Approved by the Government of Nepal,
Ministry of Education, Curriculum Development Centre, Sanothimi, Bhaktapur
Social Studies
and
Population Education
8
Editor : • Dr. Anirudra Thapa
A uth ors : • Nawa Raj Prasai
• Mahabir Paudyal
• Youba Raj Dhakal
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 1
Social Studies 8
and
Population Education
Oasis Publication Pvt. Ltd.
Anamnagar, Kathmandu
Authors:
Nawa Raj Prasai
Mahabir Paudyal
Youba Raj Dhakal
Language Editor
Sedunath Dhakal
Edition:
First : 2073 B S
Second: 2074 BS
Third : 2075 BS
Fourth : 2076 BS
Fifth : 2078 BS
Copyright ©
Authors
Computer Layout:
Oasis Desktop Group
(Ramesh Bhattarai)
Illustration:
Kaji Rana
Printed in Nepal
2 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Preface
Oasis Social Studies series has been designed to facilitate teaching Social
Studies to students of English medium schools. The series draws upon the
general guidelines, course content and teaching methods as envisioned in
the syllabus designed by the Curriculum Development Center (CDC). The
broad objective of Social Studies is to impart “cultural literacy” to students
so that they develop into responsible citizens. The significant part of being
culturally literate is to know and critically understand one’s social and
cultural surrounding. Social Studies, therefore, is an interdisciplinary subject
that incorporates history, geography, culture, sociology, and politics. Due to
its interdisciplinary nature, teaching Social Studies to young students is as
exciting and purposeful as it is challenging to deliver. The effective teaching,
therefore begins with the availability of quality teaching materials. Life and
Heritage aims at adding to and upgrading the existing textbooks.
This series follows the course rationale and framework stipulated in the
CDC course grid that judiciously clusters course contents around a person’s
interrelationship with the family, community, nation, and the world. Due to
the desired outcome of the CDC syllabus, this series has adopted “critical
thinking” as the pedagogic philosophy. We have consciously avoided the
tendency of overloading textbooks with neatly summarized bullet points, a
tendency, we believe, defeats the purpose of developing “critical thinking”
in students. Instead, this series has adopted creative approach to teaching
Social Studies. That is, it not only requires students to know what a family,
community, or a nation is but to understand how an individual’s civic,
cultural and political life is intricately related to larger social units. The
exercises are designed to not only test students’ ability to comprehend facts
and information but also think and reason about what they learn.
Life and Heritage takes up the task of providing quality teaching materials and
invites instructors to approach teaching Social Studies creatively. Therefore,
each book in the series addresses the age-specific mindset and psychology
of the students. For example, books for primary level abound with stories,
sketches, profiles and illustrations. In the higher level, the books focus more
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 3
on factual information with appropriate examples and illustrations. In class nine
and ten, we have made effort to address the SEE requirements without much
deviating from the textbooks prescribed by the government with significant
updates on data, facts, and current affairs. While exploring the flexibility allowed
by the SEE testing scheme, the books still adhere to functional pedagogy in that
they aim to make students understand concepts and ideas through presentation,
examples and illustrations. Overall, through pre-reading activities, advisory
notes, in-class activities, the series fosters participatory pedagogy.
Lessons feature real life stories, contextual dialogue, ethnographic profiles, and
pictorial illustrations. The series also incorporates latest available statistics up to
2018, including the of CBS census 2011. The figures and maps in the books follow
standard cartographic rules and conventions so that students learn map works
in an authentic way. Instead of including overtly ambitious project works, we
have focused on providing interesting do-able project works that allow students
to gain insight into social and cultural issues through self-discovery. Where
required, we have also provided general guidelines for the project work so that
instructors and students can undertake the task head on. As books are designed
for students of English medium schools, we have taken special care to avoid odd-
sounding English expressions that use Nepali structures and grammar.
