Nepal is a country having unity in diversity. We can see diversity in geography and culture, tradition, religion, language, etc. There are many activities one can do while in Nepal. Among many, the cultural and religious tour is one of the popular activities. Along with Hinduism, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, there are several ancient Buddhist monasteries in Nepal. There is a tremendous impact on Buddhism in Nepal. To provide the opportunity to explore those ancient monasteries, Mountain Rock Treks, and Expedition Pvt.Ltd has organized a one-week plus two days (9 days) package Monastery tour in Nepal. A monastery tour in Nepal gives you a wonderful and unique tour experience. On this tour, you get the chance to know more about the history and rituals of Buddhism. In addition, you will get the opportunity to visit famous Buddhist pilgrimages and monasteries. This tour lets you immerse yourself in the wonders of Buddhist culture and tradition. The tour package mainly focuses on providing you the detailed information related to Buddhism.
Buddhism in Nepal
Although about 80% of the people are Hindu in Nepal, Buddhism significantly impacts Nepali culture. Further, these two main religions have many shared temples also. For instance, the Muktinath temple is the holy place of both Hindus and Buddhists. Every Nepali feels proud to say that Nepal is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. You can see religious harmony in Nepal, especially between Hindus and Buddhists. Tibetan Buddhism is the highest following type of Buddhism in Nepal. However, Buddhism was not common in Nepal in the past days. In the early decades of the 20th century, the Buddhist monks were banished from Nepal by the Rana government to suppress the resurgence of Theravada Buddhism in Nepal.
In 1926 and 1994, many monks were exiled from the Kathmandu Valley. The deported monks were the first group of monks to be seen in Nepal from the 14th century. They were leading a movement to revitalize Theravada Buddhism, which had vanished from the country five hundred years ago. The brutal Rana dynasty disapproved of Buddhism and the Nepali Bhasa, a language spoken by the Newar people. When police harassment and imprisonment failed to stop these monks, all of those who were Newars were deported.
In 1926, five monks and their Tibetan teacher Tsering Norbu were exiled from Nepal. They marched to the Indian border under police escort. These five monks and their guru first went to Bodhi Gaya, India, and then scattered to Burma and Tibet.
Another eight groups of monks were deported in 1994. These monks were accused of encouraging women to renounce and write in the Newar language. These monks were ordered to sign a pledge to stop their activities but were expelled when they refused. After that, they went to India and founded Dharmodaya Sabha (Society for the Rise of Teaching) to promote Buddhism. Some of them went to Tibet, Bhutan, and Srilanka from India.
After two years, in 1946, a Srilankan goodwill mission visited Kathmandu and mediated on behalf of the monks. The delegation emphasized that on being Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha, and his followers should be free to practice their faith in Buddhism in the country. Consequently, the ban was lifted, and the monks returned and dedicated themselves to spreading the religion with more interest and passion. Finally, in 1951, the Rana dynasty was ousted by a revolution, and Nepal established democracy in the nation, due to which overt persecution of Buddhists ended. And now, along with Hinduism, Buddhism is also the main religion of Nepal.
