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Silver Jewellery good (From Nepal)
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Saturday, August 21, 2010
Monday, June 22, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Silver Jewellery good (From Nepal)
You can buy and give order of any design of silver item
this is only few small item we can offer you lot of item just like earing,neckless,braclet,ring,top and much more in pure silve.
Address
Email id
xyz@secretary.net
inform us
this is only few small item we can offer you lot of item just like earing,neckless,braclet,ring,top and much more in pure silve.
Address
Email id
xyz@secretary.net
inform us
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
FINGERPRINTLESS
There's a rare disease in our world of anomalies that can actually erase the fingerprints of a person! Sufferers of a rare congenital diseases, Dermatopathia Pigmentosa Reticularis (DPR) have absolutely no fingerprints. DPR is so rare that the Maynards were the only family in the world known to carry the genetic defect. The condition is passed down through the female side of the family. People that suffer from DPR can also have extremely thin hair, brittle, ridged nails and mottled skin.
Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology found that the same genetic mutation causes both Naegeli syndrome and DPR. The mutation produces a defect in the protein keratin 14 (KRT14) and prevent KRT14 from playing its normal role in preventing cell death. In a world that is increasingly conscious of security and of proof of identity, not having fingerprints can be a big problem. So far, there's no treatment yet.
Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology found that the same genetic mutation causes both Naegeli syndrome and DPR. The mutation produces a defect in the protein keratin 14 (KRT14) and prevent KRT14 from playing its normal role in preventing cell death. In a world that is increasingly conscious of security and of proof of identity, not having fingerprints can be a big problem. So far, there's no treatment yet.
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Greatest Problem in the World
Andrew Chrucky
Cub's Roar, Pennsylvania State University, Worthington Scranton Campus, Sept. 1985.
Charles Whitney correctly reports that I believe that the greatest problems facing humanity are the nuclear threat and overpopulation. Both situations can lead -- one directly and the other indirectly -- to massive self-destruction. But he apparently contends that these problems exist as a result of political policies, and that they require a political solution. And by this token, he thinks, the greater problem for humanity is political organization. He goes on to lament that we, as a people, have been unable to work democratically to solve these problems. He writes: "I am suggesting that overpopulation and the nuclear threat are to a significant degree functions of the fact that people are prevented from associating as equals in more than local ways -- and of people's belief that they can't associate effectively."
In response, when I spoke of these as the greatest world problems I had in mind those world developments -- whether natural, technological, or "political" -- which pose the greatest threat to human life. Nuclear war is an obvious colossal threat; but for many people overpopulation is not. Many would say that the various wars, terrorism, famine, poverty, pollution, and lawlessness are current realities and are, therefore, greater actual problems. Moreover, these problems, they would say, are amenable to partial solution through greater use of technology and a more equitable distribution of the world's wealth. By contrast, in saying that overpopulation is a greater problem, I mean to claim that the technological innovations and distribution of wealth cannot alter the fact that the earth is finite. It has only a limited number of resources, it has a limited amount of arable land, it has a limited amount of fresh water, it can absorb only so much pollution, and it can support only a limited population. Whatever the remedy, if it does not also include population control, it will eventually fail.
Charles, however, is focusing his attention on political policies as instruments for solving these kinds of problems. In doing this, he conflates means and ends. Of course the rational means have to be political; otherwise the laws of nature will run their course and kill us off through famines, diseases, and violence. But I also discern in his writing a plea for a democratic solution. He wants people to cooperate in charting their destinies instead of delegating the course of events to the "authorities" (representatives). By this, I take Charles to be implicitly expressing a dissatisfaction with the American democratic process. His fixation on the American political system prevents him from seeing the overpopulation problem as amenable to solution by other political systems. For example, China has a law that a couple can have only one child; having a second child incurs a penalty of about $300 and a third child a penalty of about $1000 -- which is an amount greater than the average yearly income. India has a massive family-planning program to curb its population growth. These are, obviously, political ways of coping with the overpopulation problem. So some countries have recognized the need to control the population explosion, and have taken steps in that direction; though not the U.S.A.