Our special thanks go to Aatharai publication for publishing and bringing the
series to the teachers and learners. We owe many thanks to Harischand Bista,
the Managing Director of the publication, who has made it his passion to bring
this series to completion. We hope Life and Heritage, while fulfilling the course
objectives, will make teaching and learning Social Studies an enjoyable activity
in the classroom.
Authors
April 2021
4 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Contents
Unit 1 We, Our Community and Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Lesson 1.1 Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Lesson 1.2 Provinces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Lesson 1.3 Federalism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Lesson 1.4 Drinking Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Lesson 1.5 Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Lesson 1.6 Human Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Lesson 1.7 Development Projects in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Unit 2 Our Social Values and Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Lesson 2.1 Social Traditions and Customs of Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Lesson 2.2 Major Religions in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Lesson 2.3 Diversity and Social Harmony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Lesson 2.4 Our National Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Lesson 2.5 International Personalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Unit 3 Social Problems and Their Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Lesson 3.1 Social Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Lesson 3.2 Corruption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Lesson 3.3 Drug Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Lesson 3.4 Conflict and Its Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Lesson 3.5 Sustainable Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Lesson 3.6 Good Governance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Lesson 3.7 International Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Unit 4 Civic Awareness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Lesson 4.1 Social Rules and Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Lesson 4.2 Human Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Lesson 4.3 Women’s Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Lesson 4.4 Inclusiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Lesson 4.5 Provisions for Inclusiveness in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Lesson 4.6 Features of Our Constitution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Lesson 4.7 Civic Duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Lesson 4.8 Legislature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Lesson 4.9 Executive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Lesson 4.10 Judiciary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Unit 5 Our Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Lesson 5.1 Seasonal Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Lesson 5.2 Weather and Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Lesson 5.3 Factors Affecting the Earth Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Lesson 5.4 Climate Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Lesson 5.5 The Impact of Latitude and Longitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Lesson 5.6 Use of Scale in the Study of Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Lesson 5.7 Map Study and the Map of Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 5
Lesson 5.8 Earthquake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Lesson 5.9 Storms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Lesson 5.10 North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Lesson 5.11 South America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Lesson 5.12 Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Unit 6 Human Civilization and Our History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Lesson 6.1 Towards the Unification of Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Lesson 6.2 Unification: Events in Chronology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Lesson 6.3 Expansion Continues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Lesson 6.4 Political Events After Sugauli Treaty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Lesson 6.5 Political Activities During the Rana Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Lesson 6.6 Reforms During the Rana Rule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Lesson 6.7 Post-2007 Reforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Lesson 6.8 Greek and Roman Civilizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Lesson 6.9 Renaissance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Unit 7 Our Economic Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Lesson 7.1 Tourism Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Lesson 7.2 Foreign Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Lesson 7.3 Currency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Lesson 7.4 Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Lesson 7.5 Price Determination and Price Rise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Lesson 7.6 Capital Formation and Cooperative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Lesson 7.7 Employment Status in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Unit 8 International Relations and Cooperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Lesson 8.1 Our Neighbouring Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Lesson 8.2 United Nations and Its Organs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Lesson 8.3 United Nations and Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Lesson 8.4 Diplomatic Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Lesson 8.5 Nepal’s Contribution to International Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Unit 9 Introduction to Population Education and Demography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Lesson 9.1 The Concept of Demography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Lesson 9.2 Fundamental Measurement of Demography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Lesson 9.3 Death and Migration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Lesson 9.4 Determinants of Population Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Lesson 9.5 Population Structure of Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Lesson 9.6 Population Distribution in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Lesson 9.7 Internal and External Migration in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Lesson 9.8 World Population: Size and the Growth Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Unit 10 Population Growth and Its Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Lesson 10.1 Population and Quality of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Lesson 10.2 Ways of Managing Population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Lesson 10.3 Problems of Population Management in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Lesson 10.4 Role of International Organizations in Population Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
6 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Unit
1
We, Our Community
and Nation
Karnali Province
Gandaki Province
Bagmati Province
Province-1
Sudurpaschim Province
Lumbini Province
Province-2
Learning Objectives
Upon the completion of this unit, students will be able to :
understand the concept of development
outline the provinces and concept of federation
define, describe, and explain the importance of infrastructures of
development such as drinking water, energy, and human resources
assess development activities taking place in the nation
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 7
1.1
Development
Pre-reading Activities
Have you ever thought about the changes
that took place in your community over
the past five years? Think of roads,
schools, communication, health facilities
in your communities. How have they been
changed? Are these changes positive or
negative? Who benefits from such changes?
