NEPAL SOUND INFUSION CULTURAL NOTES. Location. Official Name. Population (2018 est.) Official language. Capital (2011 est.) Currency.

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1 NEPAL Location Official Name Population (2018 est.) Official language Capital (2011 est.) Currency Area (km2) NEPAL Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal 975,453 Napali Kathmandu 2,500,000 Nepalese rupee 147,181 km2

2 At a Glance Political System Largest Cities Main industries Climate Coastline (km) Natural Hazards Ethnic Background (2011 est.) Life expectancy at birth (2018 est.) Mobile Phones Subscriptions (2017 est.) Republic with a Multi-Party System Pokhara 426,759, Lalitpur 285,922 tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production Varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south 0 km (landlocked) Severe thunderstorms; flooding; landslides; drought and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons Chhettri 16.6%, Brahman-Hill 12.2%, Magar 7.1%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.8%, Newar 5%, Kami 4.8%, Muslim 4.4%, Yadav 4%, Rai 2.3%, Gurung 2%, Damai/Dholii 1.8%, Thakuri 1.6%, Limbu 1.5%, Sarki 1.4%, Teli 1.4%, Chamar/Harijan/Ram 1.3%, Koiri/Kushwaha 1.2%, other 19% The average life expectancy is 71.3 years. For males this average lies at 70.6 years and for females at 72 years. Total amount of mobile phone subscriptions is 32,120,305. Per 100 inhabitants there are 109 phone subscriptions. Literacy Rate age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.) 63.9% of the population is literate. 76.4% of males are literate and 53.1% of females.

3 What s it like? Nepal is a country that is almost completely covered with a mountainous landscape. About 75% of the country is covered in mountains, which makes it a country with one of the most difficult and rugged terrains to travel across. This offers a great difference in elevation from one place to the next, making the climate in Nepal extremely varied. Because Nepal is landlocked, has very little substantial resources for development, and has difficulty with building an adequate transportation system through all the mountains, it is one of the least developed countries in the world. The economy depends immensely on imports from foreign markets. Development programs have generally failed and achieved little, if anything at all, in covering the needs of people in rural areas. The population of the country is very young country, with three-fifths of its inhabitants being under 30 years old. Religion is a very important part of Nepalese society. The vast majority of the countries inhabitants follows Hinduism. Historically the aristocrats and the people in power have been Hindu as well. A great source of pride for the people of Nepal is their cultural heritage. Especially the sculptures, paintings, and architecture made by the Newar of Kathmandu. Most art works are centred around religion, depicting the lives of Gods, saints, heroes, and the relationship of man to the divine. Around 2500 temples and shrines display the fine work of Newar artisans in Kathmadu Valley. Key Moments in History In ancient texts and legends, mention of the region we now know as Nepal 30th century BCE can be found as far back as 32,000 years. It s believed that the earliest rulers of Nepal were the Kirats. Mention of these rulers can be found in ancient Hindu texts. Gautama Buddha BCE The Gautama Buddha was a prince that renounced his life to live in simplicity. He founded Buddhism. Lichhavi Kingdom After losing their power in India, the Licchavi established a kingdom in Nepal. Rise of the Malla Dynasty 1200 The Malla Dynasty rules over Kathmandu Valley, for almost 600 years. In Sanskrit Malla means wrestler Malla kingdom is divided 1526 Mughal Empire is established in India Battle of Kirtipur This mark the end of the Malla Dynasty. The battle is won by Pritihvi Narayan Shah of the Gurkha Kingdom. He lays the foundation for a unified kingdom.

4 Key Moments in History(cont) Anglo-Nepalese War This war led to the Treaty of Saguali, an agreement between the Gurkha chiefs and the British Indian Government. This treaty set the modern day borders of Nepal in place. Nepal falls under chief ministers known as Ranas 1846 The Ranas dominate the monarchy and cut Nepal off from the outside world WW1 Nepalese soldiers fight for the British in the first World War Treaty with Britain This treaty affirms Nepal s sovereignty. End of Rana rule 1951 A group of anti-rana rebels in the Nepalese Congress Party form the government. First people reach the top of Mount Everest Edmund Hillary, a New Zealander, and Sherpa Tenzig Norgay, a Nepalese man, are the first climbers to make it all the way to the top of the Mount Everest Nepal joins the United Nations 1959 Multi-party constitution is adopted. New constitution is adopted once again 1962 This constitutional change moves away from a party system. A council known as panchayat is instated, under which the king has full power. Constitutional referendum 1980 This referendum leads to yet another change. Only a small majority of people votes in favour of the panchayat system. As a response the King agrees to allow direct elections, but on a non-party basis Nepalese Congress Party begins civil disobedience campaign They want to restore the multi-party system. Pro-democracy agitation coordinated by NCP and leftist gropes. The protests on the streets are suppressed by security forces. Because of 1990 this the protests result in numerous deaths and mass arrest. Eventually the King cracks under the pressure and agrees to a new democratic constitution. The first democratic elections happen 1991 The Nepali Congress Party wins the elections. Girija Prasad Koirala is elected to be Prime Minister. Communist government 1994 After a no-confidence motion, Koirala s government is defeated. New elections are held and these lead to a communist government Communist government dissolves Immense political unrest takes over the country

