Nepali Culture

Nepal's culture is greatly influenced by its music, architecture, religion and literature. The first sign of Nepal may leave you speechless, the great quantities of temples, churches, monasteries and other religious buildings, the hurly-burly in the streets and the number of people and animals socializing on every corner of the narrow cobble-stone lanes. Nepal has about thirty-six different ethnic groups and multiple religions and languages. Its music is similarly varied, with pop, religious, classical and folk music being popular. Musical genres from Tibet and Hindustan have greatly influenced Nepalese music. Usually, women, even of the musician castes, do not play music except for specific situations, such as at the traditional all-female wedding parties. The architecture of Nepal is another art that has become an important part of the country's culture. Nepal's architecture can be divided into three broad groups, the stupa style, the pagoda style and the shikhara style. Nepal has several ancient pilgrimage sites. Each temple is attached to a legend or belief that glorifies the miraculous powers of its deity. Kathmandu Valley is home to the famous Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhu Stupa and several other famous temples. Hundreds of famous temples are located in and around the Kathmandu Valley.

Some well-known pilgramage sites are: Barah Chhetra, Halesi Mahadev, Janakpur, Pathibhara, Tengboche in East Nepal; Manakaman, Gorkha, Lumbini, Muktinath, Gosainkunda, Tansen, Kathmandu Valley in Central Nepal; and Swargadwari, Khaptad Ashram in West Nepal. Nepal is also the Gateway to Kailash Mansarovar, the mythical abode of Lord Shiva. Devotees from various parts of Nepal and India throng the temples during special festivals. Even though weak infrastructure renders some places hard to reach, efforts are being made on national level to develop and promote some popular sites.

Canadian Culture

Canadians come from many different racial and religious backgrounds. Consequently, it is not easy to define a typical Canadian family. Although the majority of Canadians are Catholic or Protestant, many belong to other religions. Most Canadians, however, share some cultural characteristics. In Canada, people use their given name first and their surname (family name) last. If you meet someone older than you do for the first time, you should probably not use the person's first name. It is safer to use the surname, preceded by a courtesy title such as, Ms., Mrs., Mr., or Dr. They enjoys a society that is open and relatively free of class distinctions. Most Canadians take pride in the fact that all people deserve the same rights and respect, regardless of their gender, race, religion, or cultural background. People in Canada usually resent comments that seem disrespectful to anyone from a particular background.

European Culture

The culture of Europe might better be described as a series of overlapping cultures. Whether it is a question of North as opposed to South; West as opposed to East; Christianity as opposed to Islam; Protestantism as opposed to Catholicism; many have claimed to identify cultural fault lines across the continent. There are many cultural innovations and movements, often at odds with each other, such as Christian proselytism or Humanism. Thus the question of "common culture" or "common values" is far more complex than it seems to be. : Europe was the birthplace of classical music- notably, Germany, France, Italy, and Russia. Important classical composers from Europe include Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Haydn, and Vivaldi. Luciano Pavarotti is a contemporary popular opera singer. European philosophy is a predominant strand of philosophy globally, and is central to philosophical enquiry in America and most other parts of the world which have fallen under its influence. Christian thought is a huge influence on many fields of European philosophy, sometimes as a reaction; the Greek schools of philosophy in antiquity provide the basis of philosophical discourse that extends to today. Perhaps one of the most important single philosophical periods since the classical era were the Renaissance, the Age of Reason and the Age of Enlightenment. There are many disputes as to its value and even its timescale. Millions of Europeans profess no religion or are atheist or agnostic. The largest non-confessional populations (as a percentage) are found in Sweden, the Czech Republic and France although most former communist countries have significant non-confessional populations

Pakistani Culture

Pakistan is situated in the western part of the Indian subcontinent, with Afghanistan and Iran on the west, India on the east, and the Arabian Sea on the south. The name Pakistan is derived from the Urdu words Pak and Stan. It is nearly twice the size of California. Pakistan was one of the two original successor states to British India, which was partitioned along religious lines in 1947. For almost 25 years following independence, it consisted of two separate regions, East and West Pakistan, but now it is made up only of the western sector. Both India and Pakistan have laid claim to the Kashmir region; this territorial dispute led to war in 1949, 1965, 1971, 1999, and remains unresolved today. Pakistan is a Muslim country and Islam is the official religion. Islam is the religion which is professed and practiced by the people of Pakistan. Its culture can be called as “Mixed Culture”. Although the majority of people in Pakistan are Muslims by birth and faith, there is a strong influence of Hindu culture on the present Pakistani culture. The shadows of this influence are quite visible on the marriage ceremonies and festivals like “Basant”. Dowry Systems and heavy expenditures on the marriage of girls is done, which is inherited from Hindu society because in Hindu society there is no share of women in the inheritance of their parents. Although women are given a share in the inheritance of their parents in Pakistani society, there are huge expenditures on the marriages of daughters. English is the official language in Pakistan, but the national language is Urdu, which is widely spoken and understood throughout the country. Punjabi, Pushto, Sindhi, Baluchi and Kashmiri are the regional languages.