Take a few minutes to think about these
questions. Make a list of changes that have
taken place. Then, share your views with
the class.
8 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Reading
What is development?
As you already know, some changes that take place in our community are positive
while some are negative. In simple words, development refers to positive changes
that occur in our lives, community, and places where we live in. Have you wondered
what makes such changes possible?
Humans by nature strive to bring positive changes. This is the reason why we enjoy
the benefits of modern communication such as the internet, mobile phones, and so on.
Such facilities would have been unimaginable to our ancestors in the past. However,
the pace of development is not equal all over the world. Some societies have been
developed in a fast pace whereas some still struggle to develop. For a community to
develop faster, people living in that community have to be hard-working, sincere,
and honest. In developed societies, people tend to be educated, healthy, prosperous
and think positively.
Moreover, for development we need to utilize resources properly. Such resources are
basically of three types: natural, human, and financial. Water, air, forest, land and
natural beauty can be considered natural resources. Similarly, skilled and educated
population can be taken as human resource. To develop our community and nation,
we also need capital, money, financial institutions such as banks. These come under
financial resource.
All these natural, human, and financial resources together make development
possible. Availability of natural resources alone is not enough for development. To
utilize natural resources such as water, forest, and minerals, we also need money
and skilled manpower. In fact, economic activities are the basis of development. As
people earn more and spend more, economic activities increase, leading to development.
Moreover, people must be hard-working, creative, and entrepreneurial for development
to take off.
Free the Words
community : all the people who live in a particular area
financial : related to money
entrepreneurial : having skills to run a business
capital : a large amount of money required to start a business, company,
etc.
In-class Activities
a. Get into five small groups. Each group visits a section such as library, playground,
classroom, office of your school. As a group observe and talk to someone and
find out what changes/developments have taken place in the section you have
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 9
visited. Make notes and share your findings with the class.
b. Get into small groups. As a group, select a place you know. Then, offer
suggestions to develop the place as a tourist destination.
Exercise
1. Write True or False against the following statements.
a. Any change can be considered as development.
b. Only positive changes can be considered as development.
c. Economic activities are the foundation of development.
d. For economic development, we should earn more and spend less.
2. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What is development? Give example of your own.
b. What are development resources?
c. What do you think should be the role of people in development?
d. How does the financial resources help the country in its development?
e. Differentiate between developed and underdeveloped nations.
3. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. What do we need to develop a community or a nation? Explain.
b. How can development resources be utilized? Explain.
c. In your opinion, what can be done to develop Nepal? Make a list of
suggestions.
d. Differentiate between natural resources and human resources.
e. 'The development of the nation lies on the availability of the resources.'
Justify.
4. Compare the given pictures.
i. ii.
10 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
1.2
Provinces
Pre-reading Activities
Look at the pictures below. The first picture shows people of Jumla, displaying hail-
damaged paddy stalks and the second picture shows the skyline of Kathmandu
city. Think of “development” of these two places in Nepal: what differences do you
see? Why do you think one place is so developed and another still lags way behind
another? Share your views with the class.