Maybe what Charles is lamenting is the failure of the American people or their government to even acknowledge an overpopulation problem. The reason for this could be that people do not make a connection between pollution, industrialization, and overpopulation. Perhaps they think that the water shortages they experience are really caused only by drought and not by a greater demand by more people; perhaps they think that cancer is caused by some factor unrelated to the tons of pollution being spewed into our atmosphere; perhaps they don't understand that all that industrial waste is generated by industry trying to satisfy the demand of the millions of people being added to the globe. There are approximately 5 billion people on the earth and the number will double in about 30 years.
Even if people verbally recognize a population problem in the abstract, they aren't doing anything about it. For example, we continue to provide tax exemption for every child in a family; whereas some other countries either do not give such an exemption after one or two children, or, as in the case of China, they penalize the parents for having more than the prescribed number of children.
Charles, however, thinks the reason why Americans have not mobilized to do something about overpopulation is that Americans have been, as he puts it, "prevented from associating as equals in more than local ways." I don't know what he is driving at. After all Charles is free to associate with anyone he chooses in the most global of ways he likes.
The reason why we aren't mobilizing against overpopulation, as I see it, is this. The policies of the U.S. government are, for the most part, compromise policies resulting from various pressure groups. For example, consider the historical plight of Blacks in the U.S. Nothing was done for them from any principle of universal justice -- not until they mobilized into effective pressure groups. The dominant pressure groups in the United States are, of course, industrial corporations. And it would be economic suicide for industrial corporations to want fewer births. Fewer births means a shrinking market, and a shrinking market may mean eventual bankruptcy. Other pressure groups, mostly organized religions, in their zeal to foster the "sanctity of human life" have, in effect, worked as pressure groups against birth-control.
Of course, there are many individuals and some groups who are writing and offering Malthusian warnings of the perils of too many people. But what political pressure can they really exert? To whose interest, after all, should it be to limit the size of families? In the final analysis, it would be to humanity's long-range self-interest. But it is not to the interest of corporations, not to the interest of organized religion, and certainly not to the interest of those couples who can and want to have many children. Consequently, the U.S. has no significant pressure groups advocating a national policy of birth control. It may, after all, be an inherent tendency of a Christian capitalist democracy -- geared as it is to resolving conflicts between pressure groups through piecemeal engineering -- not to be able, with its cherished ideologies, to plan for the long-range survival of everyone.
Cub's Roar, Pennsylvania State University, Worthington Scranton Campus, Sept. 1985.
Charles Whitney correctly reports that I believe that the greatest problems facing humanity are the nuclear threat and overpopulation. Both situations can lead -- one directly and the other indirectly -- to massive self-destruction. But he apparently contends that these problems exist as a result of political policies, and that they require a political solution. And by this token, he thinks, the greater problem for humanity is political organization. He goes on to lament that we, as a people, have been unable to work democratically to solve these problems. He writes: "I am suggesting that overpopulation and the nuclear threat are to a significant degree functions of the fact that people are prevented from associating as equals in more than local ways -- and of people's belief that they can't associate effectively."
In response, when I spoke of these as the greatest world problems I had in mind those world developments -- whether natural, technological, or "political" -- which pose the greatest threat to human life. Nuclear war is an obvious colossal threat; but for many people overpopulation is not. Many would say that the various wars, terrorism, famine, poverty, pollution, and lawlessness are current realities and are, therefore, greater actual problems. Moreover, these problems, they would say, are amenable to partial solution through greater use of technology and a more equitable distribution of the world's wealth. By contrast, in saying that overpopulation is a greater problem, I mean to claim that the technological innovations and distribution of wealth cannot alter the fact that the earth is finite. It has only a limited number of resources, it has a limited amount of arable land, it has a limited amount of fresh water, it can absorb only so much pollution, and it can support only a limited population. Whatever the remedy, if it does not also include population control, it will eventually fail.
