economy
Currency: Nepalese rupee
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.
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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