Kasmir Culture

Kashmir Hub offers you a glimpse into the culture and traditions of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The state has a rich cultural heritage and has a wealth of ancient literature, language, religion, arts, crafts and music. Tours and travel to the state of Kashmir offers you an opportunity to feel the rich and deep-rooted ancient tradition in the Indian culture. Tours and travel to the state of Jammu and Kashmir involves a trip to the several places of worship in Kashmir. Kashmir is home to various sacred pilgrimage centers of the Hindus, Muslims and the Buddhists.The mask dance performed by the lamas at the Hemis monastery, Ladakh for example, during the Hemis festival is representative of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition of the victory of good over evil. The Hafiza dance form is very popular. This dance form is usually performed at wedding ceremonies. Another very popular Kashmiri dance form that is extremely popular is the Bacha Nagma, which is performed during the harvest season by young boys. Ruf and Wuegi-nachun are popular Kashmiri folk dances. The Roul and Dogri are popular folk dances that are performed by Kashmiri women. Kashmir has a rich tradition of folk music. The most popular Kashmiri folk music is known as the Rabab. The dukra, sitar and nagara are popular musical instruments.

French Culture

French national identity is based on the historical origins of the nation in Celtic, Gallo-Roman, and Frankish cultures. The name "France" originally was used to refer to several peoples in the lower Rhineland. It gradually was introduced as a more widespread term to denote that territory, formerly known as Gaul, after the Frankish invasion and the retreat of the Romans. The name "Francia" was applied to various territorial units until the Middle Ages, when it came to signify the kingdom of the French sovereign. Regional identities, such as Provencal and Breton have coexisted with political units of state control. The degree to which France is today a homogeneous nation is a highly contested topic. Political and linguistic unification, especially through mass education, has been an ongoing project of nationalism. The immigrant population comes mainly from Portugal and northern Africa, although there has been increasing immigration from eastern Europe.

Australian Culture

The demographics of Australia show it to be one of the most urbanized populations in the world, with the majority of Australians living in cities on the coast. Australia's cities are melting pots of different cultures. The indigenous Aboriginal culture survived the first influx of immigrants of Anglo-Irish heritage, who are still the most pervasive immigrant group. The great post-World War II influx of both English and non English-speaking migrants from Britain, Ireland, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Malta and Eastern Europe, and later from the Middle East, East and South-East Asia, and the Indian subcontinent have been significant additions. Lesser numbers of immigrants have also come from the African and American continents.

Malaysian Culture

Composed primarily of Malays, Chinese and Indians, Malaysian culture is best described as cosmopolitan. Racial unity and interaction has formed a diverse and vibrant society that is exceptionally unique. Nowhere else in the world can one find three major races, various smaller indigenous tribes and a vast assortment of foreigners and expatriates sharing such an excellent relationship, for not only do these races tolerate each other, they actually actively share in one other's cultural richness. This has been the main catalyst for Malaysia's political stability and growth.The shamanistic cultures and beliefs still practiced by the Malaysian aborigine's date back over 10 millennia. The presence of Hinduism in the Malay Peninsula has been documented as far back as the 3rd and 4th century AD, in Lembah Bujang (Bujang Valley) in the state Kedah. With the arrival of Arab traders during the rise of the Melaka Empire, Islam came to Malaysia. At about the same time the arrival of Chinese traders and the marriage of the Melaka Sultan and a Chinese princess added to the potpourri of cultures. The arrival of Portuguese, Dutch and English conquerors over the next 400 years also left their indelible mark on the Malaysian cultural makeup. All these influences have culminated in the Malaysian culture of today.