Charles, however, is focusing his attention on political policies as instruments for solving these kinds of problems. In doing this, he conflates means and ends. Of course the rational means have to be political; otherwise the laws of nature will run their course and kill us off through famines, diseases, and violence. But I also discern in his writing a plea for a democratic solution. He wants people to cooperate in charting their destinies instead of delegating the course of events to the "authorities" (representatives). By this, I take Charles to be implicitly expressing a dissatisfaction with the American democratic process. His fixation on the American political system prevents him from seeing the overpopulation problem as amenable to solution by other political systems. For example, China has a law that a couple can have only one child; having a second child incurs a penalty of about $300 and a third child a penalty of about $1000 -- which is an amount greater than the average yearly income. India has a massive family-planning program to curb its population growth. These are, obviously, political ways of coping with the overpopulation problem. So some countries have recognized the need to control the population explosion, and have taken steps in that direction; though not the U.S.A.
Maybe what Charles is lamenting is the failure of the American people or their government to even acknowledge an overpopulation problem. The reason for this could be that people do not make a connection between pollution, industrialization, and overpopulation. Perhaps they think that the water shortages they experience are really caused only by drought and not by a greater demand by more people; perhaps they think that cancer is caused by some factor unrelated to the tons of pollution being spewed into our atmosphere; perhaps they don't understand that all that industrial waste is generated by industry trying to satisfy the demand of the millions of people being added to the globe. There are approximately 5 billion people on the earth and the number will double in about 30 years.
Even if people verbally recognize a population problem in the abstract, they aren't doing anything about it. For example, we continue to provide tax exemption for every child in a family; whereas some other countries either do not give such an exemption after one or two children, or, as in the case of China, they penalize the parents for having more than the prescribed number of children.
Charles, however, thinks the reason why Americans have not mobilized to do something about overpopulation is that Americans have been, as he puts it, "prevented from associating as equals in more than local ways." I don't know what he is driving at. After all Charles is free to associate with anyone he chooses in the most global of ways he likes.
The reason why we aren't mobilizing against overpopulation, as I see it, is this. The policies of the U.S. government are, for the most part, compromise policies resulting from various pressure groups. For example, consider the historical plight of Blacks in the U.S. Nothing was done for them from any principle of universal justice -- not until they mobilized into effective pressure groups. The dominant pressure groups in the United States are, of course, industrial corporations. And it would be economic suicide for industrial corporations to want fewer births. Fewer births means a shrinking market, and a shrinking market may mean eventual bankruptcy. Other pressure groups, mostly organized religions, in their zeal to foster the "sanctity of human life" have, in effect, worked as pressure groups against birth-control.
Of course, there are many individuals and some groups who are writing and offering Malthusian warnings of the perils of too many people. But what political pressure can they really exert? To whose interest, after all, should it be to limit the size of families? In the final analysis, it would be to humanity's long-range self-interest. But it is not to the interest of corporations, not to the interest of organized religion, and certainly not to the interest of those couples who can and want to have many children. Consequently, the U.S. has no significant pressure groups advocating a national policy of birth control. It may, after all, be an inherent tendency of a Christian capitalist democracy -- geared as it is to resolving conflicts between pressure groups through piecemeal engineering -- not to be able, with its cherished ideologies, to plan for the long-range survival of everyone.
poor people in the world
Far more people around the world live in severe poverty than previously thought, with the global underclass now numbering an estimated 1.4 billion, up from around 1 billion, according to a landmark World Bank report released yesterday.
The report does not suggest that the world has suddenly gotten poorer. In fact, it shows remarkable reductions in poverty levels since the 1980s. Rather, the report represents a revised snapshot of global development using more recent household surveys, demographic figures, price data and purchasing power analyses.
The bank has also altered its definition of global poverty, moving the benchmark up from $1 to $1.25 per day.
The report, the World Bank's most ambitious attempt ever to update its poverty estimates, suggests that while huge economic progress has been made around the world, many nations, including emerging juggernauts such as China, are not as rich as many had thought. Previously, the bank had estimated that 6 percent of Chinese were living in severe poverty; it now estimates the figure to be almost 16 percent.
