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| Nepal Country Information |
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The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia.
It is bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south,
east, and west by the Republic of India. With an area of 147,181 square
kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million, Nepal is
the world's 93rd largest country by land mass and the 41st most populous country.
Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolitan city.
Nepal is a country of highly diverse and rich geography, culture, and religions. The mountainous north has eight of the world's ten highest mountains, including the highest, Sagarmatha, known in English as Mount Everest.
Previously ruled as a kingdom, today it is a Federal Democratic Republic. Nepal is known for its exquisite natural beauty, with the iconic Himalayas running across the northern and western part of the country.
Tours are popular in Nepal.
Without a doubt two of the most popular activities enjoyed by visitors to Nepal are trekking and mountaineering with the rugged landscape offering innumerable opportunities for both. Trekking is an excellent way of really getting to understand what Nepal is all about. Trekkers can set their pace to enjoy the incredible scenery, meet the locals and stop off at the many temples and historic ruins that are often found in unexpected places.
Other activities to be enjoyed by the adventurous at heart include elephant
safaris, biking, river rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping, parasailing and hot
air ballooning – an excellent way to view the spectacular Himalayas without
actually climbing them. |
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| Capital |
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Kathmandu |
| Official languages |
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Nepali
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| Demonym |
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Nepali |
| Government |
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Republic |
| Total Area |
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147,181 km2 (93rd Rank in the world) |
| Population |
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29,331,000 (40th Rank in the world- 2009 estimate) |
| Currency |
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Rupee (NPR) |
| Time zone |
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NPT (UTC+5:45) |
| Calling code |
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977 |
| Drives on the |
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The year is divided into a wet season from June to September—as summer warmth
over Inner Asia creates a low pressure zone that draws in air from the Indian
Ocean—and a dry season from October to June as cold temperatures in the vast
interior creates a high pressure zone causing dry air to flow outward. April and
May are months of intense water stress when cumulative effects of the long dry
season are exacerbated by temperatures rising over 40 °C (104 °F). Seasonal
drought intensifies in the Siwaliks hills consisting of poorly-consolidated,
coarse, highly permeable sediments that do not retain water, so hillsides are
covered with tropical scrub forest that is extremely drought-tolerant.
Rains diminish in September and generally end by mid-October, ushering in generally cool, clear, and dry weather, as well as the most relaxed and jovial period in Nepal. By this time, the harvest is completed and people are in a festive mood. The two biggest and most important Hindu festivals-- Dashain and Tihar (Dipawali)--arrive during this period, about one month apart. The postmonsoon season lasts until about December.
After the postmonsoon comes the winter monsoon, a strong northeasterly flow marked by occasional, short rainfalls in the lowlands and plains and snowfalls in the high-altitude areas. Precipitation varies from year to year but increases markedly with elevation. Adequate snowfall in the Himalaya is important for sufficient spring and summer meltwater for irrigation in the lower hills and valleys. At lower elevations, winter rainfall is needed for the success of winter crops such as wheat, barley and vegetables. In this season the Himalaya function as a barrier to cold air masses from Inner Asia, so southern Nepal and northern India have warmer winters than would otherwise be the case. April and May are dry and hot, especially below 1,200 meters (3,937 ft) where afternoon temperatures may exceed 40 °C (104 °F).
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The overwhelming majority in Nepal follow Hinduism. Shiva is regarded as the guardian deity of the country. Nepal is home to the largest Shiva temple in the world, the famous
Pashupatinath Temple, where Hindus from all over the world come for
pilgrimage. According to mythology, Sita Devi of the epic Ramayana was born in
the Mithila Kingdom of King Janaka Raja. Near the Indian border, Lumbini, is a
Buddhist pilgrimage site and UNESCO World Heritage Site site in the Kapilavastu
district.
It is held to be the birthplace in about 563 B.C. of Siddhartha Gautama, a Kshatriya caste prince of the Sakya clan, who, as the Buddha Gautama, gave birth to the Buddhist tradition. The holy site of Lumbini is bordered by a large monastic zone, in which only monasteries can be built. All three main branches of Buddhism exist in Nepal and the Newar people have their own branch of the faith.
