The Evolving Cultural Fabric of Nepal

Once during a visit to a Buddhist monastery in the Kathmandu Valley, I witnessed young monks reenacting a violent conflict, leading to a profound shift in my perspective regarding the preservation of Nepalese culture and traditions. This experience propelled me into contemplating the depths of neo-cultural colonization in Nepal. 

This article embarks on an exploration of neo-cultural colonization in Nepal, delving into its intricate historical transitions and contemporary nuances. It sheds light on the evolving cultural fabric of Nepal, analyzing how external influences reshape a nation renowned for its distinctive heritage. 

A distinguishing feature of this examination is its personal viewpoint, offering firsthand insights into the subtleties of neo-cultural colonialism. It aims to spotlight nuanced shifts in perspectives that redefine narratives within Nepalese culture. 

Tracing through epochs, this piece dissects Nepal’s history and cultural metamorphosis. Specifically, it scrutinizes post-World War II neo-colonial manifestations, probing the influx of Western ideologies and the rise of capitalism, and their inadvertent impacts on cultural integrity and societal norms. It illuminates the conflicts arising from external interventions against local customs. 

The focus encompasses both external forces molding Nepal’s story and defenders vehemently safeguarding their heritage. It’s a reflective journey prompting a reevaluation of colonial mindsets and the perils of imposing change on a vibrant cultural tapestry. 

Unveiling layers of neo-cultural colonialism, this article advocates for cherishing and nurturing local art, culture, skills, and knowledge while guarding against external influences. Nepal’s unique identity hinges on this delicate balance, shielding it from cultural erosion. 

This discourse stands at a juncture, merging the past with the present, tradition with modernity, awaiting a recalibration of its cultural identity.

Nepal boasts a unique geopolitical and cultural identity. Its geographical spectrum ranges from the low-lying southern plains, merely 59 meters above sea level, to the towering Himalayan peaks, reaching a staggering 8,848 meters. This topographical diversity mirrors the nation’s rich cultural tapestry, with over 100 ethnic groups conversing in 123 distinct languages hailing from language families such as Indo-Aryan, Sino-Tibetan, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, and Tibeto-Burman. 

Nepal’s ancient history, shrouded in mystery due to a dearth of historical records, starts to come into focus with G. Edward Lewis’s 1932 discovery of ancient hominoid human teeth along the Tinau River in the Butwal region. Yet it falls short of revealing the complete picture of the region’s civilizational development. 

It is believed that the Gopal dynasty ruled this region around 1000 BCE. But the hypothesis that the Yalambar established the Kiranti kingdom around 600 BCE gains credence from the Mahabharata, a Hindu text penned around 400 BCE, which references the Kirant tribe settling in the northern mountainous region, present-day Nepal. Furthermore, inscriptions from the Lichchavi dynasty, which ruled the Kathmandu Valley from 305 CE to 733 CE, reveal that 80 percent of place names were inscribed in the local language rather than Sanskrit, indicating the existence of indigenous groups prior to the Lichchavi arrival from the south, present-day India. 

With the influx of the Lichchavi into the valley, the Aryan-Hindu culture they brought along began to influence the local culture, ultimately giving rise to a distinctive cultural tradition in the valley. 

Cultural development in the valley reached its zenith during the Malla period (1201 CE to 1768 CE). Simultaneously, a significant influx of Buddhist pilgrims into the Kathmandu Valley led to the emergence of a unique amalgamation of Buddhist and Hindu influences. By the Malla period, the Newar caste had become the predominant community in the valley, playing a pivotal role in preserving and propagating the rich cultural heritage of the region, commonly referred to as Newar culture.

After Prithvi Narayan Shah, the Shah dynasty king who unified Nepal, conquered the Kathmandu Valley in 1768, the sway of non-Newar Khas-Arya culture and Hinduism began to surge within the valley. At the same time, owing to British control and influence in the south (present-day India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan), Western culture’s impact grew in those regions. Nepal grappled with both its unification campaign and the intricate geopolitical landscape shaped by British imperialism, contending with internal struggles and external pressures from the British and Tibetan forces. These affected the socio-cultural development of Nepal for almost 60 years.  

