CULTURAL VIEW:
Nepal
is named for the Kathmandu Valley, where the nation's founder established a
capital in the late eighteenth century. Nepali culture represents a fusion of
Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Mongolian influences, the result of a long history of
migration, conquest, and trade.
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Nepal
is a roughly rectangular country with an area of 147,181 square miles (381,200
square kilometers). To the south, west, and east it is bordered by Indian
states; to the north lies Tibet. Nepal is home to the Himalayan Mountains,
including Mount Everest. From the summit of Everest, the topography plunges to
just above sea level at the Gangetic Plain on the southern border. This drop
divides the country into three horizontal zones: the high mountains, the lush
central hills, and the flat, arid Terai region in the south. Fast-moving,
snow-fed rivers cut through the hills and mountains from north to south,
carving deep valleys and steep ridges. The rugged topography has created
numerous ecological niches to which different ethnic groups have adapted.
Although trade has brought distinct ethnic groups into contact, geography
has created diversity in language and subsistence practices. The result is a
country with over thirty-six ethnic groups and over fifty languages.
The
population in 1997 was just over 22.6 million. Although infant mortality rates
are extremely high, fertility rates are higher. High birth rates in rural areas
have led to land shortages, forcing immigration to the Terai, where farmland is
more plentiful, and to urban areas, where jobs are available. Migration into
cities has led to overcrowding and pollution. The Kathmandu Valley has a
population of approximately 700,000.
Mongolian tribes from the east
called Kiratis brought Buddhism in the seventh or eighth century B.C.E. Hinduism flourished in the third and
fourth-century C.E.
under the Licchavis, an
Indo-Aryan people from northern India, and after the migration of Hindus from
India during the Mughal period. The Hindu Malla dynasties reigned in the
Kathmandu Valley between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, encouraging
tolerance toward Buddhism and an orthodox, caste-oriented form of Hinduism.
Since unification in the late eighteenth century and through the hundred-year
period of Rana rule, the culture of hill Hindus, Parbatiya, has been dominant.
The birth of the
nation is dated to Prithvi Narayan Shah's conquest of the Kathmandu Valley
kingdoms in 1768. The expansionist reigns of Shah and his successors carved out
a territory twice the size of modern Nepal. However, territorial clashes with
the Chinese in the late eighteenth century and the British in the early
nineteenth century pushed the borders back to their current configuration.
The population consists of numerous
racial, cultural, and linguistic groups that often are divided into three broad
categories: Indo-Nepalese, Tibeto-Nepalese, and indigenous Nepalese. The
Indo-Nepalese migrated from India over several centuries; they practice
Hinduism, have Caucasian features and speak Indo-Aryan languages. They have settled
primarily in the lower hills and river valleys and the Terai. The
Tibeto-Nepalese have distinctively Mongolian features and speak Tibeto-Burmese
languages; these groups occupy the higher hills and mountainous areas.
Different groups within this category practice Buddhism, animism, or Hinduism.
There are scattered tribes of indigenous Nepalis, whose origins probably
predate the arrival of Indo- and Tibeto-Nepalese peoples.
Hindu castes and
Buddhist and animist ethnic groups were historically collapsed into a single
caste hierarchy. At the top are high-caste Hindus. Below them are
alcohol-drinking ( matwalo ) castes, which include Mongolian ethnic groups. At
the bottom are untouchable Hindu castes that have traditionally performed
occupations considered defiling by higher castes. The Newars of the Kathmandu
Valley has a caste system that has been absorbed into the national caste
hierarchy.
Historically,
members of the highest castes have owned the majority of land and enjoyed the
greatest political and economic privileges. Members of lower castes have been
excluded from political representation and economic opportunities. The
untouchable castes were not permitted to own land, and their civil liberties
were circumscribed by law. Caste discrimination is officially illegal but has
not disappeared. In 1991, 80 percent of positions in the civil service, army,
and police were occupied by members of the two highest castes.
Nepal historically was one of the
least urbanized countries in the world, but urbanization is accelerating,
especially in the capital, and urban sprawl and pollution have become serious
problems. Kathmandu and the neighboring cities of Patan and Bhaktapur are known
for pagoda-style and shikhara temples, Buddhist stupas, palaces, and multi-story
brick houses with elaborately carved wooden door frames and screened windows.
Although the largest and most famous buildings are well maintained, many
smaller temples and older residential buildings are falling into disrepair.
At
the height of British rule in India, the Rana rulers incorporated Western
architectural styles into palaces and public buildings. Rana palaces convey a
sense of grandeur and clear separation from the peasantry. The current king's
palace's scale and fortress-like quality illustrate the distance between king
and commoner.
Rural
architecture is generally very simple, reflecting the building styles of
different caste and ethnic groups, the materials available, and the climate.
Rural houses generally have one or two stories and are made of mud brick with a
thatched roof. Village houses tend to be clustered in river valleys or along
the ridge tops.
Many Nepalis do not feel that they
have eaten a real meal unless it has included a sizable helping of rice. Most
residents eat a large rice meal twice a day, usually at midmorning and in the
early evening. Rice generally is served with dal, a lentil dish, and tarkari, a
cooked vegetable. Often, the meal includes a pickle achar, made of a fruit or
vegetable. In poorer and higher-altitude areas, where rice is scarce, the
staple is dhindo, a thick mush made of corn or millet. In areas where wheat is
plentiful, rice may be supplemented by flatbread, roti. Most families eat from
individual plates while seated on the floor. Though some urbanites use Western
utensils, it is more common to eat with their hands. Conventions regarding
eating and drinking are tied to caste. Orthodox high-caste Hindus are strictly
vegetarian and do not drink alcohol. Other castes may drink alcohol and eat
pork and even beef. Traditionally, caste rules also dictate who may eat with or
accept food from whom. Members of the higher castes were particularly reluctant
to eat food prepared by strangers. Consequently, eating out has not been a
major part of the culture. However, caste rules are relaxing to suit the modern
world, and the tourist economy is making restaurants a common feature of urban
life.
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