Nepal Local Customs

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Most Viewed Local Customs in Nepal

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Festivals   Kathmandu

Festivals, Kathmandu

 8 Reviews  What a great time I had in Kathmandu with the Holi Festival. It is a public holiday and people are just enjoying themselves with water and coloured powders! You will be a mess if you join them on the... 

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Nepalese UFO landing strip

by Saagar

Many times - in fact over the years - I had passed this place and wondered about these strange tracks down the slopes.On this occasion I had company and could ask what this was, because it was definitely nothing with a natural explanation. Laughing, my friend said this is for what you do in Norway in the winter - sliding!So it is; a Nepalese kids' slide tracks which they use during the muddy and slippery monsoon season. Some sort of contraption is used to sit on with a sort of single wooden rail that goes into the track. With two parallel ones you have a racing possibility!

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prayer wheels..

by eelaine

a tradition from tibet, lots of prayer wheels can be seen around the temples in nepal.. one must go in a clockwise circle, spinning each of the wheel, also in clockwise direction.. the wheels must spin one complete round.. :) that's what i remember being told.. i hope it's right.. :)

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Married women....

by Saagar

... wear numerous strands of glass beads woven into a large necklace which is parted in the middle with a decorated tube of gold.This is a symbol of marriage. The colors chosen are a bit fashion and identity-dependent, but it seems as if green is the long-time preferred choice of respectable ladies.Such as the two on the photo.

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Leave your shoes outside

by Saagar

When invited to a home and asked to come in, leave your shoes before you cross the doorstep. Try to do so even if people ask you not to bother.Shoes are both physically and ritually unclean.If you know you will end up visiting many family homes, bring a pair of flip-flops.

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Dashain and Tihar holidays

by Saagar

Dashain and Tihar holidays are the major holy and holidays of Nepal. They are movable holidays, but normally you find them within the late September - late November bracket. Between the two there is an interval of about a week and a half.Dashain influences you in a number of ways: Like Chinese New Year, this is the time when everybody goes back to their respective families, own and inlaws. All buses and planes may be fully booked at this time and it's also difficult to hire a car.Apart from the frantic traveling, the country comes to a complete standstill. Don't get stuck without money. And don't expect anything to progress on your official visit, office appointments and visa and permit dealings...If you happen to be in contact with local people and families, do not miss the opportunity to take part in the celebrations. While a guest will see the colorfulness and experience the...

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Other feeding habits you need to know -"juutho"

by Saagar

If you come into a Nepali family there will be attempts at heaping your plate with food high as the Himalayas . If you feel you cannot eat it all, try first to stop the heaping by saying politely "pugyo!" or "bhaayo!". In the last instance and at the brink of despair you can hold your right hand protectively over your plate and be firm in your insistance that it is indeed enough.If it is the first serving, you can insist it is just too much, so ask the host please take half (or whatever suitable) back. This CANNOT be done once you have started to eat or touched the food on you plate. You shall also not touch the host's utensils or serving plate or try to push food back into the pot/common bowl. This may (depending on the degree of seriousness of ritual tradition) ritually pollute all the food in the pot and completely spoil the food and the meal as such for the entire family. This...

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Eating with your hand

by Saagar

Nepalis no matter what ethnic group or status they might have, tend to eat with their hand. The RIGHT hand. The left hand is considered as unclean, ritually and practically. They take this very serious indeed. You may use a fork or spoon as a support to scoop up snacks bits and pieces, but generally the hand only is used.It takes time to learn how to eat with your hand. Try to put your (... r i g h t ...) elbow on the table while you mush up the daal bhaat ingredients. Never keep your elbow high while eating. This causes uncontrolled laughter among your Nepali table mates, unknow for what reason (just not elegant enough?). The daal bhaat mush-up should give the rice and other ingredients a suffciently soggy consistency - the daal is vital here - to make it possible to form a neat lump or almost like a mouthful-size ball in your hand which you now twist slightly and cup. Turning your...

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saddhu.. the holy man..

by eelaine

in the past, the saddhus are highly regarded and known as the wise holy men.. ppl used to go to the saddhu for advice on anything and everything.. they were the great teachers of their times.. however, the tradition is slowly fading away with the onslaught of modernisation.. these days, the saddhus are more of a symbol of the nepali culture.. it is sad that there are now many fake saddhus.. many whom are posing for tourists to get money..

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tibetan wedding

by eelaine

we had the pleasure of meeting this gorgeous couple clad in their wedding finery.. they've just got married recently.. celebrating their first losar together.. the costumes are decorated with desgins so intracate and beautiful that it left us all in awe.. :) everyone kept stopping them for a photo that they hardly got anywhere.. :P

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losar.. tibetan new year..

by eelaine

on the full moon of february every year, the tibetans celebrates their new year.. here, in kathmandu, celebrations take place at the boudhanath stupa.. this is the biggest stupa in nepal.. its sits on an enormous white dome.. multi-coloured prayer flags are hung from the top.. the huge and ever-watchful buddha eye overlooking the celebrations below.. tibetans from all walks of life, clad in their traditional costumes, come together for 3 days of revelry..

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Local traditions and culture in Nepal

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Local Customs: Cities in Nepal
  1. Kathmandu Local Customs
  2. Pokhara Local Customs
  3. Royal Chitwan Local Customs
  4. Nagarkot Local Customs
  5. Bhaktapur Local Customs
  6. Patan Local Customs
  7. Simikot Local Customs
  8. Langtang National Park Local Customs
  9. Annapurna Himal Local Customs
  10. Mustang Local Customs
  11. Nepalganj Local Customs
  12. Pashupatinath Local Customs
  13. Lukla Local Customs
  14. Kirtipur Local Customs
  15. Bardiya Local Customs
  16. Patan Local Customs

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Q:  I am planning trekking in Nepal during October/November 2012 (first trip to Nepal). My time is flexible - about 20 - 30 days. I am... 

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A: People like you *DO* inspire us! Imagine 68 years old, done Mount Blanc and now enroute Everest. All the best to u and may God give you many more years! 

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