People in Jumla showing hail-damaged Image of Kathmandu Today
paddy stalks, source Kantipur, Nov 10, 2014
Reading
As you see in the pictures above, development does not take place equally in different
places and communities. Some places of our country are very developed with all
the modern facilities. In contrast, some places like Jumla are still undeveloped and
lack modern facilities. This happens due to many reasons, including disproportionate
distribution of resources. Now the question is: what can be done to develop all the
places and communities equally so that all the people living in the country get the
benefits of development?
In order to develop the country in a fair and equitable manner, Nepal had adopted the
concept of development regions. Nepal had been divided into 75 districts, 14 zones and
five development regions. But Nepal was not divided into these many administrative
units in the past. Until 1950/51 (2007/8 BS), Nepal had only 33 districts. On Baisakh 1,
2018 BS, the country was divided into 75 districts and 14 zones. And in 2029 BS, four
development regions were outlined. In 2037 BS, Mid-western Development Region
was added. Thus, we had five development regions.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 11
The Constitution of Nepal that was promulgated onAswin 3, 2072 has firmly established
Nepal as a federal democratic republic with secular values. The constitution has also
made the provision of seven provinces eliminating all the zones and development
regions that existed before. Now we have 77 districts and 7 provinces. Let us catch the
major information about provinces.
A province is an administrative division that has its own governments. Its importance
are as follows:
To develop the country proportionately so that each region of the country
is equally developed
To solve the local problems at the local level so that people can work on
their problems by themselves
To avoid the problem of having the local people to go to the capital city for
work, education, and other development related activities
To strengthen the nation promoting unity amidst diversity
To promote regional balance
Province-1
Area : 25,075.21 sq. km
Physical region : Terai, Hill, Mountain
Population : 4,501,464
Capital City : Biratnagar
Chief Minister : Sher Dhan Rai
District : Taplejung, Pachthar, Ilam, Jhapa, Morang, Sunasari,
Dhanakuta, Terathum, Bhojpur, Sankhuwasava,
Udayapur, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Solukhumbu
Major Cash Crops : Tea, Tobacco, Sugarcane, Cardamom, etc.
Major Tourist : Mountaineering, Rafting, Trekking, etc.
Attractions
Major Peaks : Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchanjunga, Mt. Lhotse, Mt.
Choyu, Mt. Pumori, etc.
Major Religious Places : Halesi Mahadev, Budhasubba, Kankai, Maisthan,
Pathibhara, Satashidham, Chhintangdevi, etc.
Major Rivers : Arun, Tamor, Kankai, Mechi and other tributaries
of Saptakoshi
Major Trade Centres : Birtamode, Damak, Itahari, Dhankuta, Dharan,
Biratnagar, etc.
Protected Areas : Sagarmatha National Park, Kanchanjunga
conservation Area, Makalu Barun Conservation
Area, Makalu Barun National Park and Koshi
Tappu Wildlife Reserve
12 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Province-2
Area : 8893.68 sq.km
Physical region : Terai
Population : 5,373,090
Temporary Capital City : Janakpur
Chief Minister : Lal Babu Raut
District : Saptari, Siraha, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Sarlahi,
Rautahat, Bara, Parsa
Major Cash Crops : Tobacco, Sugarcane, Jute, etc.
Major Religious places : Janakpur, Chinnamasta, Gadhimai, Jaleshwor, etc.
Major Rivers : Bagmati, Kamala, etc.
Major Trade Centres : Birgunj, Janakpur, Lahan, Rajbiraj, Jaleshwor,
Gaur, etc.
Protected Areas : Parsa Wildlife Reserve and a part of Koshi Tappu
Wildlife Reserve
Bagmati Province
Area : 18,074.3 sq.km
Physical region : Terai, Hill, Mountain
Population : 5,442,984
Capital City : Hetauda
Chief Minister : Dormani Poudel
District : Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Dolakha,
Kavreplanchok, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur,
Sindhupalchok, Rasuwa, Dhading, Nuwakot,
Chitwan, Makawanpur
Major Cash Crops : Tobacco, Sugarcane, Vegetables, Coffee, Oil Seeds, etc.