The figures, which incorporate data from 2005, do not factor in the impact of soaring food and energy prices over the past year. But they amount "to a quantum leap forward in our understanding of poverty in the developing world," said co-author Martin Ravallion, director of the bank's Development Research Group.
While the report found that roughly 26 percent of the world's population is now living in extreme poverty -- as opposed to 17.2 percent, as previously estimated -- it also confirmed that poverty has been reduced in some regions, most stunningly in East Asia.
China's rise has also lifted the fortunes of neighboring countries. Roughly 1 billion people, or 79 percent of the population in East Asia, mostly in China, were living in severe poverty in 1981. The report estimates that figure fell to 337 million, or 18 percent of the region, by 2005.
No other region has come close to matching East Asia's success. By comparison, while the percentage of people living in severe poverty in South Asia and Latin America has indeed come down, those reductions have not kept pace with population growth. As a result, there were actually more poor people living in those regions in 2005 than in the 1980s. The trend is worse in sub-Saharan Africa. There, the number of poor people jumped from 202 million in 1981 to 384 million in 2005.
The report does not suggest that the world has suddenly gotten poorer. In fact, it shows remarkable reductions in poverty levels since the 1980s. Rather, the report represents a revised snapshot of global development using more recent household surveys, demographic figures, price data and purchasing power analyses.
The bank has also altered its definition of global poverty, moving the benchmark up from $1 to $1.25 per day.
The report, the World Bank's most ambitious attempt ever to update its poverty estimates, suggests that while huge economic progress has been made around the world, many nations, including emerging juggernauts such as China, are not as rich as many had thought. Previously, the bank had estimated that 6 percent of Chinese were living in severe poverty; it now estimates the figure to be almost 16 percent.
The figures, which incorporate data from 2005, do not factor in the impact of soaring food and energy prices over the past year. But they amount "to a quantum leap forward in our understanding of poverty in the developing world," said co-author Martin Ravallion, director of the bank's Development Research Group.
While the report found that roughly 26 percent of the world's population is now living in extreme poverty -- as opposed to 17.2 percent, as previously estimated -- it also confirmed that poverty has been reduced in some regions, most stunningly in East Asia.
China's rise has also lifted the fortunes of neighboring countries. Roughly 1 billion people, or 79 percent of the population in East Asia, mostly in China, were living in severe poverty in 1981. The report estimates that figure fell to 337 million, or 18 percent of the region, by 2005.
No other region has come close to matching East Asia's success. By comparison, while the percentage of people living in severe poverty in South Asia and Latin America has indeed come down, those reductions have not kept pace with population growth. As a result, there were actually more poor people living in those regions in 2005 than in the 1980s. The trend is worse in sub-Saharan Africa. There, the number of poor people jumped from 202 million in 1981 to 384 million in 2005.
