Lesson Four: A Journey to Nepal: Religion, Culture, and “Spiritual Richness”
Learning Goals:
- Locate Nepal on a map
- Explain why Hinduism is important to Nepal
- Describe what “spiritual richness” means
- Give examples of how religion is part of daily life in Nepal
- Compare religion in Nepal with religion in the United States
Background: provide students with the following facts about Nepal
- Nepal is located between India and China
- The Himalayan Mountains, including Mount Everest, shape life in Nepal
- About 80% of people in Nepal practice Hinduism
- Nepal used to have an official religion (Hinduism), but in 2008 it became a secular country (no official religion)
Discussion:
Ask: Where is Nepal located? What do you notice about the land? Why might Nepal’s location make it harder for outside cultures to influence the country?
If not in a classroom setting, have students clink on link to google maps showing Nepal. Have them write down their answers. Talk about what they have observed and written down.
Explain: Most people in Nepal practice Hinduism. Religion is a very visible in daily life. Nepal used to be officially Hindu but is now secular – meaning it’s government no longer supports one religion, but accepts all religions.
Ask: What does Spiritually Rich means? Can someone be rich without money? What might make a community spiritually rich?
List ideas on blackboard or chart paper
Visual Exploration:
Questions to think about when watching videos. Have students take notes on what they learned to complete homework assignment. Links are on also on the homework page to review.
- Name a festival and what happens in that celebration
- What traditions did you learn about?
- What things do you notice about Nepal?
- Are temples or religious sites part of daily life?
- What is different about Kathmandu?
National Geographic Kathmandu, City of Temples
Nepal Culture and Traditions: What Makes Nepali Culture So Special?
Closure: Discuss students’ observations of Nepalese “spiritual richness”. What are the differences between what you learned about Nepalese culture and and what you have experienced at home? What are the reasons for these differences?
