Nepalese food taboos

In most local traditional occasions, don't touch beef, don't use your left hand to pass food and cutlery, and ask if there are any taboos before going to a local's home or a restaurant in a non-tourist area. The probability of being cheated can be directly reduced to less than 10%.

I stayed in Kathmandu for three weeks the year before last, and I stepped on a trap the day after I landed. I went with my guide Basang to a distant relative’s house in the Talai area for dinner. I had beef jerky I bought in China in my pocket, and when I was about to hand it over, Basang pushed it back into my pocket, and I broke out in a cold sweat on my back. Later, I learned that more than 80% of the local population believes in Hinduism. Cows are the vehicles of the main god Shiva. They can walk sideways on the main roads in the city and no one dares to chase them. In the eyes of devout old-school believers, eating beef is a great offense to their faith. But don’t listen to online guides that say beef is not allowed in Nepal. In places like Thamel and Pokhara Lakeside, where tourists gather, tomahawk steaks in Western restaurants are cheaper than in China. Local Tibetan residents, indigenous groups in the southern Terai Plain, and many young people influenced by Western culture also eat beef themselves. Just don’t take beef to traditional Hindu families or vegetarian restaurants around temples. They don’t care what you eat in private.

Let’s talk about the left hand issue. On the third day, I handed oranges to my landlord’s grandmother, and I subconsciously used my left hand. My grandmother smiled and raised her right hand, and I suddenly realized what I was doing. According to local traditional customs, the left hand is responsible for personal hygiene. Touching food or passing things is considered disrespectful. However, young people in places with many tourists nowadays are not so particular. If you accidentally pass the water with your left hand, people will not be embarrassed on the spot. At most, they will feel a little embarrassed. On the contrary, villages in remote mountainous areas strictly observe this rule, so it is best to pay more attention before going.

Another easy pitfall is the vegetarian restaurants around the temple. The last time I was at the small restaurant in front of the Pashupatinath Temple, my friend who was traveling with me casually asked if there was chicken fried rice, and the owner's face straightened by half a foot. That kind of restaurant is specially designed for believers and ascetics to eat. Not only does it not have meat, it doesn't even contain eggs or garlic. Before entering, if you see a vegetarian sign on the door, don't ask about meat. The first time I ate local hand-picked rice, I made a joke. When I reached out to grab the rice, my whole finger was stuffed into the rice, and I accidentally rubbed Basang's plate. He immediately handed the plate of rice to the stray dog ​​squatting at the door. I dug my toes into the ground with embarrassment. Instead, he smiled and waved his hands and said that it was not directed at me. According to traditional customs, food that has been touched by outsiders is not considered "clean" and cannot be eaten if it is thrown away.

There are many rumors on the Internet that Nepalese people do not eat pork or offal, but in fact they are just generalizations. I have seen local young men queuing up to grab grilled pork chops at the night market in Pokhara. The indigenous tribes in Chitwan also make braised pig intestines to go with wine. Only some high-caste Hindus are taboo on these foods. Ordinary people are not so particular about it. There is also the issue of drinking. Normally, you can go to any bar in the city. But if it happens to be a major Hindu festival, such as Shivaratri, the whole city is prohibited from drinking, and the shops will not even sell beer. Don’t make a fuss by asking people for wine.

To be honest, after staying for a long time, I realized that there are no rigid taboos. In essence, it is just mutual respect. If you are not sure whether you can eat it or pass it on, just ask. Every time before I took out snacks, I would shake the bag and ask the locals next to me, "Is it okay for me to eat this?" ”, everyone will tell you clearly with a smile, they never deliberately make things difficult for others. To put it bluntly, if you don’t step on other people’s red lines of belief, they won’t cling to your little habits. When traveling, comfort is the most important thing.