HTTP Error 408 / 409 - Not acceptable / Resource conflict
Internet Explorer
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.
Lhosar
Sherpas and Tibetans welcome their New year with feasts, family visits and dancing. Families put on their finest clothes and jewelry and exchange gifts. Buddhist mon in th ks offer prayers for good health and prosperity, and perform dances at the monasteries. Colorful prayer flags decorate streets and rooftops, and the colors seem especially brilliant at the Bouddha and Swayambhu stupas. Crowds of celebrants at Boudha bring in the new year by throwing tsampa (roasted barley flour) into the air.
Maghe sankranti
In the holy month of Magh the sun enters the southern hemisphere, and the days begin to grow longer and warmer. Lord Vishnu the preserver is thanked for his efforts. On maghe sankranti people take an early morning bath in holy river, visit the shrines of Vishnu,and present flowers, incense and food to him. They read the Bhagwad,Gita also known as the song of the Gods, apply mustard oil over their bodies, and enjoy feast rice cooked with lentils, yams or tarul-a must-and til ko laddu, sweets oade of seasame and jaggery (sugarcane paste).
People from many parts of the country rush tp Devghat, a confluence of three rivers, to take holy bath in the river on this day.
People from many parts of the country rush tp Devghat, a confluence of three rivers, to take holy bath in the river on this day.
Nepali Festivals
Festivals are manifestation of cultural sensibility of any particular society at its beat. Festivals, through acts and performance of rites and rituals and rituals, are fact not only a way of appeasing of gods and goddesses, but also for warding off evil, for pastoral and agricultural prosperity, longevity, happiness and good health of human life.it also helps in strengthening familial and societal ties by way of gathering, merry-making and socializing.
Festival in Nepal begins with something religious and moves with spontaneous spirit into a pleasant family feast as for a Nepalese religion has been influenced and has always been the core of Napali culture.
There is a popular saying that in Kathmandu every next day is a festival and every other house in a temple. Most festivals honor a deity with worshippers crowding around a shrine to worship. Great processions win through the streets of the three old cities, kathmcndu, Bhatapur and Lalitpur and other cities of Nepal. These processions are accompanied by bands of Newar musicians and masked dancers. Some time idols of Gods and paraded in gigantic wooden chariot Rath unique to Nepal. Festivals are an important part of Nepalis society. It is the essence of their everyday life.
Festival in Nepal begins with something religious and moves with spontaneous spirit into a pleasant family feast as for a Nepalese religion has been influenced and has always been the core of Napali culture.
There is a popular saying that in Kathmandu every next day is a festival and every other house in a temple. Most festivals honor a deity with worshippers crowding around a shrine to worship. Great processions win through the streets of the three old cities, kathmcndu, Bhatapur and Lalitpur and other cities of Nepal. These processions are accompanied by bands of Newar musicians and masked dancers. Some time idols of Gods and paraded in gigantic wooden chariot Rath unique to Nepal. Festivals are an important part of Nepalis society. It is the essence of their everyday life.
Himalayas
The Himalayas or "abode of snow" is in fact the youngest and highest mountain system in the world. It extends over 2,400kms as a vast south-facing area between the Indus and Brahmaputra rivers with Nanga Parbat (8,125m) and Namcha Barwa (7,755m) as its terminal high points. Fully a third of 800kms of its central section traverses Nepal and is known as the Nepal Himalayas, Here congregate more than 250 peaks that exceed 6,000m in height-a unique concentration of lofty dazzling summits. Of the thirty one Himalayan peaks over 7,600m, twenty-two like in Nepal Himalayas including eight of the world's fourteen highest giants. These are:
Sagarmatha(Mt. Everest)
8,848m
Kanchenjunga
8,586m
Lhotse
8,516m
Makalu
8,463m
Cho Oyu
8,201m
Dhaulagiri
8,167m
Manaslu
8,163m
Annapurna
8,091m
The Himalayan range within Nepal fits into a geographic pattern as the culmination of a series of parallel ranges. The main mountain region, represented by the eternal ranges, lies about 90kms north of the Mahabharat Lekh. The intervening space between the two parallel ranges is made up of the lower belt of the low hills (Pahar) and the higher belt of elevated ridges (Lekh) that provide the first intimation of the high snow continuous range but rather a chain of lofty ridges separated by deep gorges. Each of these mountain chains or Himals in turn sends out a maze of spurs studded with numerous peaks.
In the western and central Nepal, there is yet another mountain range that defines the boundary between Nepal and China. This border range has elevations ranging from 5,000 to 6,000m with comparatively less rugged relief but a harsh climate. Between the main Himalayan range and these border ranges lie some of the elevated Bhot Valleys.
