Kaila Fontno
Mr. Reeves
World Religions and Cultures
October 22nd, 2018
Hinduism in Nepal:
Nepal is a secular nation in Southeast Asia that has a rich and deep history rooted in the Hindu religion. In fact, Nepal declared itself a Hindu state until 2008 when it became a secular nation. Although Nepal is currently secular, most of its political and societal stances are from the Hindu religion and date back over one thousand years. Nepal being a secular yet Hindu nation is what makes them tolerate and respectful of all religions in all aspects whether it’s socially, or politically.
Hinduism spread to Nepal in the early twelfth and fifteenth centuries when the Muslims began to invade india. From the 13th to 18th century AD, Nepal was first ruled by the Malla Family,their downfall led to the uprising of the Rana Dynasty of whom took over from 1846-1951 AD and began to rearrange the social and political structure in Nepal. For example, the Rana dynasty made prime minister and governmental positions hereditary, and they used Hindu rituals to codify the castes and ethnic groups in Nepal. After the Rana dynasty, the Shah dynasty rose to power until 2008 and they played an important role in the religious aspect of Nepal. In fact, the Shah king was believed to be and incarnated Vishnu which is the Hindu god of destruction. The last remaining ruler of Nepal was Queen Komal who ruled from 2001-2008. She was the last direct descendant of the Rana Dynasty to rule over Nepal because she married into the Shah dynasty who were the people in charge at the time. Up until 2008, Nepal was the only official Hindu state because the Hindu people made up the largest share of the population than any other country. Although it is a secular nation, Hinduism is so common and widespread amongst Nepali people that they began to have their own Hindu rituals, holidays, caste systems, and gatherings in their communities.
Nepali Hinduism is similar to Indian Hinduism however they are different in many aspects. The god of Nepal is Shiva and in most of his shrines, Shiva will be mounted on a bull with a trident and a drum. Shiva is a Hindu god that has purifying power to open a new path for a new creation. An important part of Hindu faith in Nepal is the three paths to Moksha which is a word for enlightenment, liberation, and union of the individual with the supreme soul. The three paths to Moksha are attainment of knowledge, devotion to god, and path of action. Nepali Hinduism also is it’s own caste system that not only consists of social status, but ethnicity as well. According to the Telegraph UK article, the Nepali caste system is: “largely similar to that of India. There are four principle castes: the highest is Brahmin, then Chhetri, the Royal Families caste, then Baise, and finally Sudra, the lowest caste colloquially known as the "untouchables". Beyond these there are intricacies within certain regions and ethnic groups” (Giles 2013). This caste system surprisingly doesn’t create a social divide between Nepalese people who are Hindu and Nepalese people who aren’t. There are actually several rituals and gatherings that bring everyone together as a community which impacts the societal structure in Nepal. For example, Dashain is the most important festival in Nepal. It last 15 days and all the castes come together and participate in it. For nine days, the people worship the goddess Durga and on the tenth day the elders of the community bless the young people with gifts. This brings families and communities together which is one of the focuses of this festival. Another important aspect of Nepali Hinduism is Kumari goddesses. Kumari goddesses are girls that have not yet reached puberty, are virgins, and are unmarried that are chosen to be worshipped by Nepali Buddhists and Hindus and are believed to be the reincarnations of the goddess Durga. In order to become a Kumari, a girl must perform purification rites, and undergo a test. This test consists of two parts: part one is releasing the girl into a courtyard filled with scary creatures and part two is making the possible Kumari sleep in a room that is dark and filled with scary paintings, and creatures. If the girl does not get scared, she passes and is the next Kumari. Kumari goddesses cannot leave the palace unless it is for important ceremonies and dresses in red with a third eye painted on them. Kumaris are worshipped and give blessings to the Nepali people. Currently, there are ten kumari’s in Nepal and they are an important aspect to the unique social and religious aspects of Nepal.
In Nepal, religious tolerance is nkt an issue because everyone from every religion respects each other. Even when Nepal was a Hindu stare, everyone always lived in harmony. The reason being is because Nepal is a place where many people have migrated for thousands of years in order to worship their god in peace. Once the Muslims invaded india, more and more Hindus began to migrate to Nepal which is why Hindu people make up the majority of the population. Nepali Hindus respect Buddha and Jesus and will sometimes go to Buddhist temples and worship sometimes. One thing that Nepali Hindus do every morning is have morning prayer at the local temple or shrine. When a reporter from the Himalayan Times showed up and interviewed a Nepali Hindu man at morning prayer, he asked if he’d ever bow to Jesus and the man replied, “yes, out of respect for the Christians.” Nepal has been free from religious tensions for several years even before it became a secular nation.
Although Nepal isn’t a theocratic nation or an official Hindu state anymore, its values are still rooted in the Hindu practices and beliefs that implemented by the members of the Rana and Shah Dynasties. These political and social practices mostly affect the Nepali people in positive ways. Things such as the caste system and the fact that not everyone is a Hindu does not tamper with the peaceful nature of the Nepali people. Nepal is a unique country and even though it is primarily based off of one religion, the people and the government are tolerant of everyone and their religious beliefs.