Tourist in nepal
Nepal Tourism
The kingdom of Nepal is bounded on the north by the Tibet Region of the People's Republic of China, on the east by Sikkim and West Bengal and on the south and west by by the Indian States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Nepal civilization stretches back thousands of years before the birth of Christ. As the popular legend goes, the original settlers of the Kathmandu Valley were the Kirantis, who were later succeeded by the Lichhavis who, in turn, were succeeded by the Mallas. In 1769 the Shah Dynasty ascended the throne of the unified Kingdom. The present King of Nepal, His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva, is the tenth King in the Shah Dynasty. Nepal is a country of amazing extremes. There is the world's highest mountain, Everest. It extends over 2400 kms as a vast south-facing arc between the Indus and Brahamaputra rivers with Nanga Parbat(8125 m) and Namcha Barwa (7755 m) as its terminal high points. Fully a third or 800 kms of its central section traverses through Nepal and is known as Nepal Himalaya. Of the 31
prominent Himalayan peaks over, 7600 metres, 11 are in Nepal Himalaya includng out of the world's highest giants. These are Saarmatha (8848 m), Kanchenjunga (8586 m), Lho Tse (8516 m), Makalu (8463 m), Cho Oyu (8201 m), Dhaulagiri (8167 m), Manaslu (8163 m) and Annapurna (8091 m). Kathmandu valley covers an area of 218 sq miles. It is situated at 4423 ft above sea level. Major tourist attractions in Nepal are: Kathmandu Valley : Machhendra Nath Temple* Hanuman Dhoka* Durbar Square* Statue of King Pratap Malla* Temple House of Kumari * The National Museum Pashupatinath Temple* Patan * Bhadgaon (Bhaktapur)* Swayambhunath * Boudhnath * Changunarayan* Budhanilkantha* Gokarna* Dakshinkali* KirtipurOutside Kathmandu Valley
: Daman*Dhulikhel*Gorkha*Kakani *Nagarkot *Pokhara*Rapti Valley (Chitwan)*Pokhara* Special Interest : Bicycle Tours ** Wildlife ** River Rafting ** Trekking **
The kingdom of Nepal is bounded on the north by the Tibet Region of the People's Republic of China, on the east by Sikkim and West Bengal and on the south and west by by the Indian States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Nepal civilization stretches back thousands of years before the birth of Christ. As the popular legend goes, the original settlers of the Kathmandu Valley were the Kirantis, who were later succeeded by the Lichhavis who, in turn, were succeeded by the Mallas. In 1769 the Shah Dynasty ascended the throne of the unified Kingdom. The present King of Nepal, His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva, is the tenth King in the Shah Dynasty. Nepal is a country of amazing extremes. There is the world's highest mountain, Everest. It extends over 2400 kms as a vast south-facing arc between the Indus and Brahamaputra rivers with Nanga Parbat(8125 m) and Namcha Barwa (7755 m) as its terminal high points. Fully a third or 800 kms of its central section traverses through Nepal and is known as Nepal Himalaya. Of the 31
prominent Himalayan peaks over, 7600 metres, 11 are in Nepal Himalaya includng out of the world's highest giants. These are Saarmatha (8848 m), Kanchenjunga (8586 m), Lho Tse (8516 m), Makalu (8463 m), Cho Oyu (8201 m), Dhaulagiri (8167 m), Manaslu (8163 m) and Annapurna (8091 m). Kathmandu valley covers an area of 218 sq miles. It is situated at 4423 ft above sea level. Major tourist attractions in Nepal are: Kathmandu Valley : Machhendra Nath Temple* Hanuman Dhoka* Durbar Square* Statue of King Pratap Malla* Temple House of Kumari * The National Museum Pashupatinath Temple* Patan * Bhadgaon (Bhaktapur)* Swayambhunath * Boudhnath * Changunarayan* Budhanilkantha* Gokarna* Dakshinkali* KirtipurOutside Kathmandu Valley
: Daman*Dhulikhel*Gorkha*Kakani *Nagarkot *Pokhara*Rapti Valley (Chitwan)*Pokhara* Special Interest : Bicycle Tours ** Wildlife ** River Rafting ** Trekking **nepal
Culture of Nepal
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007)
1905 illustration of a Nepalese woman.
The rich cultural heritage of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, has evolved over centuries. This multi-dimensional cultural heritage encompasses within itself the cultural diversities of various ethnic, tribal, and social groups inhabiting different altitudes, and it manifests in various forms: music and dance; art and craft; folklores and folktales; languages and literature; philosophy and religion; festivals and celebrations; and foods and drinks.
Contents[hide]
1 Society and customs
2 Dance and music
3 Art & Craft
4 Languages and literatures
5 Religions and philosophy
6 Festivals and celebrations
7 Food and drink
8 See also
9 External links
//
[edit] Society and customs
[edit] Dance and music
Main article: Music of Nepal
Legends state that dances in the Indian subcontinent originated in the abode of Lord Shiva - the Himalayas and the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal - where he performed the tandava dance. This indicates that dance traditions of Nepal are of very ancient origin. With altitudes and ethnicity, the dances of Nepal slightly change in style as well as in the dance costumes. Accompanying music and musical instruments also change in tune with the themes, which revolve around topics like harvesting of crops, marriage rites, war stories, a lonely girl’s yearning for her love, and several other themes and stories from everyday life in the villages.
