Nepal serves as an exotic
destination for people to seek spiritual enlightenment, as it was the only
Hindu Kingdom of the world until 2006. Hinduism, the oldest religion of the
world, devoid of missionary orientation and not having its foundation
attributed to any sole source, has also permeated into the political and social
life of the people here.
Indian influences over Nepal can be ascribed to the Licchavi dynasty that introduced the Hindu traditions and culture here. The dynasty originated in India, used Sanskrit as a court language, and issued Indian-style coins. It maintained close ties to India and also had economic and political relations with Tibet, thus becoming a cultural centre, linking central and southern Asia.
Indian influences over Nepal can be ascribed to the Licchavi dynasty that introduced the Hindu traditions and culture here. The dynasty originated in India, used Sanskrit as a court language, and issued Indian-style coins. It maintained close ties to India and also had economic and political relations with Tibet, thus becoming a cultural centre, linking central and southern Asia.
The great epics like Ramayana
and Mahabharata, as also the sacrosanct scripture, The Gita, tie a common
thread between the two nations. The testimony to this is a temple that is
situated in the city of Janakpur in the Dhanusa district of Nepal. This is the Janaki
temple, which is named after kings of Mithila, called Janaks. One of the Janaks
that find mention in the Hindu epics is the father of Sita, wife of Lord Ram. According
to Ramayana, this was the birthplace of goddess Sita and also where she was
married to Lord Ram. The erstwhile kingdom of Mithila is today half of the
state of Bihar, India and adjoining Nepalese Mithila province. 
The Pashupatinath Temple, a
temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located on the both the banks of river
Bagmati, 5 km northeast of the Kathmandu
Valley in the eastern city of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. It is considered to be one of the holy places
of Hinduism. Pashupati, the lord of the beasts, has become increasingly
important for the Nepalese who visit the site before a trip or an important
mission to receive the blessing of this deity. River Bagmati is considered
sacred and Hindus are cremated on the banks of this river, just like it is done
on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi.
On September 2015, the
Nepalese government formally adopted a new constitution and establishes Nepal
as a secular republic. Nepal has about 21 million Hindus, more than 82% of the
Nepalese population, for whom the holy cow is interpreted as symbols of
motherhood and fruitfulness. The constitution has provided protection to the
cow and it has been accorded the status of being the national animal of Nepal.
Killing cows, even accidentally is viewed as one of the most extreme
transgressions.
Hinduism is claimed to be a practice
of moral precepts, meditation, yoga, mantras and a philosophy that believes in interweaving
of all things in nature. In fact, this nation has become the repository of
Hinduism in the world, second only to India.
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