Nepal is a cultural hotpot with people from different ethnic, linguistic, religious backgrounds living in a small nation under harmony. Plethora of natural beauty with world’s highest peak Mount Everest being just one of them. As you come to witness this with your corporate team, learning about the common culture of people preserving it for centuries. Here are a few of those tips to get you started on corporate meetings in Nepal.
Although you will be visiting Nepal as a tourist you will never be treated as one, as Nepali people firmly live by the popular Sanskrit phrase “Atithi Devo Bhava,” which translates to ‘A guest is akin to God.’ You will never feel far from home.
When visiting a new country you will be exposed to new culture and with new culture comes a new courtesy and way to greet & address people. While in Nepal you will be greeted by one of the most alluring and addicting Nepali practices of saying Namaste (pronounced \NAH-muh-stay\). People will usually greet with a little nod and two palms held together (as if you were praying). The word directly translates to “I honor the god inside you” or “I bow to the god inside you.”
Although you will hear and see many people exchanging Namaste, it is not freely used as hello. Think of it as "how do you do?" rather than "hello," as it isn't spoken lightly or freely. Namaskar is a more official or deferential variation that you might use to express profound respect.
Another common word used is dhanyavād, which is translated to the English word ‘thank you.’ While there are many different courtesies, people are comfortable with common English words such as ‘please,’ ‘sorry’ and good old yes & no. Similarly when it comes to addressing people it’s worth knowing words such as “didi” (older sister), “bahini” (younger sister), “daai” (older brother), “bhaai” (younger brother), “buwa” (father and senior), and “aama” (mother and seniors) for the friendly reaction they often elicit. Simply add “ji” to the end of someone's name to seem more official or courteous, as in "namaste, Donald-ji".
While Nepal is a secular country and people from many religions reside in harmony, respecting each other's norms and values, it is a highly religious country. Saying that the majority of the population follow Hinduism (81.3%) and other major religions include Buddhism, Islam, Kirant, and Christianity. While in Nepal, you will see many temples and religious places, often crowded, which are open to tourists. If lucky, you will witness different “jatras” (rallies carried out by devotees from different communities) and chariot pullings in Kathmandu valley.
Food holds a major place in Nepali culture and similar to religion, you won’t be able to experience all culinary magic in just one visit. For Nepalis in every corner of Nepal, Dal Bhat is a staple lunch and dinner option. Dal Bhat is the umbrella term for boiled rice (Bhat), lentil soup (daal), vegetable or meat curry (tarkari) and fresh or fermented pickle (achaar or chutney).
In Nepal, you will see many (sometimes too many) mo:mo places that serve hot dumplings with meat or vegetable filling and soup. Other popular cuisines include Samaya Baji, Barra, Selroti, Gundruk Dhido among million others. Last but not least, Nepali people love tea and like momo places, it is impossible to see a street corner without a tea stall.
When it comes to table manners, the majority of taboos in Nepal are probably related to food and how you eat it. A fundamental idea is that once you put anything to your lips, it becomes contaminated (jutho) for everyone else. Try not to let the water bottle touch your lips while sipping from someone else's bottle (and vice versa if it's your own). Never take food from someone else's plate or give it to someone else without asking, and wait to touch cooked food until you've paid for it.
In Nepal eating with hands Use just your right hand when eating with it. The left hand is only to be used for cleaning washroom use; when eating, you may hold a drink or eating utensil with it, but you must not use it to wipe your mouth or pass food. Giving and receiving everything with the right hand is regarded as polite. Offer money, food, or gifts with both hands to show respect, or with the right hand while the left caresses the recipient's wrist.
While younger men dress in western fashion, older men tend to be more traditional (daura suruwal). Younger ladies can be seen sporting jeans and t-shirts, while older women continue to dress traditionally i.e. sari, kurta, dhoti. Women should nonetheless cover their shoulders and legs when they are in the area (especially if you are going to small towns or villages). Crop tops are not a concern because it's allowed to show your stomach and women shouldn't expose their cleavage. Cover up before entering temples as a sign of respect. When entering a home or temple, you should take off your shoes.
Nepal, especially Kathmandu valley is a lively and vibrant city. With a vibrant vibe comes street hustlers who will hassle and persuade you to buy something. While some don’t try too much, some are quite persistent. It’s better not indulge with one and send away saying “pardaina or chaidaina which basically mean ‘I don’t want.’
Traveling in Nepal inevitably involves dealing with beggars. You might first be affected by the pathos, as it should, but you'll probably get used to it pretty fast. How to deal with panhandling children is a more difficult conundrum.
Only a few legitimate beggars earn an honest life from bakshish (alms). Giving to lepers, the crippled, sadhus, and monks is a long-standing and honorable custom among Hindus and Buddhist
MicEscape is brought to you by KFA, a reputed corporate management organization of Nepal with 22 years of experience in the knowledge spectrum through education, training, consulting management services. MicEscape takes pleasure in providing unique and dynamic programming service, which gives you and your coworkers the safest travel possible. more