[edit] Art & Craft
Nepalese art and craft reflect the religious themes of Hinduism and Buddhism and certain location-specific depictions. The cultural history of Nepalese art is traditionally divided into five major periods:*Pre-Licchavi, *Licchavi, *Transitional, *Early Malla (Newar) and *Late Malla (Newar) periods. There are many artists of canvas painting who are popular among the Nepalese people; artists like Kiran Manandhar, Krishna Raj Acharya and Sagar Timilscrewina are very popular. Also, many talented artists, like Samartha Bakjracharya, Yogesh Pokhrel, Arun Kakshapati etc, are establishing themselves in this field. The quality of art that these artists have produced is of a very high standard.
Nepalese sculptures are also of a very high quality. The workmanship in the royal durbars of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur palaces testify this fact.
The Nepalese handicraft industry is one of the major cottage industries of Nepal and it helps to generate good revenues. The handicraft of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur are popular among the tourists visiting Nepal. Most of the existing craftsmen are Newars.
[edit] Languages and literatures
As per 2001 census, at least 92 different living languages are spoken in Nepal, though other studies list 123 living languages[1]. Nepal’s linguistic heritage has evolved from three major language groups, namely, Indo-Aryan, Tibeto-Burman, and indigenous. The major languages of Nepal (percent spoken as mother tongue) are Nepali (49%), Maithili (12%), Bhojpuri (8%), Tharu (6%), Tamang (5%), Newari/Nepal Bhasa (4%), Magar (3%), Awadhi (2%), Bantawa (2%), Limbu (1%), and Bajjika (1%). The remaining languages are each spoken as mother tongue by less than one percent of the population, for example Dura. Nepali, written in Devanagari script, is the official, national language and serves as lingua franca among Nepalese of different ethno-linguistic groups. In the southern Terai Region, (5 to 10 mile wide stretch of flat plains, which is a northward continuation of Gangetic plains of India), Hindi is also spoken. Extinct languages of Nepal include Kusunda and Waling. Among notable Nepalese literary writers is Parijat.
[edit] Religions and philosophy
Main article: Religion in Nepal
A Buddhist Monastery
The 2001 census identified 80.6% of the population as Hindu and Buddhism was practiced by about 11% of the population (although many people labelled Hindu or Buddhist often practice a syncretic blend of Hinduism, Buddhism and/or animist traditions). About 4.2% of the population is Muslim and 3.6% of the population follows the indigenous Kirant religion. Christianity is practiced officially by less than 0.5% of the population.
Hindu and Buddhist traditions in Nepal go back to more than two millennia. In Lumbini, Buddha was born, and Pashupatinath temple, Kathamandu, is an old and famous Shiva temple of Hindus. Nepal has several other temples and Buddhist monasteries as well as places of worship of other religious groups. Traditionally, Nepalese philosophical thoughts are ingrained with the Hindu and Buddhist philosophical ethos and traditions, which include elements of Kashmir Shaivism, Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, works of Karmacharyas of Bhaktapur, and a variety of tantric traditions. Tantric traditions are deep rooted in Nepal, including the practice of animal sacrifices. Five types of animals, always male, are considered acceptable for sacrifice: water buffalo, goats, sheep, chickens, and ducks.
With a multiplicity of groups, Nepal has several cults, and gods and goddesses, which co-exist with the major religions. In its long cultural history, Nepal has always remained a land of religious harmony.
[edit] Festivals and celebrations
Several of the festivals of Nepal last from one day to several days. Dashain is the longest and the most important festival of Nepal. Generally Dashain falls in late September to mid October, right after the end of the monsoon season in Nepal. It is "a day of Victory over Demons". Tihar is another important festival of Nepal.
