Granny says that Nepalis celebrate numerous festivals throughout the year, much like the Indians. Major festivals include Dashain (Nepali equivalent of Durga Puja) which marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. It is one of the most anticipated festivals of the year and is celebrated by Nepali Hindus with great pomp and joy for fifteen days in the month of Ashvin (September-October). Tihar (Diwali), also called as Swanti and Yamapanchak by some communities, is another famous festival celebrated for five days. In addition to decorating the houses with lights, animals are also worshipped during this period.
As said by grandma to me I learned new things of Nepal that Nepal has a rich tradition of folk, as well as classical dances. According to Hindu mythology, Shiva, who is the God of dance in his Nataraja form, used to do his famous Tandava dance here in the Himalayas. Different communities have their own dance forms which are performed during various festivals, fairs and family occasions.
Even Grandma writes letters to me about some important informations like Nepalese architecture is characterised by two main styles - the tapering multi-storeyed pagoda style and the dome-shaped stupa style.
According to Grandma ,The Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu which attracts a multitude of tourists, is one of the oldest examples of pagoda style architectures in the world, being built in the 1st century AD. It is even believed that a Nepali architect named Araniko was the first to introduce the pagoda style architecture in China. Other examples of this style include the Basantpur Palace and Changu Narayan Temple. Fine examples of stupa-style architecture are the famous Boudhanath and Swayambhunath stupas. Some stupas can also be spotted in Patan, built by emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. The Shikhara style is another prominent style of architecture in the country - it includes a tall mountain peak-shaped tower containing stone or wood carvings. The Krishna Temple in Patan is an example of this style. In addition to these, the Newa style that originated from the Newaris and the Mughal style can also be observed occasionally.
Even Grandma mentions in her cards she posted to me that the traditional apparel worn by the Nepali people are the Daura-Suruwal for men and Gunyo-Cholo for women and constitute a major portion in the culture of Nepal. The Daura is a type of double-breasted kurta worn on the upper body and fastened with eight strings, while the Suruwal is the trouser. It is worn with a type of cap called Dhaka Topi and sometimes with a jacket or waistcoat too. Gunyo-Cholo consists of a cotton saree which is draped like a skirt on the lower body and worn with a blouse or Cholo and lots of traditional jewellery. When a Nepali girl turns seven, there is a tradition of gifting her this dress to mark her coming of age. This dress is reserved for marriages, festivals and other special occasions.
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