Nepal

Nepal is a country of diversity. There are great geo-physical, climatic and biological diversity that have resulted diverse socio-economic and culture pattern in the country. It is the country that lies in the youngest fold mountain, Himalaya, of the world. It ranges from about 60 metre elevation to the 8848m, the highest point of the world. From the climatic point of view, it ranges from tropical to the tundra from south to north. It has covered an area of 147,181 sq km. This tiny country is yam between the giant nations of India and China but has remained unoccupied by any foreign nation throughout its history. Eighty-three percent of the total land mass is covered by rolling hills and high mountains. The only flat land is a narrow strip (at the widest 40 km) along the northern border of India that is covered by grasslands and sub-tropical forest. This Terai region is home to one-horned Rhino, Bengal tigers, elephants, sloth bears and many other indigenous animals. Nepal is landlocked nation with the nearest ocean port being 1,127 km away in India.

The southern belt is almost plain land and the northern belt is rocky and mountainous where there are thousands of snow peaks. \the Mahabharata range that lies in between these two belts is the gently sloping land having river valleys and Tars. This belt is gently sloping in the eastern part and more steep in the western part.

The country is mainly drained by the three major river systems namely Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali from east to west respectively. From the economic point of view, the Terai is the extensive agricultural belt, the midland is the fruit and grain crops growing area and the northern part is a very beautiful area suitable for tourist activities and livestock farming as well. In this way, diversity has been reflected in economic, social, cultural and other aspects of life. These make Nepal a unique country in the map of the world.

The average literacy rate of Nepal is 53.7%. Vast different exists between the male and female literacy rate. Out of the total male, 54.5% are literate whereas only 25.0 percent female are literate. Kathmandu is in the first position with 70.1% literacy rate. The lowest literacy rate is in Kalikot and Humla with literacy rate of 19.6% in each case.

History
According to myth, once upon a time the Kathmandu Valley was a great lake in the middle of which a brilliant flame burned from a lotus flower. Manjushri, a Buddhist from China, smote the lake with a magical sword and the water was drained from it. It is said that Swayambhu appeared in the flame when the Valley was formed. But according to the Hindu religion, Krishna created the valley, hurling a thunderbolt at the lake to create the Chorbar gorge.

The rivers of the valley do indeed flow southward through the narrow gorge and scientists agree that the valley was once submerged.

The recorded history of Nepal began with the reign of the Kiratis from the eastern part of the country. Yalamar, the first of their kings, is mentioned in the Hindu epic, The Mahabharata. During the Kirati period, Buddhism was introduced to the country.

Krakuchhanda Buddha, Kanak Muni Buddha and Kashyapa Buddha visited the Kathmandu valley to worship Swayambhunath. After Kiratis, the Lichhavis ruled from the 4th to the 7th century. The temple of Changunarayan was built in Licchavi period, and can still be seen today.

The Malla period was a golden era in Kathmandu valley, when great art, statues and temples were created. During the 147th century, Malla ruled for a total of 568 years. The country was divided into many small principalities and kingdoms, and the Kathmandu valley was divided into three states; Kantipur, Lalitpur & Bhaktapur.

In the tiny Kingdom of Gorkha, halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara, the Shah dynasty gradually extended their power. In 1768, King Prithivi Narayan Shah defeated the Malla kings and Nepal has been ruled by Shah kings ever since. Our present king, His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is the eleventh king in the shah dynasty.

Physical Feature of Nepal

Nepal has diverse geo-ecological setting. It is the country of diversity. On the basis of altitude Nepal is divided into three divisions. These are Mountain, Hill and Terai. The Mountain lies in the northernmost part. It covers about 35 percent land area where only about 7 percent-cultivated land and about 8 percent population are found. The mountain lies above the altitude of 300 metre where there are a large number of magnificent snow-covered mountains, including the highest peak (Mt. Everest, 8,848m.) of the world. The Hill lies just below the Mountain. It covers about 42 percent land area, 44.5 percent population and 37 percent cultivated land. It lies between 600m to 3000m altitude. This region comprised several attractive peaks, fertile valleys and river basins. The Terai lies in the southern part of the country. It is elevated up to 600 meters from the sea level. It comprises 23 percent of the total land area, 49 percent population and 56 percent cultivated land. It has been formed out of alluvium brought and deposited by rivers. The land is fertile for agriculture where wide varieties of crops are grown.

Physiography refers to the study of surface landform characteristics. Physiograpy of Nepal has been mainly divided on the basis of river, relief, structure, altitude and geographical distribution. Nepal is a mountainous country ranging from 60 metre to the summit of the world (Mt. Everest 8848m.) There are thousands of rivers flowing from north to south forming gorges, rivers and valley. There is a maxium relief, steep slope and rugged terrain. It has diverse geological and geographical structures that have resulted distinct landforms and topography. For the sake of convenience, the physiography of Nepal has been divided as High himal, High Mountain, Middle Mountain, Siwalik and Terai and Terai from north to south. Terai lies in the southern part. It is the palin land of altitude below 600 metre. The alluvial deposit froms it. The churiya lies just north of Terai, formed with conglometrates. Then the Middle Mountain extends widely. It lies between 900 to 3000 metre altitudes. It has spurs, hills river bvasins and valleys like kathandu and Pokhara. The High Mountain also has steep and dissected landforms. The High Himal is in the northernmost part where hundreds of snow peaks are found.

The elevation of Nepal ranges from about 60 metre to the summit of the world, Mt Everest, 8848 meters. Nepal is known as the second largest country after Brazil for water resources potential. They are Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali. Koshi with seven tributaries is the longest river in Nepal. Gandaki that flows in the central part also has seven main tributaries. Similarly, Karnali flows in the western part of the country.

