Family life of Nepal

Located at the South Asia, Nepal is particularly famous for the highest peak of the world, Mt. Everest and for the birth place of Gautam Buddha, Lumbini! Nepal is particularly an agricultural country, where maximum people live their life through agriculture. Nepal can be divided into two segments, urban and rural areas. Although more than ninety percent of the country is rural area, urban area are really crowded due to centralization. One has to go to towns and cities for a good job or good education, as it is not available in the village itself.

Family can be explained as the group of people having strong ‘we feelings’ who share same kitchen and are living under the same roof. Nepal is not far from this definition either. A traditional family in Nepal consists of Grandfather, Grandmother, their sons and daughter in laws, unmarried daughters and grand children.  Grandfather being the head takes decision of entire decisions there in the family. He is the one to decide whether to send his son abroad for income generation, or send him to city for education. Females are still considered curse in various villages. As soon as the female child takes birth, parents feel burden remembering of the dowry that they need to hand over to the in laws. This must have made the dowry system in Nepal clear. There exists cases like physical punishment and even murder of wife just because of insufficient dowry! Early marriage was in practice, as female would get married before the end of their teen age. The income generation source was agriculture for both landlords and landless. Landlords would employee landless in their land, and that would make living for both possible. This practice is the reason for few Communistic Political Parties still existing in Nepal. Cash crops and Food crops both exists in Nepal! Land topography is the main factor responsible for any sort of agriculture in any part of the world. Nepal has got different topography and climate. This entire topography has been divided into three portions. Mountain Region, where the range of Mountain and its low point exists, Hilly Region where there are hills and slopes all around and Terai region that is totally plain. This diversified topography lets Nepal to grow Mango in the Terai, Orange in Hilly and Apples in Mountain region!

The growing literacy rate in Nepal has welcomed the interest in service sectors as well. So people are no more completely dependent in Agriculture! Monogamy is in practice, however Polygamy exists too despite of termed ‘illegal’ by the Government! Technological effect has changed the life style how so ever. Television has been now in almost every houses, and completing the entire household works, house wives are usually into the Television stuffs. Hindi serials are watched by maximum Nepalese house wives where the channel is available.

However, with the modernization, the life style of Family is changing. Extended family has been in practice these days. So, after marriage, son prefers to settle elsewhere with his wife and children. However they get united during various festivals and feel themselves as a one. Unlike Western practice, Nepalese families are usually of strong bond, as they don’t have to leave their family as they end their teen. So, only in cases where there is not a single son, extended family has been in practice. Modern Nepalese family has got both husband and wife working, and there is less time for the children. Having majority Hindus in Nepal, women usually are into traditional aspects as well. They perform pooja everyday in their house, visit Temples in various occasions and perform acts like fasting with the belief that their husband will have long life, or their family will not go through unpleasant time. Mating is regarded socially illegal if done with anyone beside spouse. Hence, pre marital sex is not accepted by society. Responsibility of parents for children begins after their birth, and continues upto their education, unless they hold the job and ends with their marriage. After marriage it becomes responsibility of children, usually son, to look after their parents. The rule expresses that the property of parents is to be equally divided among the children, both sons and daughters, however if the parents decide it something else before their death, that is acceptable too. This property distribution brings conflict among the sons after and even before parent’s death.

Cloth and language represents culture. Women have to be strict in these issues still, as they need to go through various strict norms in any cultural programs. They are not allowed to touch food during their periods, and needs to be in sari in any occasions. They are usually not allowed to wear open dress when in front of father and mother in law!

However, the other part of Nepalese family is that they have their son or daughter abroad who come back Nepal for marriage, and then settle their itself. They get adapted to their life style, and visiting family becomes as the task of tourists. Nepal has been stratified into four layers on the basis of class…

Elite class has got their own living pattern. They are usually richest people of Nepal. Then Royal Families, big Industrialists, businessman and top politicians like Prime Ministers fall in this class. They usually prefer luxury and seeks for high quality in every thing as they have got enough money to pay. They are the top class people in Nepal. Big Industrialists, CEO of various banks, top politicians like Ministers fall under this category. They are usually busy with their works and they don’t compromise with the quality either. There are maximum Middle class people in Nepal, who represents peoples like Doctors, Engineers, and Professors etc. They manage to earn enough to fulfill the demands of family, and they think twice before any financial decision because of the restrictions. And finally Low class are those who struggle for the basic needs. Peons, Watchman are of this category, who needs to compromise with one thing for fulfilling another specific demand.

But, we can conclude up saying that strong bond and kinship among the family members is the best part of Nepalese family! They are responsible for their family members and are ready to help with their entire capabilities when needed. Family becomes first choice in the end, and they can not compromise anything with family!

Published in The Rising Nepal under Friday Supplement of August 30, 2013