Photos of The Culture of Nepal

Nepal is a multiethnic and multicultural country, and its cultural heritage has evolved over the centuries. Its great diversity is expressed in its art and craft, music, and dance; there are festivals and celebrations, and most of its culture is also influenced by the cultures of nearby India and Tibet.

In Kathmandu, the Everest Cultural Society has performances showcasing the different cultures from all over Nepal. However, music and dance are encountered in Kathmandu and on the trails in the countryside. The Sherpa people who live in the mountains are Buddhists, practising the Nyingmapa, the “Ancient” school of Tibetan Buddhism. Young boys may study loose-leaf Tibetan texts and rituals that may be performed at the house altars.

A “Bumbu” ceremony may be performed in a Sherpa village when people go on a long journey; there is song and dance, and bottles of “chang”, the locally brewed beer made from barley, millet or rice, are presented. A “Tsokla” ceremony, performed by monks of the local monastery, may be performed in a house, chanting, using flutes made from human bone and hand drums.