Spanish Culture

The culture of Spain is a European culture based on the pre-Roman cultures, mainly the celts and the Iberians, known as the Celt Iberian cultures; but mainly in the period of Roman influences. In the areas of language and religion, the Ancient Romans left a lasting legacy. The subsequent course of Spanish history also added elements to the country's cultural development. The Visigothic Kingdom left a sense of a united Christian Hispania that was going to be welded in the Reconquista. Muslim influences were strong during the period of 711 A.D. to the 1400s, especially with loan words. The Spanish language, derives directly from Vulgar Latin, and has minor influences from pre-roman languages (words like barro -mud-, bruja -witch-), gothic (guerra -war-, capa -cloak-), arabic (cero -zero-, alcohol -alcohol-) and basque (izquierda -left-). Other minorities includes the Jewish population in some cities, but after the defeat of the Muslims during the Christian "Reconquista" (Reconquest) period between 1000 to 1492, Spain became a Roman Catholic country. In addition, the history of the nation and its Mediterranean and Atlantic environment have played a significant role in shaping its culture. By the end of the 19th and 20th , the Spaniards made expressions of cultural diversity easier than it had been for the last seven centuries. This occurred at the same period that Spain became increasingly drawn into a diverse international culture. Spain has the second highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, with 40 .

Buddist Culture

For over twenty-five centuries, Buddhist ideas and ideals have guided and influenced the lives and thoughts of countless human beings in many parts of the world. As lay Buddhists, our own experiences and discoveries in life are not enough to give a true perspective on life. To bring ourselves closer to the ideal of a well-balanced man or woman, we need to acquire, at least in outline, what is called a cultural grounding in the Buddha-Dhamma. In this world some are born great while others have greatness thrust on them. But in the Buddha-Dhamma one becomes great only to the extent that one has progressed in ethical discipline and mental culture, and thereby freed the mind of self and all that it implies. True greatness, then, is proportional to one's success in unfolding the perfection dormant in human nature. Buddhism distinguishes between emotions that are constructive, such as metta and karuna, and those that are destructive: anger and jealousy, for instance. It encourages the cultivation of the former to eliminate the latter. Human beings can both think and feel. When the Buddha taught the Dhamma, sometimes he appealed to reason, sometimes to the emotions, and sometimes to the imagination, using such means of instruction as fables, stories, and poetry. Buddhist culture, too, manifests in other forms than that of a fine character, such as in the field of literature — the Jatakas, the Theragatha and Therigatha, for examples — philosophy, art, architecture, and sculpture.

Bangladeshi Culture

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Bangladesh has a history. The land, the rivers and the lives of the common people formed a rich heritage with marked differences from neighbouring regions. It has evolved over the centuries and encompasses the cultural diversity of several social groups of Bangladesh.Music and dance style of Bangladesh may be divided into three categories, namely, the classical, folk and the modern. The classical style has been influenced by other prevalent classical forms of music and dances of the Indian subcontinent, and accordingly show some influences dance forms like Bharta Natyam and Kuchipudi.Pohela Boishakh is the first day of the bangla Calendar. It is usually celebrated on the 14th of April.Pohela Boishakh marked the start day of the crop season. Usually on Pôhela Boishakh, the home is thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned; people bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes. Bengali weddings are traditionally in five parts: first it is the bride and groom's Mehendi Shondha,the bride's Gaye Holud, the groom's Gaye Holud, the Beeya and the Bou Bhaat. These often take place on separate days. The first event in a wedding is an informal one: the groom presents the bride with a ring marking the "engagement" which is gaining popularity.

American Culture

They teach their children about American Culture. They teach them to be good Americans by sharing their traditions of Citizenship, American Holiday Celebration, Craftsmanship, Entrepreneurship, Competition, Leadership, Know-How, and Positive Attitude. Beyond the walls of Their home lies a great Nation with a culture of its own. The structure of their Government, Their laws and the way people relate to each other have great influence on their actions and attitudes. There is a culture in this country whether spoken or unspoken that manifests itself in everything they say, do, or think. For example, in the United States they expect to compete in every aspect of their lives. At the same time they expect to compete, They also expect to be given equal opportunity to grow to their potential. And believe they all have equal rights under the law. they expect American Industry to put out a quality product and for our Nation to be a leader in the world. Sometimes they even find themselves "on the soap box" spouting expectations of their Nation's performance or the performance of American Industry not realizing that unless they each live up to these expectations, their Nation and their Industries cannot. Frequently, many of competing interests and strong desire to ensure Individual Freedom, result in extraordinary events taking place that can only be explained by the expression: "Only in America".