Visiting: Visiting plays an important role in Nepalese society, and relatives and friends get together often. Hosts are patient with late-arriving guests because individuals are considered to be more important than the demands of a time schedule. Nepalese are warm and hospitable—even unexpected visitors are made welcome. Hindus believe that being kind to strangers can enhance their status in the next life, and will not turn away someone in need. Some people may, however, be shy about inviting strangers they consider wealthier than themselves into their homes. Tea with sugar and milk is usually offered to guests; it is usual to decline refreshments initially before eventually accepting them. Shoes are removed when entering a home, a Hindu temple, or a Muslim mosque. Guests invited to a meal may bring small presents for the children, especially during holidays and for special occasions. Gifts may include food or drinks from guests without a regular income. In general, the right hand is used for eating and for giving or receiving objects. Gifts are not opened at the time they are received. In the south, members of the opposite sex do not usually mix at social gatherings. This custom is not as prevalent in the north.

Eating: In most homes, men and guests are served first, followed by children, then women. Chopsticks are used in some northern districts, but elsewhere food is eaten with the hand. Because of the Hindu principle of jutho (ritual impurity), food is not shared from the same plate or utensils. When drinking water from a communal container, the lips do not touch the container. Higher caste Hindus are careful that their food is not touched by people outside their caste or religion; food prepared by any caste lower than one’s own is considered jutho, or impure, and cannot be eaten. At social gatherings involving more than one caste, the Brahmans, who are the highest caste, prepare the food. Only roti (flat bread) can be prepared by a lower-caste person. When eating out, the person with the higher income insists on paying.

Family: In Nepal the interests of the family take precedence over those of an individual. The elderly are respected and cared for by their families. Traditional families are large and include the extended family. In many homes, aunts, uncles, and other relatives live together with their respective families and share the same kitchen. Among the educated, it is increasingly common for some sons to set up separate households after marriage rather than live with the extended family. Land is inherited and divided equally between the sons of a family. Inheritance laws have been reformed, and women are gaining some property rights. But women, especially among Hindus, generally have few rights or privileges in society. They are responsible for the household and farming (except ploughing), and do not socialize in public as much as men. While many women work outside the home, this is more common in urban areas than in rural areas. Rural women often marry before they are 18 years old. They join their husband’s extended family at that time and are expected to care for his parents. Some rural men have more than one wife. Most rural families live in modest, two-level houses made of stone and mud with a few small windows. The upper level is used to store food. Houses in the cities are built from bricks, stone, or reinforced concrete. Urban blocks of flats cannot have more than five stories. Those who live in flats often share water and bathroom facilities with others. In the south, where the caste system is most dominant, a few higher-caste people can afford to live in large, well-built houses, but the majority of lower-caste people live in poverty.

Dating and Marriage: Marriage customs vary among the different castes. Traditional marriages are arranged by parents, although sometimes with the consent of the marriage partners. Marriage is sacred, divine, and considered to endure beyond death. Western-style dating and divorce are rare. For the Nepalese, chastity (sat, or satitwa in urban areas) is the most important virtue a woman can bring to a marriage. Sherpas might live together before getting married. Weddings are times of great celebration and feasting. They are elaborate and may last up to three days. In the Terai (southern region), a dowry is common.

Diet: Many higher-caste people in Nepal are vegetarian or eat no meat other than goat. Rice with lentil soup and vegetable curry are often the main dishes in urban areas or among the rural upper classes. The middle castes eat goat or chicken when they are available; some eat water buffalo. Hindus do not eat beef, and Muslims do not eat pork. Meat is usually consumed no more than a few times a month and then in small quantities. Larger quantities are eaten only at festivals. Sherpas and Tibetans eat more meat than other groups. Fruit and vegetables are used in season.

Millet and corn are staples for most Nepalese, although rice is a staple in the Terai. Roti may be prepared with different grains; wheat is preferred, but a Brahman will also eat a corn roti. Millet and buckwheat are more often eaten by poorer people. Hill people eat porridge (dhedo) made of cornmeal, millet, or buckwheat.