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Nepal has a typical monsoonal
two - season a year. There is a
dry season from October to May
and there is the wet season, the
monsoon, from June to September.
September - November, the start
of the dry season, is in many
ways the best time of the year
in Nepal. When monsoon just
ends, the countryside is green
and lush. Nepal is at its most
beautiful and during this season
there are plenty of colorful
festivals to enjoy.
People, Culture, Religion &
Language Nepal's 21milion
population is comprised of
diverse ethnic groups having
their own languages and
cultures. The Newars, who are
acclaimed for their unique
artistry and culture, dominate
the Kathmandu Valley, whereas
the Sherpas, who are renowned
more for their mountaineering
skill, inhabit in the northern
mountains. Brahmins and Chhetris,
two of the nation's most
dominant communities, are almost
everywhere, and the Tamangs,
Rais, Limbus, Magars and Gurungs
- the ethnic groups known more
as brave Gurkha soldiers - dwell
mostly in mid-hills. Maithili,
Tharu, Bhojpuri and other ethnic
communities have their dwellings
in the Terai plains.
Nepal has always been a dividing
line between civilization and
cultures, and a cross roads for
the flow of commerce and culture
between them, where the plains
of the subcontinent climb up to
the high plateau of Tibet, the
languages and people of India
give way to those of China and
the Hindu religion blends into
Buddhism. Nepal, the land at the
margin, is often a complex blend
of the two influences and this
variation is further complicated
by the diversity of ethnic
groups within the country.
Religious practice is an
important part of the Nepalese
way of life. Two main religions
are dominant in Nepal: Hinduism
and Buddhism. Hinduism is made
up of thousand of gods and
goddesses. Bramha, Vishnu and
Shiva are three major Gods, but
each has a complex tapestry of
manifestations and incarnations.
Each deity also has a vehicle,
which is often seen kneeling
faithfully outside the shrine.
Buddhism is the second major
religion in Nepal. Shakyamuni
Buddha, who was born in Nepal
around 6th century BC, is the
founder of Buddhism. The great
Buddhist Stupas of Swoyambhu and
Bauddha in the Kathmandu Valley
are among the oldest and most
beautiful worship sites in
Nepal. Nepali, like Hindi, is
written in the Dev-nagari
script. It is Nepal's national
language, apart from being the
lingua franca of the country's
divergent communities that speak
mutually unintelligible language
and dialects. English is also
widely spoken and understood in
urban areas. In Tourism sector
people speaks English, Japanese,
French, Spanish, Italian,
Chinese and other foreign
languages. |
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