Nepal is located in the north of the South Asian subcontinent, the southern foothills of the Himalayas, bordering China in the north, and surrounded by India on the other three sides, with an area of nearly 150,000 square kilometers and a population of about 30 million, of which more than 90% are mountainous. On the map, Nepal is shaped like a "spoon", long from north to south and short from east to west, separated by a narrow river that is also the only passage connecting Tibet and India.
When Nepal is mentioned, everyone thinks of Mount Everest, temples, and stupas. In the eyes of most people, this is a poor and backward country, but it is not. According to United Nations statistics, by the end of 2021, its gross domestic product (GDP) reached $183 billion, ranking 16th in the world. Moreover, there are also very beautiful natural scenery, known as "animal kingdom", "trekker's paradise", "Shangri-La soul" and so on. But what many people don't know is that Nepal has many customs that are so different.
First, bathing culture
In Nepal, I see many people bathing naked on the street, they are not shy and do not shy away, as if it is very natural. Why should they do this? Is it because of poverty? Or is it because they have a cleanliness fetish? Neither actually. Mainly due to these reasons:
1. Religious reasons: Buddhists believe that bathing is a filthy thing, so if someone in the family gets sick or dies, the family should wipe themselves with a clean towel, not directly washed, nor can they take the dirty things outside, so as not to contaminate others.
2. Reasons for belief: Both Hinduism and Buddhism believe that water is spiritual and can ward off evil spirits. Therefore, people would burn incense and worship Buddha by rivers or ponds to pray for peace.
3. Living habits: Nepal is a rainy country with hot weather, and many people like to take a shower every day to keep their bodies clean. Moreover, due to the climate, Nepalese people generally have dark skin, so they feel that they can only make themselves a little whiter by bathing regularly.
4. Physiological reasons: Locals feel that the sweat on the body is very dirty and must be washed with water. In addition, their clothes rarely dry and need to be washed frequently, otherwise they are easy to mold.
5. Convenient hygiene: In rural areas, people do not have toilets and can only defecate in the open, and going to the toilet on the street is both inconvenient and unsightly. But they don't think about taking a bath, so without a bathroom, everyone can only choose to wash their faces directly on the street, or take a bath.
Here, on almost every street, you can see such a scene: an old man sitting on the side of the road with a large wooden basin full of water in front of him, and a basin next to him with some water in it, waiting to be bathed.
Bathing is an integral part of everyday life in Nepalis, who like to bathe naked in the street and even consider bathing as an art. In the streets and alleys of Nepal, there are places for passers-by to bathe for free, most of which are built on the side of the road not far from the temple. People can wash away the fatigue and dust here and enjoy a moment of peace and comfort.
When you come here, they will also take a bath as a welcome ritual and invite you to take a shower together. So in Nepal, bathing on the street is an attitude and a culture for them.
2. Marriage customs
Nepalis practice monogamy, and before a man and a woman get married, they have a solemn engagement ceremony. On the wedding day, the bride and groom wear beautiful national costumes, after the wedding, the bride and groom live in the woman's home for three days, and on the third day, the man takes the bride back to the mother's home to officially hold the wedding, and the husband and wife have lived together since then.
After marriage, the wife cannot show her face casually, and the husband cannot beat and scold his wife. If the husband and wife are at odds, they can divorce, but they cannot remarry. In the case of divorce, a witness must be brought in, and the witness must read a letter of guarantee to both parties that they will not be reunited. At the same time, the woman's family must also be given a sum of property.
Marriage in Nepal is free and unrestricted and can be married as long as both parties voluntarily. However, due to economic and cultural backwardness, many young men and women do not have the opportunity to meet, so it is not easy to find suitable partners, resulting in many family tragedies. Therefore, the Government should actively encourage and promote free love and take some measures to create opportunities for unmarried men and women to get acquainted.
3. Religious sacrifices
The faith of Nepalis is a fusion of Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism and Buddhism are both world religions, Hinduism accounts for more than 80% of the country's population, Buddhists account for about 20%, both religions recognize the equality of all beings, advocate universal sentient beings, believers of both religions can believe in Buddha, can also believe in God, and even believe in both God and Buddha.
Therefore, in order to better promote the Dharma, many places will hold grand sacrifices to pray for the blessing of the Buddha. At the same time, in some large monasteries, monks chant sutras to express their reverence for the Dharma.