Photos of The Culture of Nepal

Nepal is a multiethnic and multicultural country, and its cultural heritage has evolved over the centuries. It has a great diversity, 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. But music and dance are encountered in Kathmandu or on the trails in the countryside as well. The Sherpa people who live in the mountains are Buddhists, practising the Nyingmapa, the “Ancient” school of Tibetan Buddhism. Young boys may study the loose-leaf Tibetan texts and rituals 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 lamas, monks of the local monastery, may be performed in a house, chanting, using flutes, made from human bone, and hand drums.