OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE

Nepal is multi-cultural country. So several type of dresses, ornaments, folk music, folk dances, sculptures etc are practiced here. Some of the cultural heritages are given below.

Traditional Dresses

The traditional dresses of Nepalese people are differing according to differences in caste, race and geographical location. Daura - suruwal, bhoto, topi, kamij, dhoti, gamchha, pagari, pangden, aangi, bakkhu, gado, ghalek, tikiya ( worn by gurung community), bona, petani, mekhali, hakupatasi, gaman, klatoli( worn by sunuwar community), ghanghar, lehenga etc are the major traditional dresses worn by the people of Nepal.

Traditional Ornaments

Like traditional dress, Nepalese woman wear various types of ornaments. Some of the important ornaments worn by Nepalese women are dhungri, bulaki, fuli, kalli, tilahari, naugedi, shirbandi, kampani mala, chandrahar, aunthi, nathuni, bichhiya, bichkini, mugamala, hasuli, cheptesun, etc.

Traditional Dances

Traditional dances of Nepal differ according to place and race. Some of the traditional dances practiced in different communities are deuda, balan, sangini, karuni, kaura, ghatu, selo, sakevasili, syabru, jhijhiya, samachakewa, dhan naach, dhangdhange naach, lakhe naach, jhangad naach, satar naach,chyabrung, bhairab naach, sabai , sakhiya, sorathi, chanchari, hadkeli, etc.

Folk Musical Instruments

Several folk musical instruments are practiced in different parts of Nepal. Some of the important folk musical instruments are panchai baja, madal, sarangi, binnayo, murchunga, tungna, dhol, jhyamta, yalambar, damphu, ektare, mridanga, dhime,majira, flute, damaru, etc.

Typical Nepali Utensils

Different types of Nepali utensils are used in our household such as karuwa,, aamkhora, surahi, khadkula, anti, gagri, kanchko thal, tapke, kachaura etc

Typical Nepali Production

Many goods are produced in Nepal which are not found in other parts of the world such as Nepali paper, Dhaka cloth, Dhaka topi, Khukuri, Sukul, Gundri, Radi-pakhi, Doko, Dalo, Namlo, Gundruk, etc.

Typical Nepali Rituals

From the birth to death, Nepalese people perform several rituals such as Chhaithi, nwaran, pasni, chhewar, bratabandha, ihin, janku, bhim ratharohan, ghewa, shuddhain, hakika, janaja, mundan.etc

Architecture

The art of dealing with a place of dwelling is called architecture. Various types of architecture are practiced in Nepal such as:

Pagoda style: Temple of Pashupatinath, Nyatpol of Bhaktapur

Stupa or Chaitya style: Mayadevi temple of Lumbini, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath

Shikhar style: Krishna Mandir of Patan.

Gumbaj style/Mugal style: Janaki temple of Janakpur

Sel roti

Sel roti  is a Nepali traditional home-made, sweet, ring-shaped doughnut , prepared during festival Tihar, a widely celebrated Hindu festival in Nepal. It is made of rice rice flour with adding customized flavors. A semi liquid rice flour dough is usually prepared by adding milk, water, sugar, butter, natural spices such as cloves, cardamom,and other flavors of personal choice. The ingredients are mixed well by stirring. Once the semi liquid dough is ready, it is poured by hand on home-made shortening or oil in ring shape and cooked on high heat until it turns light brown on both sides.Two sticks(cuptero),each one foot long is used for turning the bread while cooking. Sel Roti are cooked in bulk and can be stored on room temperature for a couple of days. Sel roti are often sent as special gifts to family members living away from home.

Occasions

It is a delicacy - made mainly for the great Nepali celebration of the Tihar festival. Sel roti is unique to Nepal and has become an iconic symbol of Nepali culture and festivities. Sel roti is made and served throughout Nepal in the festival of Tihar (Dipawali), during wedding parties and other ceremonies. It is an essential food in most of Nepalese cultural and traditional events. Selroti is often cooked during various festivals such as Dasain, Tihar, etc. It is also cooked on ceremonies like marriage, bratabandha etc. by Nepalese women.

Chiura

Chiura is a type of beaten rice eaten in   Nepal. The most common word for it, and the one visitors to Nepal will generally encounter, is "chiura." "Baji" is the term used by the Newar culture in the Kathmandu Valley. Rice, of course, is a staple in Nepal, as well as the rest of South Asia. The grain is incorporated into everyday life, festivals, and rituals. Chiura is a common snack among farmers and workers in rural Nepal. The snack is made by pounding rice. The dish can be served with yogurt, curry, and or meat. Often chiura is paired with tea as a mid-morning snack in the fields.