Other important festivals include Buddha Jayanti (the celebration of the birth of Buddha); Maha Shivaratri, a festival of Lord Shiva, and during Maha Shivaratri festivities, some people consume excessive drinks and smoke charas. Sherpas, mostly located at higher altitudes and in the Everest region, celebrate Mani Rimdu, for the good of the world. Most festivals include dancing and music and eating all kinds of local delicacies. A variety of foods is consumed during festivals and on special occasions. If one has to taste Nepali food, Newa cuisine is a must have; a festive meal, like one served during a marriage, is a real treat, and include vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian dishes.
[edit] Food and drink
Main article: Cuisine of Nepal
Nepal being a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic nation, diversity is observed in eating and drinking habits as well. However, a typical hill-region staple food consist of Dal-Bhat (lentil soup and cooked rice) with Tarkari, that is, vegetable curries. This is consumed twice daily, generally in the morning, and shortly after the sunset. Between these main meals, during mid-day, snacks like chura/Baji (beaten rice) and tea are consumed. Sometimes, meat, eggs, and fish preparations are also consumed. Most of the Nepalese prefer eating with their right hand, though some people have started using spoons, forks, and knives. While eating with hands, lentil soup is poured over cooked rice, a little amount of vegetable curries is added, and the chunk so prepared is taken in the right hand for eating. Millet, maize, wheat bread (roti) are also consumed as staple food in certain areas.
Sweet versions of common meals are gaining popularity in Nepal.
[edit] See also
Yeti
Newar Architecture
Nepal Bhasa
Newar
Majipa Lakhey
Media of Nepal
Mahananda Sapkota
Maharjan
Palanchok Temple
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007)
1905 illustration of a Nepalese woman.
The rich cultural heritage of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, has evolved over centuries. This multi-dimensional cultural heritage encompasses within itself the cultural diversities of various ethnic, tribal, and social groups inhabiting different altitudes, and it manifests in various forms: music and dance; art and craft; folklores and folktales; languages and literature; philosophy and religion; festivals and celebrations; and foods and drinks.
Contents[hide]
1 Society and customs
2 Dance and music
3 Art & Craft
4 Languages and literatures
5 Religions and philosophy
6 Festivals and celebrations
7 Food and drink
8 See also
9 External links
//
[edit] Society and customs
[edit] Dance and music
Main article: Music of Nepal
Legends state that dances in the Indian subcontinent originated in the abode of Lord Shiva - the Himalayas and the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal - where he performed the tandava dance. This indicates that dance traditions of Nepal are of very ancient origin. With altitudes and ethnicity, the dances of Nepal slightly change in style as well as in the dance costumes. Accompanying music and musical instruments also change in tune with the themes, which revolve around topics like harvesting of crops, marriage rites, war stories, a lonely girl’s yearning for her love, and several other themes and stories from everyday life in the villages.
[edit] Art & Craft
Nepalese art and craft reflect the religious themes of Hinduism and Buddhism and certain location-specific depictions. The cultural history of Nepalese art is traditionally divided into five major periods:*Pre-Licchavi, *Licchavi, *Transitional, *Early Malla (Newar) and *Late Malla (Newar) periods. There are many artists of canvas painting who are popular among the Nepalese people; artists like Kiran Manandhar, Krishna Raj Acharya and Sagar Timilscrewina are very popular. Also, many talented artists, like Samartha Bakjracharya, Yogesh Pokhrel, Arun Kakshapati etc, are establishing themselves in this field. The quality of art that these artists have produced is of a very high standard.
Nepalese sculptures are also of a very high quality. The workmanship in the royal durbars of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur palaces testify this fact.
The Nepalese handicraft industry is one of the major cottage industries of Nepal and it helps to generate good revenues. The handicraft of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur are popular among the tourists visiting Nepal. Most of the existing craftsmen are Newars.
