Nepali Custom and Etiquette: How Do Nepal People Greet?

Cultures in Nepal and Traditions of Nepal

NEPAL, a land full of cultures in Nepal national diversity and tradition carries a history of its own. Being the oldest country in East Asia, Nepal has many historical stories to tell and to be explored. A land that is serving as a home to 126 different ethnicities, each of them representing their own culture. 80% of the total population of Nepal has been occupied by Hinduism. That is why most of the traditions here are related to Hinduism while Buddhism is in the second position. A holy and where Lord Gautama Buddha was born. A place where the message of peace and togetherness originated. The birthplace of a Hindu deity goddess Sita.

Having a vast cultural difference even in such a small country is why Nepal is known for its diversity of cultures in Nepal. There still is peace and a feeling of respect for one another’s religion. We have never held a history of fights or conflicts in the name of religion. This land is a secular state and everyone has a right to live a life of his own.

As I have already said, Nepal is a secular country but most of the population 80% of the total population of Nepal follows Hinduism. The tradition, culture, and custom is mostly represented by Hinduism. Even in Hinduism, we have been divided into subgroups, caste, and ethnic groups. Each of us has a unique set of traditions in Nepal. The Newari people have some amazing traditions which will beautifully surprise you. Amongst the various other cultures in Nepal, Newari people make their daughters to marry with a fruit which is called “Bel”. The daughter was the attire like a bride and married to the bel. Gai Jatra is also a famous festival celebrated by them. It is usually celebrated by those Newari people who had lost their loved ones in that year. They dress weirdly and try to make others laugh. This tradition was initiated by Pratap Malla who wanted to make his queen realize the number of people who died in a year. The queen was sad and depressed after the death of her beloved son and this is what Pratap Malla did to cheer her up.

Food and Tradition Of Nepal
Many traditional or cultural stuff that Hindus follow in Nepal, might fascinate you. be the traditional costume they wear the traditional food they have, or any sort of festival they celebrate, it is very unique and is a fun experience to watch. It becomes more fun when you participate in one of those. The national costume of Nepal is Dhoti Cholo for females and Daura Suruwal for men representing by cultures in Nepal. Other than the national costume, many ethnic groups have their form of traditional attire which makes them look really gorgeous and appealing. The cuisines made by those ethnic groups are also something you can try when you come to Nepal. These cuisines have their own place of origin even in Nepal and they add a different flavor to your tongue. One of them is the Newari cuisine. Chatamari, Bara, and Choila are the major cuisines you can try. One of my personal favorites is choila which is simple barbequed meat but then some spices are added to it. The Bara is made from lentils and can be mixed with some eggs as well. The typical Dal Bhat Tarkari is the source of food and energy for most of the people of Nepal. The Momos are equally famous. You can try them in different forms and flavors.

Before coming to Nepal, you must learn some of the etiquette too. If you ever get invited to a Nepal house and cultures in Nepal, make sure you leave your shoes outside. Wearing shoes in the house is believed to be manner and especially in the kitchen, you cannot use slippers. Other than this, make sure that you do not wear very revealing clothes. Though many people are forward and do not mind seeing you that way I cannot guarantee about the judgment others are going to pass at you.

ETIQUETTES IN NEPAL
One of the main problems while traveling to a different location is communication problems. Most of the people nowadays are educated and they know English very well. But when you move towards the remote places it is going to be hard for you to communicate with people. As most of the people come to Nepal with the vision to climb the Everest base camp, you should learn some basic language so that it will help you to communicate with your porters and guide.

One of the famous ways to greet someone cultures in Nepal is by saying NAMASTE. It is usually said to say hello and goodbye to people around here. To do a Namaste, you have to join your two palms, bow your head, close your eyes and it is how you do it. Traditionally, the definition of Namaste is very interesting. ‘NAMA’ means bow, ‘AS’ means I, AND ‘TE’ means you which means I bow to you. In the spiritual understanding, Namaste is done to acknowledge of soul in one by the soul in another. The yoga gurus believe that there is a divine spirit in us and doing Namaste helps us to surrender our mind to the divine in us. This helps to increase the heart flow of divine love. We all are always protecting cultures in Nepal from generation to generation