Népal

EVEREST NEPAL CULTURAL GROUP

Mention the name of this kingdom to the most prestigious mountaineers and they will tell you that it has the most beautiful mountains on earth. The focal point of absolute hunters, the Himalayan range distributes its waters to rivers and men with serenity or violence. Nepal is a state located on the southern slopes of the Himalayas in Asia, landlocked between Tibet to the north and India to the south. The landscape is made up of three parallel bands of mountains. The closest to China is the Great Himalayan Barrier. The second is the Mahabharat Tekh range and the last that of Churia which peak at 2,500 meters. Between these mountains, there are large plateaus and valleys irrigated by rivers coming from the Himalayas.

The pantheon of Nepalese gods is of a richness that borders on teeming. Two major religions share a large part of the population. We are Buddhist or Hindu. But between the two, there was a host of beliefs, gods and goddesses. The Folkloric Ensemble show that we receive bears witness to this.

For example, Newars smeared with vermilion celebrate the Balkan festival. This goddess demands sacrifices and red is in this dance associated with the offering of blood, the color of life. Similarly, in the village of Shanku, women dressed in red come to pray hoping to find a husband or have children. In Nepal, the gods are always young. All cycles of life, all gestures of agrarian and artisanal activities are punctuated by ceremonies. Each day, its festival and its offerings to the multiple deities. As a result, it is understood that the Nepalese are gentle, sensitive beings and deeply respectful of all life.

Nepal is a poor country. Four decades after its opening to the world, one of the most fascinating nations on the planet finds itself facing very serious problems of survival. In addition to the resources provided by tourism, it must face a deep economic crisis due, in the opinion of experts, to galloping demographics. Add to this a lethargic economy incapable of creating jobs, agricultural production losing momentum, the disappearance of forests and the impoverishment of the soil.

Fortunately, folklore makes us forget these difficult times for a moment. The rhythm of the dance is lively, the show diversified, interspersed with music coming from a curious accordion that the artists hold between their feet. Mixed in are large, lovely mannequins which represent the bear to whom we attribute a pronounced taste for jokes and even more, the immense peacocks which spread their feathers widely and which we know are the fetish animal of the Nepal.

There is no reason to despair about Nepal. Even the harshness of times does not prevent a sweetness of life that must be snatched from each serac of ice. Above all, there are these smiling Nepalese people, so endearing and so moving in their practice of religion, who live daily with their gods.