The mountain, Hill and Terai regions have varied geological structure. The above map shows the distribution of about 30 different types of minerals. Most of the minerals are concentrated in the hill areas of the central and Western Development regions.
Nepal has given high priority to conserving and preserving the nature. There are eight national parks five widdlife reserves and four conservation areas in Nepal. The national parks, wildlife reserves and conservation areas have occupied 10144, 2398 and 11742 sq km area respectively.

Political Division of Nepal

Nepal has six tiers structure of the administrative division. Three structures from top to bottom are: Development Regions, Zones, Districts, llakas, Village Development Committees/Municipalities and Ward. In Nepal, there are five development regions, 14 zones, 75 districts and 3913 VDCs. There are 16 districts in EDR and 19, 16, 15, 9 districts in the CDR, WDR, MWDR and FWDR respectively. Out of 14 zones, karnali is the largest and Mahakali is the smallest in terms of area. Similarly, Dolpa has its own headquarters. Dhankuta, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Birendranagar and Dipayal are the regional headquarters of the Eastern, Central, Western, Mid Western and Far Western Development Regions respectively. Similarly, zones and districts also have their headquarters. Each VDC has its own VDC office.

Climate of Nepal

The generalization of climatic condition of Nepal is too difficult. It is varied within same altitude and latitude. This variation is resulted by the physical diversity of the country. Like the winter season, the temperature zones in summer also runs in east-west direction parallel to the topographic features. May, june and july are the months recording highest temperature.

Culture and Customs
Nepal is host to two main religions - Hinduism and Buddhism, two races, Caucasoid and Mongoloid and two civilizations, Indic and Sinic. Each ethnic group has its distinct identity. Although legislation banned it in the sixties, Polygamy is stilled practiced in some areas.

On entering a Nepalese home it is polite to remove your shoes. Some westernized Nepalese might not do it, but it is much appreciated. Many Hindu temples do not admit westerners to enter. Always walk clockwise around Buddhist stupas, chortens or mani walls. Shoes and any other leather items such as belts and bags must be removed before entering a Buddhist or Hindu temple Public displays of affection are not considered polite. Nor should you think of swimming naked in our rivers and lakes. In the northern hill area, polyandry, the custom of a wife having more than one husband, was also practiced till recently. For a widow to re-marry was not socially acceptable in some groups. An ethnic group such as the Brahmins were prohibited from drinking alcohol and sometimes practice vegetarianism. Brahmins met their spouse for the first time on the day of the wedding.

Religion
Hinduism and Buddhism share between them some 86.5 and 7.8 percent of the total population respectively. Their sense of fellow- feeling and bonhomie is evident in their worship of common deities and the joint celebration of many festivals. Buddhism was introduced in Kathmandu valley by Emperor Ashoka of India around 250 BC. Later, around 8th century AD, the ancestors of the Sherpas emigrated from Tibet bringing with them a form of Buddhism known as Ningmapa.

Gurungs, Tamangs, Serpas and Newars in the Kathmandu valley also follow Mahayaa Buddhism and the famous temple of Swayambhu in Kathmandu and the “Golden Temple” or the Hiranya Varna Mahabihar in Patan are visited mainly by Buddhist Newars.

A few people have adopted a complex blend of both Hinduism and Buddhism known as Bajrayana, which is mainly practiced in the Kathmandu valley. Apart from the Hindus and Buddhists, Muslims (3.5%) form the third largest religious group. There has also been an increase in the number of Christians in Nepal in recent years, now around 40,000 - about 1% of the population and 1.2 percent of other religions.

People

Nepal is a multi ethnic, multi lingual,secular, democratic country.. She has population of more than 26 Million, made up of an assortment of races and tribes, living in different regions. They live under quite diverse environmental conditions from the low, nearly sea level plains at the border of India, northward through the middle hills and valleys and up to the flanks of the great Himalayan range where there are settlements at altitude of up to 4,800m. Farming practices are therefore equally diverse along with life styles and social customs.

Tibetan speaking people are found on the high Himalayan region. Life here is delicate balance of hard work and social merrymaking, tempered by a culture deeply steeped in ancient religious traditions. The best known of the high mountain peoples are the Sherpas who inhabit the central and eastern regions of Nepal. The Sherpas have easy access to Bhot (Tibet) for trade and social intercourse and therefore Tibetan influence on their culture and civilization remains distinct. The midlands are inhabited by various Tibeto-Burman and Indo-Aryan speaking hill and valley people, for example the Brahmins, Chettris, and Newars. While the Brahmins and Chettris are widely distribute through out the country, the Newars are mainly concentrated in the Katmandu Valley and other towns.

The Rais, Limbus, Tamangs, Magars, Sunwars, Jirels, Gurungs, Thakalis, and Chepangs are other Tibeto-Burman speaking Mongoloid peole found living in the middle hills. They each have their own distinct social and cultural patterns. The Dun valleys and the lowland Terai are inhabited by people such as the Brahmins, Rajputs, Tharus, Danwars, Majhis, Darais, Rajbansis, Statars, dhimals and Dhangars. Though Nepal is a veritable mosaic of dozens of ethnic groups, they are bound together by their ideas of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance to form one unified nation.

Among the low Caste groups Kumals are also a integral part. The world is in 21st century but the condition of these people is not better than the people of 16th century. In the age of science, this people are still fighting to get their actual place in the society. These people are ignored, dominated by the upper Caste people.

Although the caste system still exists, particularly in rural Nepal...it is weakening. There is an increasing desire among many Nepali people (particularly the younger generation) to see the end of this discrimination. And it will happen...in fact, is happening?but it takes time to change 2500 years of tradition.