5 Key Moments in History(cont) 2000 Koirala is re-instated as Prime Minister His return marks start of the ninth government in ten years. Crown Prince Dipendra kills multiple members of his family, including the King The Crown Prince commits suicide. His brother is crowned as King. This is the start of yet another period of political unrest, specifically with people s feelings towards the royal family Nepal joins World Trade Organisation (WTO) 2007 Parliament approves the abolition of the monarchy 2008 Nepal becomes a republic People In Nepal people live in a caste system. The family unit is very important in this. Within the household you can often find the sons living with their parents, wives, and children. The authority in the household is held by the elders and the men. New daughters-in-law are lowest within this family structure, and will receive the most work and criticism until she has children. Arranged marriages are still the norm within the mainstream culture, because they are seen as an opportunity to forge social bond between families. Sadly, this also leads to child marriages, even though it is officially illegal within Nepal. In the cities marriage for love is gaining popularity, which is possible mainly because of economic independence of the younger generation. In Nepal men are much more likely to be educated than women. Even though the law entitles both boys and girls to schooling, it is often the girls who will be pulled out of school if the family cannot afford to send all their kids. This is because it is thought to be wasted on a girl, since she is going to marry another family and take all that she s learned to them. Whereas a boy will stay with the parents when he marries, and therefore he will contribute all he has learnt to the family. Luckily there has been a slow change over the years. More and more women are recorded to get an education and have hold a place in a professional position. Children are cared and disciplined not only by their direct family, but by the whole neighbourhood. From a young age children are expected to answer to the elders within their home and their community. They will address their superiors in a formal way, whereas parents and other adults will address children in a more familiar manner. Because authority is tied to seniority within the household, the birth order of children is very important.

6 Customs & Traditions Nepal is just the land of mountains. It is also the land of festivals. More than 50 festivals are celebrated in Nepal every year. Sweta Machhendranath Snan Sweta (white) Machhendranath Snan Festival is celebrated for about a week in the month of January. During this festival, the Sweta Machhendranath is bathed, oiled, perfumed and painted. The Goddess Kumari visits him at his elaborate temple near Asan Tol. If he is pleased by the music and offerings from his devotees, the people of the valley can look forward for the satisfactory rainfall during the season. Maghe Sankranti Festival The Maghe Sankranti festival celebrates the sun entering the southern hemisphere. It is celebrated in the month of January, which is known as the holy month of Magh. On the first day of Magh, the Maghe Sankranti, people rise early to take a bath a holy river. They visit and worship Lord Vishnu and bring him flowers, presents, and food. They read from The Song of the Gods, Bhagwas Gita, and rub mustard oil over their bodies. Afterwards they have a feast with an abundance of food. Music (Instruments) Tabla The tabla consists of two drums, which are played by the same performer. Both drums are made with different materials, providing the drummer with a wide variety of tones he can produce. The larger drum is called the bayan and the smaller drum is called the dahini. Kanjira This instrument is a frame drum that often has bell-metal jingle-disks attached to the frame in metal slots on the side. The pitch of the instrument can be changed by wetting the skin of the drum. It is held with the left hand, which can help vary the tension of the skin. Sarangi The Sarangi is a bowed stringed instrument. It is usually made by hand, from a single block of tun wood. The design of the instrument varies from region to region. The Nepalese version is a lot smaller than its counterpart from India.

7 Activities (dance, sport, other) A lot of tourist visit Nepal to go trekking, river rafting, or mountain climbing. For the Nepalese people football is the most popular sport to follow. The national team has been competing in international competitions gaining mixed results. One of the traditional sports in Dandi-Biyo. The game is related to cricket and played with simple equipment. The player use a danda, which is a long wooden stick, and a gili, which is a small oval-shaped piece of wood. Dos & Don ts Do Use the right hand when eating and also in accepting and giving things. Take off your shoes before entering a temple or one s home. Ask for permission before entering a Hindu Temple. A lot of temples will not allow Westerners into their temples. Traditionally people walk around temples clockwise. Don t In most religious places leather articles will be prohibited, so avoid bringing anything leather. Public shows of affection, especially between men and women, is a social offense in Nepal. Do not take pictures of people or objects without having received permission to do so.

8 Special Places Nagarkot panoramic views of Himalayan Mountains Royal Chitwan National Park ungle reserve Katmandu Nepal s capital city Pashupatinath Temple Lumbini

9 Food Dal Irish stew - a hearty casserole traditionally made with meat, potatoes, carrots and onions Interesting Facts Nepal s local name for Mt. Everest is Sagarmatha, or goddess of the sky. The flag of Nepal is the only national flag that is not quadrilateral in shape. Eight of the world s highest peaks can be found in Nepal. Kathmandu was once known as Kantipur, which means the City of Glory. In the 1700s, Gurkha king Prithvi Narayan conquered Kathmandu valley without any bloodshed, by attacking while the people were celebrating the Indra Jatra festival