Nepal Travel and Tour | A Window To Experience The People of Nepal

Published: 14th Feb, 2020

The primary motivation for Nepal travel and tour is the majestic views of the Himalayas. Some come to see it from the distance, whereas some to climb and make a history. In any case, people who return to their country after Nepal travel and tour, for most of them besides the breathtaking scenery, it is people they like the most during their Nepal travel and tour. 

This astonishing Nepali friendliness is proverbial, and hospitality is synonym to Nepal culture. “Guest Is God” is a most used saying. Children learn this in their early life to press their palms together in a “Namaste” greeting. Alongside this refined courtesy culture exists a tough-minded, proud and independent people with a rare talent of laughing in the face of hardship.

Despite of the country’s modest size, it has a continent share of 101 different ethnic groups speaking over 92 languages. Furthermore, much of this diversity is due to the geography of the country. North in the Himalayan region of Nepal lives the Mongolian people of central and east Asia. To the south, towards the subtropical forest, are the Indo- Aryans of the subcontinent.

During your Nepal tour and travel, you will definitely interact with one or more of these ethnic groups.

The Newars

Newars are the indigenous group of Kathmandu Valley. Their tight-knit communities are recognizable by their distinctive architecture of brick and carved wood. Moreover, Newars are present across Nepal. However, their enterprising quality founded the bazaars around on which many hill towns grow. Bandipur is one of the major Newar towns that you should not miss during your Nepal travel and tour.

Further, Newar groups represent a mixture of all Nepal’s culture. They are Hindus and Buddhist at the same time. Most importantly, it would be more true to say that they created the culture that is Nepal. This culture includes a culture of extraordinary religious and ethnic tolerance, which persists, admirably, today.

If you are booking Nepal travel and tour through a local travel agent in Nepal, include Bandipur hilltop town to experience the culture of this group.

Sherpa, Tibetans

Nepal’s most famous and adventurous ethnic group Sherpa, makes up less than one percentage of the population. Alongside other “Bhotiya” people of Tibetan origin, they live in the harshest, highest altitudes. They herd yaks and grow barley, buckwheat, and potatoes. During your Nepal tour and travel you will encounter this group, if you are trekking in Nepal. Furthermore, they are the guides during your trekking. They are not well-educated. However, they will flatter you with their sense of humor.

They follow the Tibetan school of Buddhism and are in many ways indistinguishable from Tibetans. They have communities with stone houses, and chortens, prayer wall, and prayer flag. Looks aside, they’re recognizable by their clothing, especially the rainbow aprons (pangden) and wraparound dresses (chuba) worn by married women.

The Pahadiyas

An extraordinary mixture of people live in The Middle Hills, or Pahad region, sometimes collectively known as Pahadiyas. Some areas, especially in the further west, are quite ethical homogeneous. However, further east the mix is extraordinary. In one valley you might find Chhetri (caste Hindu) village at lower elevation, Rai and Gurung villages higher up, along with adjacent Dalit (untouchable), and Tamang and Sherpa occupying higher grounds. 

Traditionally, however, the Middle Hill is the homelands of distinctive ethnic groups, known as Janjaati or tribal peoples; the Gurungs and Magars of the west, the Tamangs of the central hills. Likewise, Rai17

Rais and Limbus of the east. The Janjaati now roughly makes up roughly a third of Nepalis.

During your Nepal tours and travels you will encounter these groups anywhere during hiking towards the mountains or diving from one destination to another.

The Janjaati follow broadly animist traditions, overlaid by shamanism and subject to varying degree a of Hindu or Tibetan Buddhist influence. They have relaxing social mores. Women have more independence than Hindu caste women. For instance, meat and alcohol are consumed enthusiastically, which are somewhat banned for Hindu caste women.

Caste Hindu

The majority of Nepalis descends from Hindus. There are many tiers in this caste:

Baahuns

Although Baahuns (Brahmans) belong to the highest, priestly caste, they’re not necessarily the wealthiest members of the society, nor are they all priests. However, their historic ability to read and write has long given them a significant edge in Nepali society, and they have tended to occupy the best government and professional jobs.

Furthermore, Baahuns maintain their caste purity by eschewing foods such as onions, eggs, and alcohol. Moreover, they are technically prohibited from eating with lower castes and even do not permit lower caste to enter their house. However, there is no problem regarding this in urban parts of Nepal. But remains practiced till date are the rural parts of the country.

Chhetris

The majority of Nepal’s caste Hindus is Chhetris. They make warriors and kings. While Baahuns usually claim pure bloodlines and exhibit classic, aquiline ” Indian” features. Whereas, many Chhetris have more mixed parentage. Some are descended from the Khasa people of the western hills, others are the offspring of Baahun and Khasa marriage and are known as Khatri Chhetri “KC” for short. Chhetris have long been in the military and, to a lesser extent, jobs in other branches of government and industry.

Dalits – ” Untouchables”

A significant number of Sudras– members of “untouchable” caste, immigrated to Nepal hills over the centuries. The members of this caste are Dalits, or ” the oppressed”. Furthermore, this caste suffers severe disadvantage in Nepali society, with no land and no education. Moreover, they lack access to education, health facilities or representation in government. Dalits threaten orthodox Hindus with ritual pollution, and in rural parts of the country they’re not even allowed to enter the temple.

However, Dalit’s now have a special quota in government jobs, INGO jobs, and various other enterprises.

Further, the other name for Dalits is the occupational castes, as they fall into several occupations-based surnames, such as sarki (leather- workers), Kami (blacksmiths), Damai (tailors/musicians), and Kumal (potters). While the importance of their labour traditionally helped offset their lowly status, nowadays they cannot compete with imported manufactured goods. Many are turning into tenant farming, pottering, and day-laboring to make their ends meet.

People of the Plains

Until recently, sparsely populated Terai with groups like Tharus, Danuwars, and Majhis. But the malaria-control programmes of the 1950s finally opened the door for several million immigrants from the hills and India alike, and today Terai is ethically the most mixed area of Nepal- alongside the capital of course.

During your Nepal tours and travel, you will get a chance to visit these Tharu tribes in Chitwan National Park (one of the best tourist destination in Nepal).