While Nepal never fell under colonial rule, the Treaty of Sugauli with the British in 1816 resulted in the loss of some Nepalese territory. Nonetheless, this period also saw Nepal’s expanded relations with Britain and Europe, leading to an influx of Western influences within Nepal. The Dharahara Tower, erected by the Mukhtiyar (equivalent to Prime Minister) Bhimsen Thapa in 1824, showcased a fusion of Mughal and Western Gothic styles, departing from traditional Nepalese architectural norms—a testament to the enduring Western influence in Nepal from that era onward. 

Jung Bahadur Rana’s (Prime Minister 1846-1877) visit to Europe in 1850 further intensified Western impact in Nepal. During the 104-year autocratic Rana rule, initiated by Jung Bahadur, Western influence on the daily lives, culture, and civilization of the common Nepalese populace remained minimal. However, the Rana families, Shah families, and the upper class associated with them exhibited notable Westernization. Western-style portraits, official attire, and lifestyle, as well as European Neoclassical or Baroque architectural styles in their private residences, government edifices, and palaces, underscored this elite group’s deep assimilation of Western culture. 

After World War II, physical colonization ended, but the colonial mindset persisted, giving rise to what is now termed neo-colonialism. In accordance with neo-colonial thinking, developed countries have employed various strategies such as economic imperialism, globalization, cultural imperialism, conditional aid, and the promotion of capitalism to exert influence over underdeveloped nations, including former colonies. The direct effects of neo-colonialism began to manifest in Nepal during the 1960s, influencing not only the culture but also other aspects of society. 

Following political changes in 1951, Nepal gradually opened to the outside world. In the 1960s, the Kathmandu Valley emerged as a popular destination for travelers, particularly for Westerners and American hippies. The emergence of hippie culture quickly began to exert its influence on Nepalese society and culture, prompting valley residents to recognize that beyond essential daily items, there was a viable market for a wide range of entertainment-related products and services. Consequently, guesthouses, trekking agencies, souvenir shops, restaurants, and more began to sprout as thriving enterprises in the region.

This period also witnessed the commercialization of paubha and thangka paintings, as well as traditional masks linked to religious and cultural beliefs. This marked the establishment of capitalism in Nepalese society through the consumer market. Additionally, sacred items with deep religious and cultural significance started to be commodified, driven by economic temptation—a phenomenon that deviated from cultural norms. 

By the 1980s, cultural erosion became evident as valuable artifacts of archaeological and cultural significance were stolen, particularly from monasteries and temples in the valley, and sold in European and North American markets. These incidents continue to occur sporadically.

The political changes of the 1990s further entrenched neo-cultural colonialism. This period cleaved Nepalese society into two camps: capitalists and socialists. With capitalists initially in power, the government prioritized open markets, privatization across sectors, and a capitalist-based economy. During this time, numerous national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs and INGOs) working in various socio-cultural fields were established, often reliant on conditional aid from developed countries. These developments directly and indirectly impacted Nepal’s diverse culture, particularly the culture of the Kathmandu Valley. 

In 1996, a Maoist group advocating socialism initiated a civil war as a response to discontent with the existing system. This conflict had a profound impact on Nepalese culture. While the Maoists sought to establish a supposedly progressive new culture, distinct from local religious and cultural norms, the influx of millions of people from across the country into the Kathmandu Valley to escape the war dramatically altered the region’s natural, geographical, social, and cultural dynamics. This influx led to a decrease in the influence of the local Newar community, which had historically shaped the valley’s culture, sometimes resulting in cultural tensions. 

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, as the Maoist conflict in Nepal was escalating to its zenith, influential nations were embroiled in conflicts across the globe. Regardless of the motivations behind these post-Cold War confrontations, a prominent objective was to reap economic gains through trade in war materials. Notably, certain influential figures had vested interests and financial investments in this lucrative venture. 