Differences between Hindus and Buddhists have been minimal in Nepal due to the
cultural and historical intermingling of Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. Morever
traditionally Buddhism and Hinduism were never two distinct religions in western
sense of world.
Most of the festivals in Nepal are Hindu. The Machendrajatra festival, dedicated
to Hindu Shaiva Siddha, is celebrated by many Buddhists in Nepal as a main
festival. As it is believed that Ne Muni established Nepal, some important
priests in Nepal are called "Tirthaguru Nemuni".
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Festivity is synonym to the Nepalese Culture. For the Nepalese, festivals are not merely the annual spectacles, but also are a living part of their rich cultural heritage. Festivals effectively bind together the Nepalese people of diverse cultural backgrounds and beliefs into one nation.
The national festivals have fixed dates, religious
festivals are set by astrologers following the lunar calendar. Most Nepalese festivals are related to different Hindu and Buddhist deities.
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New Year:
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It is known as “Navavarsha” in Nepal. Nepal has its official calendar that begins from the first day of the first month Baisakh. This very first day is observed as Nepali New Year which usually falls in the
second week of April. People go for picnics, have get-togethers and celebrate the day socializing in various ways as this day is also a national holiday.
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Lhosar (Tibetan New Year):
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This is the New Year of the Tibetans and Sherpas of Nepal which falls in
February. The Buddhist monasteries in Kathmandu like Boudhanath and Swayambhunath are decorated with eye catching colorful prayer flags pulling the crowd. The people perform their traditional dances and welcome their New Year with feasts and family gatherings wearing all the new clothes and finest jewelries and exchanging gifts.
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Saraswati Puja:
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Saraswati Puja or Shree Panchami is a day to celebrate the
birthday of Saraswati – the Goddess of Learning. This is a day when people from school students to scholars worship their pens and books to please the Goddess and expect her favor in their studies so they become wise and knowledgeable.
People also throng around the idol of Goddess Saraswati, especially in Swayambhunath and offer flowers, sweets, fruits, etc. On this day, small children are taught to read and write and people write on the stones and slabs with chalks and pencils. This day which falls between
January/February is regarded as a very auspicious day for marriages too as it is believed that Goddess Saraswati herself blesses the couples.
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Shivaratri (Maha Shivaratri):
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Shivaratri or the night of Lord Shiva that falls sometime between
February/March is one of the major festivals of Nepal. This day is dedicated to the Lord of the Lords –
Lord Shiva or Mahadev who lived in Mt. Kailash in the Himalayas. Lord Shiva is the most worshipped God in the Hindu religion.
More than 100,000 of Hindu devotees from India and Southeast Asia throng weeks ahead of the festival and gather in and around
Pashupatinath temple – one of the holiest shrines of the Hindus in Kathmandu to pay their homage to Lord Shiva on his birthday. “Pashupatinath” literally means “the Lord of animals” as Lord Shiva is considered as the guardian and protector of everything that exists in the Himalayan Kingdom.
On this holy day, worshippers take dip and bath in the holy river at early dawn and fast for the whole day and stay around fire to keep them warm as it is still winter in Nepal. The devotees also freely indulge in using marijuana and other intoxicating substances as these things are believed to please Lord Shiva and marijuana use is legal only on this sacred day.
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Holi:
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This festival of water and colors that falls between
February/March is also known as “Phagu” in Nepal. This day is observed to rejoice the extermination of female demon Holika who together with her King brother conspired to kill his son Pralhad, an ardent devotee of
Lord Vishnu.
This day, playful people especially the young ones wander through the streets in groups on foot or vehicles with various colors smeared all over them and the people in houses make merry throwing colors and water balloons at each other and also to these people on the streets.
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Ghode Jatra (Festival of Horses):
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This festival takes place between March/April
and a grand horse parade takes place at Tundikhel. Although this festival does not have much of religious aspects, a large number of people, even from outside Kathmandu flock around Kathmandu to witness the horse race and other exciting sports activities performed by the Army in the presence of the King and the Royal family.