Much of the high country above 5,000m is under the realm of snow and ice although the permanent snow line may vary according to aspect and gradient. Winter snowfall occurs up to an elevation of 2,000m and is much heavier in the western part. While winter is harsh and bitter, summer is the season of alpine flowers and is the time of the year when the high pastures teem with grazing animals from lower valleys. For the mountain communities, it is the time for harvesting their main crop before their winter migration to warmer climates.
Ganga Purna
.
Annaprun Sanctuary
Sagarmatha(Mt. Everest)
8,848m
Kanchenjunga
8,586m
Lhotse
8,516m
Makalu
8,463m
Cho Oyu
8,201m
Dhaulagiri
8,167m
Manaslu
8,163m
Annapurna
8,091m
The Himalayan range within Nepal fits into a geographic pattern as the culmination of a series of parallel ranges. The main mountain region, represented by the eternal ranges, lies about 90kms north of the Mahabharat Lekh. The intervening space between the two parallel ranges is made up of the lower belt of the low hills (Pahar) and the higher belt of elevated ridges (Lekh) that provide the first intimation of the high snow continuous range but rather a chain of lofty ridges separated by deep gorges. Each of these mountain chains or Himals in turn sends out a maze of spurs studded with numerous peaks.
In the western and central Nepal, there is yet another mountain range that defines the boundary between Nepal and China. This border range has elevations ranging from 5,000 to 6,000m with comparatively less rugged relief but a harsh climate. Between the main Himalayan range and these border ranges lie some of the elevated Bhot Valleys.
Much of the high country above 5,000m is under the realm of snow and ice although the permanent snow line may vary according to aspect and gradient. Winter snowfall occurs up to an elevation of 2,000m and is much heavier in the western part. While winter is harsh and bitter, summer is the season of alpine flowers and is the time of the year when the high pastures teem with grazing animals from lower valleys. For the mountain communities, it is the time for harvesting their main crop before their winter migration to warmer climates.
Ganga Purna
.
Annaprun Sanctuary
The Hills
The Mahabharat range, running closely parallel to the Chure range, separates the Terai from the Hill region, which covers about 64% of the total land area. This range averages 1,525 to 4,877m altitude and 16kms in breadth. Its structure is synclinal and topography steep and jagged. Forests are usually found on the higher elevations whereas the lower and gentler slopes are used for terraced cultivation.
North of this range and south of the Himalayas, lies the extensively cultivated broad hill complex of the "Pahar" of mountain region, the major subdued in character, this complex has a generally salubrious climate. The fertile valleys formed by the principal river systems, including the Katmandu Valley, are the main settlement and cultivation areas in the region.
North of this range and south of the Himalayas, lies the extensively cultivated broad hill complex of the "Pahar" of mountain region, the major subdued in character, this complex has a generally salubrious climate. The fertile valleys formed by the principal river systems, including the Katmandu Valley, are the main settlement and cultivation areas in the region.
The Religious way of Life:
Religion is an integral and deep-rooted part of Nepalese life. Temples, images, sacred paintings are to be seen everywhere. Majority of the people is Hindu in Nepal, nevertheless, Buddhism has also important place in this country. Hinduism and Buddhism are closely connected in Nepal and it would take a lifetime's study to understand the complexities of country's religious life. Some hints regarding religious matters.
Visitors to Hindu temple or Buddhist shrine are expected to take off their shoes before entry as a mark of respect. In fact, a pair of open sandals is more convenient and comfortable while visiting the temples and stupas. In some of the temples entrance may be prohibited for the non-Hindus.
Leather articles are prohibited to be taken inside the temple premises.
Visitors to Hindu temple or Buddhist shrine are expected to take off their shoes before entry as a mark of respect. In fact, a pair of open sandals is more convenient and comfortable while visiting the temples and stupas. In some of the temples entrance may be prohibited for the non-Hindus.
Leather articles are prohibited to be taken inside the temple premises.
Language
Nepali is the national language of Nepal and is written in Devnagari Script. Other languages spoken in Nepal include Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tamang, Avadhi, Tharu and Newari, however most educated Nepalese can also speak and write English.
Culture
Hinduism followed by Buddhism, constitute two major religion of Nepal. Both these co-religionists are bound together by a sense of fellow-feeling and bonhomie particularly displayed in their worship of common deities and joint celebration of many festivals belonging to either religion or culture. Kumari, the Virgin Hindu Goddess, for instance, is selected from a Buddhist clan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)