Nepalese society runs under a caste system and each caste is said to be created from a different part of the Hindi god Brahima, the creator. Highest to lowest caste:
Brahmin: created from the head
Chhetri: created from the shoulder
Bais: created from the stomach
Sudra: created from the feet
There are several other ethnic groups and sublets to these groups. Most Nepali marriages are arranged, but some aren't, which are called "love marriages". Wedding dresses are red. White is considered bad luck. Married women sometimes also have this reddish dust paint on their forehead hairline in representation that they are married. It's different than the red dot on the forehead, which I think is called thika, that is for good luck.
Most of the Nepali population is Hindu, so cows run freely and are sacred.
I thought I saw a place that sold beef momos (local cuisine) and that is so anti-culture and I asked the gal sitting next to me about it, she said "it's likely, not everyone follows rules and traditions". I sort of got a little angry inside like why would they screw up such an amazing culture?? But then I thought about how that was such a juxtaposition to how I feel about freedom... doesn't make sense right? go figure.
Also in Nepal there is the 'Living Goddess' which is a young girl who fits certain physical and spiritual attributes, I think it requires black hair and eyes, I'm not sure exactly the requirements. She is the goddess until she reaches her first menstruation. While the young girl is goddess she is kept inside and worshipped. She comes to the window at 4:00 daily but does not come outside. I asked Avash as he was telling me about the living goddess' if they were happy, he said yes.
"Jhuto" is a term used to say something is impure or dirty. There are several ways something can become jhuto, i.e. when something touches your mouth.
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