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Buddha Jayanti:
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Buddha’s birth anniversary is celebrated every year during
May in Nepal. On this day people swarm in Swayambhunath and Boudhanath to pay homage to
Lord Buddha and also visit Buddha’s birth place in Lumbini and chant prayers and burn butter lamps.
Lord Buddha was born as Prince Siddhartha Gautam but he abandoned his luxurious life when he realized the misery of mankind and went in search of enlightenment.
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Gai Jatra (Cow Festival):
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This festival of cow is celebrated every year in August/September. This is one of the most popular festivals in Nepal as it is full of humor, satire, comedy, mockery and shades of sadness too at the same time. And on this day satires and jokes on anybody is legal.
As per the tradition, the family who has lost a relative during the past one year must take part in a procession by sending young boys in cow like attire and walk through the streets of Kathmandu lead by a cow. Cow is regarded as a Goddess and it is also the national animal of Nepal. This festival also purges many who have lost their loved ones as they get to console themselves as to they are not the only ones who have been bereaved and it also teaches to accept death as a part of life.
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Krishna Janmastami:
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The birth anniversary of Lord Sri Krishna, believed to be the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu falls sometime in
August/September. All the devotees assemble in Krishna Mandir, the ancient Krishna Temple in Patan Durbar Square and other temples with the idol of Sri Krishna and offer prayers, flowers, food, sweets and chant hymns too.
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Teej:
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This is a Hindu married woman’s day for her man. This festival is celebrated in
August/September. Women clad in beautiful red saris with shining potes (glass beads), singing and dancing is the sight almost everywhere in Nepal during the festival of Teej.
On this day women observe a fast and pray Lord Shiva for the long, healthy and prosperous life of their husbands and their families. The unmarried women also observe this festival with unabated zeal with the hope that they will get to marry good husbands. From early dawn, women queue up in the multiple lines in Pashupatinath to offer their prayers to Lord Shiva.
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Indra Jatra:
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This festival named after Lord Indra- the God of Rain and also the King of Heaven is celebrated by both the Buddhists and Hindus in Nepal in
August/September. This festival lasts for eight days with singing, mask dancing and rejoicing. The chariot of Kumari – the Living Goddess is taken through the main streets of Kathmandu with much fanfare.
On the first day, the King of Nepal also pays homage to Goddess Kumari. The crowd of excited people from performers to spectators engulfs the streets of Kathmandu during this festival. People get to enjoy various classical dances like elephant dance, lakhe – a very popular dance of a man with a mask.
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Tihar:
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This festival of lights that falls between October/November is the second biggest festival after Dashain. This festival lasts for five days and people
worship Laxmi – the Goddess of Wealth. All the houses are cleaned and decorated with the belief that Goddess Laxmi will enter the house that is the cleanest and people lit candles, oil lamps and other lights and the whole place looks illuminating.
During the five days, crows, dogs and cows are worshipped and honored with vermilion, garland and delicious food for what they have done in the lives of humans. Crows are regarded as the messenger that brought news even during the times when there were no postmen and no postal services. Dogs are the most obedient animals and they guard our house as true guardians. Cow is also a symbol of wealth in Hinduism and she is also the national animal of Nepal. During Tihar, the Newari community in Nepal also observes Mha puja – a ritual of worshipping one’s own body and life. On this very day, the Newari New Year which is also known as Nepal Sambat begins.
The festival ends with Bhai Tika – brothers’ day when his sisters worship him for his long and healthy life to safeguard the lives of his sisters. This is also a gambling time in Nepal as gambling is not illegal during this festival.
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Dashain (Bijaya Dashami):
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During the month of Kartik (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country.
The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the
goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood.
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Vibhaha Panchami:
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This is a famous festival of Janakpur in the eastern Terai. The occasion commemorates the
marriage of Sita to Ram, one of the most venerated Hindu divinities.
It attracts thousands of pilgrims from India to Janaki Temple in Janakpur.
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