Chiura holds an important place in the traditional Nepali wedding ceremony. Chiura is usually included in the bride price, any valuables or wealth given to the bride’s family by the groom. After the initial wedding ceremony, the families escort the bride back to the groom’s house. During this procession, the pounded rice ceremony occurs. The bride and groom are seated next to one another, and the bride is given the chiura. The groom then formally asks the bride to give him the chiura. He will ask this two more times, each time using a form of “you” that indicates a lowering of her social status. This ceremony reiterates the fact that the woman’s social ranking has dropped far below its original status.

Consumption

It is usually consumed during the daytime with lentil or other vegetables with soup as well as yogurt and ripe banana. It is the main food served in most of the feasts in Nepal. The red type is considered better type. Samaybaji (Nepal Vasa) is specially consumed in Newari Festivals.

Dhindo

Dhindo

Dhido is a traditional food of Nepal. It is not exactly but a type halva, made by boiling hot water and continuously mixing and stirring flours of maize and other grains like buckwheat. It is still eaten as main meal in various part of Nepal. 

Dhido defines the food that is made by boiling hot water and continuously mixing flours of maize and other grains like buckwheat. This is Nepal's traditional food and is still consumed world wide with great pride. It is also healthy compared to rice that is consumed daily in the Nepalese household. Nepal is an agricultural country and every household grows maize and buckwheat for food. It is with the flour of maize and other grains that Dhido is made. Since these are dry so cooking them takes quiet a long time and continuous effort of constant stirring.

Background of Dhido

Dhido is a food that is made by boiling hot water and continuously mixing flours of maize and other grains like buckwheat. It is Nepal's traditional food and is still consumed throughout the world with great pride. It is also healthy compared to rice that is consumed daily in the Nepalese household. It is with the flour of maize and other grains that Dhindo is made. Cooking them takes quite a long time and continuous effort of constant stirring.

Method of making Dhido (ढिडोँ)

Serves two people

1 litre water 250g maize flour/ buckwheat 20ml ghee

Method: Boil the water in a deep container. Slowly keep the flour into the water and stir constantly with a cooking spoon. keep the ghee and keep stirring the mixture constantly for 5-7 minuets. If the colour of the mixture changes to brown we can make sure that the Dhido (ढिडोँ) is cooked.

Goondruk

Gundruk  is fermented leafy green vegetable and is a popular food in Nepal and claimed to be one of the national dishes. It is popular not only in Nepal but also in the every household of Nepalese worldwide.The annual production of gundruk in Nepal is estimated at 2,000 tons and most of the production is carried out at the household level. Gundruk is obtained from the fermentation of leafy vegetables. It is served as a side dish with the main meal and is also used as an appetizer. Gundruk is an important source of minerals particularly during the off-season when the dietconsists of mostly starchy tubers and maize which tend to be low in minerals.

Raw material preparation

In the months of October and November, during the harvest of the first broad mustard, radish and cauliflower leaves, large quantities of leaves accumulate — much more than can be consumed fresh. These leaves are allowed to wilt for one or two days and then shredded with a knife or sickle. Not only the leaves of the radish, the roots are also used to make a better quality gundruk. The roots of radish can be mixed with the leaves and smashed together. When it is smashed, care should be taken not to make pieces too small. In mountainous regions of central part of Nepal, the smashed radish and leaves are put into an earthenwares, compressed, and the mouth of container is closed tightly. It is then buried in safe and sunny place. It may be placed in an open place. After a few days, the acidity can be tasted or when it is ready, it can readily be known from its smell as well.It is then dried in sunlight. Thus made gundruk is more tasty, more flavorous and more acidic. In some places, Gundruk is prepared by storing it under dung.

Processing

The shredded leaves are tightly packed in an earthenware pot, and warm water (at about 30°C) is added to cover all the leaves. The pot is then kept in a warm place. After seven days, a mildacidic taste indicates the end of fermentation and the gundruk is removed and sun-dried. This process is similar to production except that no salt is added to the shredded leaves before the start of gundruk fermentation. The ambient temperature at the time of fermentation is about 18°C.Pediococcus and Lactobacillus species are the predominant microorganisms active during gundruk fermentation.During fermentation, the PH drops slowly to a final value of 4.0 and the amount of acid (as lactic) increases to about 1% on the sixth day. It has been found that a disadvantage with the traditional process of gundruk fermentation is the loss of 90% of the carotenoids, probably during sun-drying. Improved methods of drying might reduce the vitamin loss.