[edit] Languages and literatures
As per 2001 census, at least 92 different living languages are spoken in Nepal, though other studies list 123 living languages[1]. Nepal’s linguistic heritage has evolved from three major language groups, namely, Indo-Aryan, Tibeto-Burman, and indigenous. The major languages of Nepal (percent spoken as mother tongue) are Nepali (49%), Maithili (12%), Bhojpuri (8%), Tharu (6%), Tamang (5%), Newari/Nepal Bhasa (4%), Magar (3%), Awadhi (2%), Bantawa (2%), Limbu (1%), and Bajjika (1%). The remaining languages are each spoken as mother tongue by less than one percent of the population, for example Dura. Nepali, written in Devanagari script, is the official, national language and serves as lingua franca among Nepalese of different ethno-linguistic groups. In the southern Terai Region, (5 to 10 mile wide stretch of flat plains, which is a northward continuation of Gangetic plains of India), Hindi is also spoken. Extinct languages of Nepal include Kusunda and Waling. Among notable Nepalese literary writers is Parijat.
[edit] Religions and philosophy
Main article: Religion in Nepal
A Buddhist Monastery
The 2001 census identified 80.6% of the population as Hindu and Buddhism was practiced by about 11% of the population (although many people labelled Hindu or Buddhist often practice a syncretic blend of Hinduism, Buddhism and/or animist traditions). About 4.2% of the population is Muslim and 3.6% of the population follows the indigenous Kirant religion. Christianity is practiced officially by less than 0.5% of the population.
Hindu and Buddhist traditions in Nepal go back to more than two millennia. In Lumbini, Buddha was born, and Pashupatinath temple, Kathamandu, is an old and famous Shiva temple of Hindus. Nepal has several other temples and Buddhist monasteries as well as places of worship of other religious groups. Traditionally, Nepalese philosophical thoughts are ingrained with the Hindu and Buddhist philosophical ethos and traditions, which include elements of Kashmir Shaivism, Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, works of Karmacharyas of Bhaktapur, and a variety of tantric traditions. Tantric traditions are deep rooted in Nepal, including the practice of animal sacrifices. Five types of animals, always male, are considered acceptable for sacrifice: water buffalo, goats, sheep, chickens, and ducks.
With a multiplicity of groups, Nepal has several cults, and gods and goddesses, which co-exist with the major religions. In its long cultural history, Nepal has always remained a land of religious harmony.
[edit] Festivals and celebrations
Several of the festivals of Nepal last from one day to several days. Dashain is the longest and the most important festival of Nepal. Generally Dashain falls in late September to mid October, right after the end of the monsoon season in Nepal. It is "a day of Victory over Demons". Tihar is another important festival of Nepal.
Other important festivals include Buddha Jayanti (the celebration of the birth of Buddha); Maha Shivaratri, a festival of Lord Shiva, and during Maha Shivaratri festivities, some people consume excessive drinks and smoke charas. Sherpas, mostly located at higher altitudes and in the Everest region, celebrate Mani Rimdu, for the good of the world. Most festivals include dancing and music and eating all kinds of local delicacies. A variety of foods is consumed during festivals and on special occasions. If one has to taste Nepali food, Newa cuisine is a must have; a festive meal, like one served during a marriage, is a real treat, and include vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian dishes.
[edit] Food and drink
Main article: Cuisine of Nepal
Nepal being a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic nation, diversity is observed in eating and drinking habits as well. However, a typical hill-region staple food consist of Dal-Bhat (lentil soup and cooked rice) with Tarkari, that is, vegetable curries. This is consumed twice daily, generally in the morning, and shortly after the sunset. Between these main meals, during mid-day, snacks like chura/Baji (beaten rice) and tea are consumed. Sometimes, meat, eggs, and fish preparations are also consumed. Most of the Nepalese prefer eating with their right hand, though some people have started using spoons, forks, and knives. While eating with hands, lentil soup is poured over cooked rice, a little amount of vegetable curries is added, and the chunk so prepared is taken in the right hand for eating. Millet, maize, wheat bread (roti) are also consumed as staple food in certain areas.
Sweet versions of common meals are gaining popularity in Nepal.
[edit] See also
Yeti
Newar Architecture
Nepal Bhasa
Newar
Majipa Lakhey
Media of Nepal
Mahananda Sapkota
Maharjan
Palanchok Temple
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