Religion affects every facet of life in Nepal with festivals, daily rituals, family celebrations and religious observances. At every step, one can see temples and shrines, processing and devotional music. Although Nepal is famous as the world's only Hindu Kingdom, it is an intricate and beautiful painting made of Hinduism, Buddhism, and other faiths living together in tolerance and harmony.

Hinduism:

Hinduism is a complex religion with a variety of teachers, doctrines and it is said, million s of gods and goddesses. Though Hinduism is frequently described in philosophical terms as a trinity of three gods - Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, in everyday religion, numerous other gods are worshipped depending on the purpose of the worship.

Brahma is the creator god. He is said to have created and populated the earth and then Vishnu and Shiva looked after it. Vishnu's primary duty is to assure the preservation of the world and all living forms, is believed to have visited earth ten times, each times as a different incarnation or avatar. He is the most worshipped god throughout South Asia. Shiva, the destroyer, is the most worshipped god in Nepal. He is usually worshipped as the holy ascetic, depicted with his consort Parvati and holding a trident and a small drum and with a snake around his neck or more often in the form of the linga an elongated stone representing his generative powers.

Buddhism:

There is a variety of Buddhist practices in Nepal. Some of them are the Buddhism of the endemic Newar people; the Buddhism of the Sherpa, Tamang and Tibetan peoples; and the new Southern Buddhism.

According to the legend, Prince Siddhartha Gautam was born in Lumbini in the southern Terai in about 543 B.C. He sheltered life in the Royal Palace of his father until the age of 29, completely unaware of the problems and the sufferings of the world outside his palace walls. One day he asked one of his charioteers to take him outside his palace walls and was shocked at the sight of an old man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic. Knowing the true misery of the world made the prince to leave the palace and seek enlightenment to end human suffering. At the age of 80, he finally was enlightened. He traveled the world teaching the new enlightenment that he just had.

Other Religions:

          In addition to Hinduism and Buddhism, a small minority of Nepalese adhere to Islam and Christianity.