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Monday, September 6, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Explore the fascinating culture of Nepal
Nepal's culture is greatly influenced by its music, architecture, religion and literature. Your first sight of Nepal may leave you speechless, the great quantities of temples, churches, monasteries and other religious buildings, the hurly-burly in the streets and the number of people and animals socializing on every corner of the narrow cobble-stone lanes.
Nepal has about thirty-six different ethnic groups and multiple religions and languages. Its music is similarly varied, with pop, religious, classical and folk music being popular. Musical genres from Tibet and Hindustan have greatly influenced Nepalese music. Usually, women, even of the musician castes, do not play music except for specific situations, such as at the traditional all-female wedding parties.
The architecture of Nepal is another art that has become an important part of the country's culture. Nepal's architecture can be divided into three broad groups, the stupa style, the pagoda style and the shikhara style.
Nepal is constitutionally a Hindu kingdom with legal provisions of no prejudice against other religions. The Hindu inhabitants in the country has been constantly over 80 percent since the 1950s. The second largest religion of Nepal is Buddhism, it is practiced by about 11 percent, while Islam comprises of about 4.2 percent of the population. The Kirat religion makes up nearly 3.6 percent of the population.
Nepal has many customs and beliefs that might be difficult to understand and not so easy to obey but this is the way of life to them and you should respect it when you are in their territory.
Do not feel offended if any Nepalese hesitates to shake hands with you because it hasn't been very long since the western traditions were introduced to them. Most Nepalese greet one another by a “Namaste”, a common act done by putting the palms together in a prayer like gesture.
Nepal has about thirty-six different ethnic groups and multiple religions and languages. Its music is similarly varied, with pop, religious, classical and folk music being popular. Musical genres from Tibet and Hindustan have greatly influenced Nepalese music. Usually, women, even of the musician castes, do not play music except for specific situations, such as at the traditional all-female wedding parties.
The architecture of Nepal is another art that has become an important part of the country's culture. Nepal's architecture can be divided into three broad groups, the stupa style, the pagoda style and the shikhara style.
Nepal is constitutionally a Hindu kingdom with legal provisions of no prejudice against other religions. The Hindu inhabitants in the country has been constantly over 80 percent since the 1950s. The second largest religion of Nepal is Buddhism, it is practiced by about 11 percent, while Islam comprises of about 4.2 percent of the population. The Kirat religion makes up nearly 3.6 percent of the population.
Nepal has many customs and beliefs that might be difficult to understand and not so easy to obey but this is the way of life to them and you should respect it when you are in their territory.
Do not feel offended if any Nepalese hesitates to shake hands with you because it hasn't been very long since the western traditions were introduced to them. Most Nepalese greet one another by a “Namaste”, a common act done by putting the palms together in a prayer like gesture.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Chaite Dashain
Hindus celebrate Dashain twice a year in Nepal. Chaite Dashain is one of these. The most public of the ceremonies are the ritual animal sacrifices performed by the army in the courtyard of the police station at Hanuman Dhoka. This commence from 8:00 a.m. and is performed before the banners and insignia of various military units. Goats and buffaloes are the victims, beheaded by a single stroke of the sword. In previous years anyone in the audience could volunteer to dispatch one of the animals, but this custom has lapsed. Western visitors are slowed to view from a balcony overlooking the courtyard, with a splendid view of all the gore. The rites last about two hours and are concluded after the military commander smears each of the banners with the sacrificial blood.
Chaite Dashain
Hindus celebrate Dashain twice a year in Nepal. Chaite Dashain is one of these. The most public of the ceremonies are the ritual animal sacrifices performed by the army in the courtyard of the police station at Hanuman Dhoka. This commence from 8:00 a.m. and is performed before the banners and insignia of various military units. Goats and buffaloes are the victims, beheaded by a single stroke of the sword. In previous years anyone in the audience could volunteer to dispatch one of the animals, but this custom has lapsed. Western visitors are slowed to view from a balcony overlooking the courtyard, with a splendid view of all the gore. The rites last about two hours and are concluded after the military commander smears each of the banners with the sacrificial blood.
Fagu Poornima
Holi celebrates the death of the demoness Holika. This wicked woman, who was supposed to be invulnerable to fire, tried many times to kill her nephew, an ardent devotee of lord Vishnu. In the end she put the boy on her lap and set fire beneath them, thinking he would be burned up and she would escape. But instead the boy remained unharmed and Holika, to her surpise, immolated herself. The rites of this festival celebrate her end.
Fagu poornima begins the first day with the raising of the Chir pole about noon in front of kumari house in basantapur. Holi is known as ‘playing with color ‘festival. Young and old, especially the children throw bags of water or handful of colored powder at each other and make it pleasure. In Terai region, they celebrate it the next day when people of valley celebrate it.
Fagu poornima begins the first day with the raising of the Chir pole about noon in front of kumari house in basantapur. Holi is known as ‘playing with color ‘festival. Young and old, especially the children throw bags of water or handful of colored powder at each other and make it pleasure. In Terai region, they celebrate it the next day when people of valley celebrate it.
Maha Shivaratari
All year pashupatinath attracts pilgrims sadhus, devotees and mendicants, but on this day the visitors are in the reans of thousands, many are from India or the terai ane begin arriving a few days before, some camping out in the vicinity of the temple. Shiva’s sacred day begins at midnight but devotees don’t really begin streaming in, past a tremendous Variety of sadhus, mendicants of various types and deformities, devotees performing roadside penances (standing with a small trident thrust through the tongue, being buried up to the neck etc.)And metro the scared lingam inside the temple and then bathe, or at least splash a little, in the river. The royal family takes part in afternoon rites at Tundikhel parade ground, receiving a 31-gun a salute at the end. The king and his entourage pay homage to Shiva in the evening, when the whole tempo of the activity there has picked up, especially the musical side. Hundreds sadhus reside in attendanced camps in the courtyards of the temples situated at the opposite bank, where non Hindus are also free to wander. The curious can witness some rather interesting yogic demonstrations there.
It gets chilly in the evening, but there are usually several fires and lively scenes going at least till midnight, when the consecrated time elapses. In Bhaktapur, devotees honor Shiva by playing a visit to the Dattatreya Temple in Tachapal and people in other towns and villages of the valley celebrate it with bonfires and vigils.
It gets chilly in the evening, but there are usually several fires and lively scenes going at least till midnight, when the consecrated time elapses. In Bhaktapur, devotees honor Shiva by playing a visit to the Dattatreya Temple in Tachapal and people in other towns and villages of the valley celebrate it with bonfires and vigils.
Basanta panchmi (shree panchami)
Basanta panchami of Shree panchmi honors the deities of knowledge and learning. Hindus honor the goddess Saraswati and Buddhists the god Manjushre. Basanta panchami announces the advent of spring, with official ceremonies at Hanuman Dhaka. The day is also considered one of the auspicious in the year to get married. On this day upper caste Hindu boys are given their first initiation as it is dedicated to learning. Most popular is the especially school children, line up from sunrise. People also flock to the kunda in patan. Ceremonies associated with the instruments of art and learning books, pans, brusher, etc. take place at home. Traditionally, children are given their first alphabet lesson this day.
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