NEPAL

Nepal is a small, landlocked country sandwiched between India and the Tibet region of China. Nepal is home to the vast mountain range of the Himalayas. This tiny country has 10 of the 14 highest mountains in the world, including Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world at 29,025 feet (8850 meters). Only 8% of Nepalese people live in the Himalayan region, and many of them move between summer villages higher up to lower ones in the harsh winter. Because of a short growing season, not many crops are grown in the Himalayan region. Instead, the locals rely on herding and trading of animals.

Below the mountains lie many rushing rivers and rolling hills of the Middle Hills region, which includes Kathmandu and the large towns of Pokhara, and Patan. This region is home to 45% of the population. Nepali farmers plant small fields of crops on the hills here, which form "terraces" that can be seen throughout the hilly part of the country. Here the farmers grow wheat, rice, and vegetables.

Below these terraced fields lies the Terai (pronounced "te-rye") plains, where 50% of the Nepali people live. Most people live in small villages of 40 or 50 houses located in the center of the area that is being farmed. The highest point of these plains is only 1,000 feet - 28,000 feet below the top of the Himalayas! Every year in this region there is a season of heavy rains, called monsoons, which bring downpours almost every day between June and August. The rain makes the vegetation lush and green.

The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu. Over 1 million people live in Kathmandu, with another 1.5 million living close by in the Kathmandu valley. The city is busy, with thousands of people walking around, visiting the many shops and markets.

Nepal is home to as many as 60 different ethnic groups; many of these groups are descendents from Tibet and Burma and include the Brahman (the traditional Hindu priest caste, or group), the Gurung, Magar, Rai, Limbu, and Thakali. The Sherpas and the Gurkhas are two Nepalese groups that have gained attention due to their special skills. Sherpas, a Himalayan people, are famous for their work at high altitudes, carrying heavy loads for tourists, merchants and expeditions. The Gurkhas are renown for their fierce fighting skills and have been employed by both India and Great Britain to serve in their respective militaries.

Hinduism is the country's official religion. Nepal is the only official Hindu nation in the world. 80% of the population is Hindi, while another 11% is Buddhist; however, the Nepalese often combine the beliefs found in Hinduism and Buddhism. Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, was born in Nepal in 563 B.C. Temples and shrines from either religion are considered to be equally sacred, and the Nepalese celebrate the festivals and holidays of both religions.

Cows are sacred animals in Nepal. They are not used for beef, nor are they used to help with work. They bear calves and provide milk. In Nepal you will see cows wandering and sleeping in the streets. It is a crime to kill a cow, and supposedly the punishment can be as much as 12 years in jail!

In areas away from roads, many Nepalis use mules or yaks to transport food and other supplies to villages. Groups of 20 or so mules form a mule train, which is driven by one or two people. Each mule can carry several hundred pounds on its back and walk for many miles each day.

Nepal is also a country of many festivals and celebrations. Dates for these holidays are based on the Nepalese calendar, Bikram Samvat, which is based on the phases of the moon. Dashain is a two-week festival in September and October when gifts are exchanged, feasts are consumed, and people celebrate virtue over evil. The Goddess of Victory is adorned during this period. During Tihar, rows of lights glow through every building to signify the Goddess ofWealth. People sing throughout the streets for these three days in October or November.

In Kathmandu, the capital or in its suburbs, to cross a street is to travel across centuries, Shrines, temples, palace square, ageless sculptures and legends that are parts of every brick and stone and gilded masterpiece, make Kathmandu Valley a verifiable living museum. All of these will provide us with many golden opportunities in picture-takings.