Nepal is the perfect amalgamation of religions and cultures.
The country practices religious tolerance and people of varying religions have
been known to exist amicably. Due to the diversity in religion and culture,
there are momentous shrines all over the country where thousands of devotees
celebrate major festivals every year. These are another attraction for
tourists, apart from adventure sports or trekking in Nepal.
As majority of Nepal’s population follows Hinduism, Hindu
shrines or Temples can be found in almost every corner. Pashupatinath is a
Hindu temple dedicated to lord Shiva and situated at the capital of the
country. Every year, thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India descend on the
Kathmandu valley to celebrate Shivaratri, an important festival of the
religion.
The Swyambhunath stupa is a shrine for Hindus and Buddhists
of the country. Located atop a hill, it overlooks the Kathmandu valley and
gives us a view of the surrounding hills. Its immense dome and the golden
spiral can be seen from all sides of the valley too. The stupa is surrounded by
chaityas and temples and is a blazing example of harmonious religious existence
in Nepal. This mountainous structure is also called the monkey temple because
of the abundance of the monkeys in this region. The stupa looks divine at night
when oil lamps are burned by Buddhist monks.
Lumbini is another place of significant importance in Nepal
listed in the world heritage sites. Known worldwide as the place of birth of
Lord Buddha, Lumbini receives thousands of Buddhist pilgrims from all over the
world. One of the most famous sites in Lumbini is the Mayadevi temple; also
known as the birthplace of Buddha. The resplendent Myanmar golden temple and
world peace pagoda are other attractions in this city.
Visiting such places can broaden your tolerance and help you
understand other cultures better. Besides, Nepali culture states it important
to respect and welcome tourists and make them feel at home.
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