Culture

Remarkable handicrafts items of brilliant workmanship are made in Nepal. Many of these handicrafts also carry religious significance. Artistic works of stone and metal, silver and gold trinkets, and exquisite wood carvings are in great demand.Other souvenir pieces include Nepali tea, famous Gurkha knife or Khukuri, prayer wheels, stone carvings, singing bowls, papier–maché masks, thangkas and pauvas, pashmina, carpets, jewelry etc. Souvenir items are available in tourist areas like Thamel, New Road, Basantapur, Asan, Patan, Bhaktapur and around major hotels.

Throughout the Kathmandu Valley centuries-old traditional artisan skills continue today. Take a course in woodcarving, stone masonry, pottery or learn delicate Thangka painting from artisans who have been practising this skills for generations. Nepal is made of Gods and Goddesses, temples and palaces, arts and crafts, music and war history. However, there is one skill, which is common in every quarter, and that is 'hands of skilled workers'. Nepal's temples and statues of gods, and other figures are, simply, standards of the perfection of handicrafts.From the very typical households to melting iron for making the world-famous knife, Khukuri, Nepalese artists are masters of their own.

Press your hands together and say Namaste to watch the people of Nepal return your gesture with some of the largest most welcoming smiles in the world. It may seem cliche but Nepal's people are some of the most friendly you will ever encounter. Namaste the common form of greeting each other in Nepal, means in Sanskrit "the divine in me bows to the divine in you".Nepal is a diverse country and home to multiple religions, race, tribes, and cultures.The country with over 100 ethnic groups is litterly a melting pot of many (more then 90) languages and ethnicity.

Whether you are in the sourthern jungles of Nepal, the cultural valleys or high in the mountains, taking a village tour will show you what traditional life in Nepal today is like. It is a fascinating opportunity to discover Nepal through local people themselves. Village tour gives one the exceptional occasion to enjoy authentic Nepal experience. Inspiring as well as educating, village tour is an opportunity to understand roots of the culture, customs, practices, and lifestyle of Nepali people. More than 75 percent of Nepal's population is dependent upon agriculture, farming, animal husbandry, and fishing, which makes sense that the majority of the Nepal's population live in villages.

Nepal's most known dishes are probably dal bhat (rice and lentils) and the popular momos. And besides the international dishes from continental to Asian, Nepal that are available in the touristic areas, Nepal has a wide variety of local dishes to discover. There is no better way to understand Nepal and the Nepali people, than through their kitchen. Nepal does not have a distinct cooking style. However, food habits differ depending on the region. Nepali food has been influenced by Indian and Tibetan styles of cooking. Authentic Nepali taste is found in Newari and Thakali cuisines.

Take a cultural tour in the Kathmandu Valley to discover about the Newari founders, or take an ox cart village tour in the Terai region to truly discover Nepal's fascinating mix of cultures.Nepal's convenient weather, fertile soil, and natural setting were the lucrative position for many emperors and tribes to settle in the history. Various, mighty, dynasties ruled Nepal throughout the episodes of the history, bringing many cultural and religious perspectives to this tiny land.