In my opinion, this perspective leads to a plausible inference: that a subset of capitalists were deriving financial benefits from the ongoing turmoil in Nepal, and it is conceivable that they harbored a desire for such conflicts to persist in different parts of the world. 

Hence, in order to bolster future arms trade, during the early twenty-first century, plastic toys resembling military equipment and war-themed video games were introduced into the markets of underdeveloped nations, such as Nepal. These products swiftly began to shape the minds of children, igniting their curiosity and instilling a fascination with the tools of warfare, thereby indirectly encouraging them to explore militaristic activities. 

In 2007, during a visit to a Buddhist monastery in the Kathmandu Valley, I witnessed the child monks who were studying there imitating a violent war. This exposed the ramifications of neo-cultural colonialism. 

In recent years, there has been a concerted effort to establish neo-cultural colonialism through various means in different areas. It is crucial to analyze the roles of INGOs and NGOs in this context as well. 

Around 2011, an INGO planned an art exhibition in a five-star hotel in Kathmandu, targeting the Chhaupadi custom prevalent in remote mountain villages in the far west of Nepal. Such INGOs and NGOs have long conducted programs focused on eliminating Chhaupadi (a practice whereby menstruating women and girls must stay in a separate dwelling), considering it a harmful practice. However, city-centered programs like these failed to offer effective solutions to the underlying issues. I suggested that this practice could be transformed locally with health and physical security precautions while preserving cultural relevance rather than exhibiting in the city, but these suggestions were rejected due to conditional aid. Subsequently, some INGOs and NGOs influenced the Nepalese government to impose police administration and demolish Chhaupadi sheds, with the governmental announcement of punishment for those who continued the practice. 

This action inadvertently exacerbated the issue rather than resolving it. The local populace found it challenging to readily abandon their deeply held religious and cultural beliefs. In response to government-imposed penalties, many resorted to seeking refuge in the forests to clandestinely persist in their practices, even at the risk of physical harm. This incident exemplifies the neo-cultural colonialist mindset, which dismisses local civilization, culture, and knowledge in favor of imposing its own beliefs and practices.  

Another incident in a village near the Kathmandu Valley involved an INGO promoting coffee cultivation as a means of boosting income compared to conventional farming. The INGO invested heavily in the project, establishing a coffee factory and cafe in the valley. However, the local farmers were inadequately informed about the project’s timeline and lacked complete information on coffee preparation and market access. When the INGO eventually closed the project, the local farmers, dependent on the organization, suffered economic and social consequences, illustrating how foreign initiatives may not always benefit the local population and can disrupt local agricultural culture. 

Clearly, the neo-colonialism that emerged after World War II has had a multifaceted impact on Nepalese society and culture. Capitalist thinking, which took root in the 1960s, significantly influenced the socio-cultural sector through the 1990s. This shift led to a substantial emigration of around 3,000 youths daily, primarily for economic reasons but also for education and leisure. As a result, some villages are experiencing a depletion of their younger population, putting their socio-cultural traditions at risk. Furthermore, the return of individuals exposed to different environments and cultures can occasionally lead to cultural conflicts. Due to external influences, Nepal faces the extinction of some cultures and rapid changes in the remaining ones.

The neo-cultural colonialist mindset, which assumes its own civilization, culture, and knowledge are superior and rejects other civilizations, cultures, and knowledge, inevitably generates conflict. Therefore, it is imperative to nurture and develop local art, culture, skills, and knowledge while minimizing external influence. 

In Nepal these days, two distinct forces have surfaced with a focus on historical and cultural traditions. One seeks to exert influence and control over these cultural traditions, while the other is stepping up to defend and safeguard their cultural tradition. 

Civilization and culture are inherently dynamic and can never remain static. They naturally evolve over time, undergoing continuous changes and adaptations. However, actively attempting to impose changes or control them can lead to long-term problems. 

Furthermore, disregarding the dynamic nature of civilization and culture and insisting that they should always remain unchanged represents an extreme viewpoint, which is as hazardous as neo-cultural colonialist thinking.