Major Tourist : Mountaineering, Trekking, Rafting, Bunjee
Attractions Jumping, etc.
Major Peaks : Mt. Langtang, Gaurishankar Himal, Ganesh
Himal, Dorje Lakpa, Jugal, etc.
Major Religious Places : Pashupatinath, Changunarayan, Bhimeshwor,
Palanchowk Bhagawati, Gosaikunda,
Swayambhunath, Krishna Mandir, etc.
Major Rivers : Indrawati, Bhotekoshi, Tamakoshi, Sunkoshi,
Bagmati, Trisuli, etc.
Major Trades Centres : Kathmandu, Hetauda, Chitwan, Banepa,
Sindhuli, Tatopani, etc.
Protected Areas : Langtang National Park, Nagarjun Shivapuri
National Park, and Chitwan National Park
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 13
Gandaki Province
Area : 21,365.48 sq.km
Physical regions : Terai, Hill, Mountain
Population : 2,702,233
Capital City : Pokhara
Chief Minister : Prithvi Subba Gurung
District : Kaski, Tanahu, Lamjung, Gorkha, Syanja,
Manang, Parbat, Baglung, Myagdi, Mustang,
Nawalparasi(eastern part)
Major Cash Crops : Sugarcane, Coffee, Apple, Orange, etc.
Major Tourist : Mountaineering, Trekking, Rafting, Paragliding, etc.
Attractions
Major Peaks : Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Dhawalagiri, Mt.
Machhapuchhre, Himalchuli, etc.
Major Religious Places : Lumbini, Tribeni, Manakamana, Devghat,
Bindhyabasini, Rishikeshab, Kalika Temple,
Muktinath, etc.
Major Rivers : Marsyangdi, Kaligandaki, Narayani, Madi, etc.
Major Trades Centres : Pokhara, Bandipur, Baglung, Jomsom, etc.
Protected Areas : Annapurna Conservation Area, Manaslu
Conservation Area and Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve
Lumbini Province
Area : 19,207.13 sq.km
Physical regions : Terai, Hill
Population : 4,291,514
Capital City : Deukhuri
Chief Minister : Shankar Pokhrel
District : Rupandehi, Nawalparasi (western part), Kapilbastu,
Arghakhachi, Gulmi, Palpa, Dang, Pyuthan, Rolpa,
Rukum (eastern part),Banke, Bardiya
Major Cash Crops : Oilseeds, Coffee, Cotton, etc.
Major Tourist : Trekking, Rafting, etc.
Attractions
Major Religious Places : Lumbini, Swargadwari, Ridi, Resunga,
Thakurdwara, etc.
Major Rivers : Rapti, Badhigad, Tinau, Babai, etc.
Major Trade Centres : Butwal, Bhairawaha, Nepalgunj, Kohalpur, Tansen,
Krishnanagar, Lamahi, Tulsipur, etc.
Protected Areas : Bardia National Park and Banke National Park
14 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Karnali Province
Area : 28,935 sq.km
Physical Regions : Hill and Mountain
Population : 1,401,554
Capital City : Birendranagar
Chief Minister : Mahendra Bahadur Shahi
District : Dolpa, Jumla, Mugu, Humla, Kalikot, Salyan,
Rukum(western part), Surkhet, Dailekh, Jajarkot
Major Cash Crops : Medicinal Herbs (Yarchagumba, Paanchaule, etc.),
Apple, etc.
Major Tourist : Mountaineering, Trekking, etc.
Attractions
Major Peaks : Kanjirowa, Gautam, Kanti, Danfeshal, etc.
Major Religious Sites : Chandannath, Bageswari, Tripurasundari,
Kakrebihar, etc.
Major Rivers : Karnali, Bheri, etc.
Major Trades Centres : Nepalgunj, Birendranagar, Jumla, etc.
Protected Areas : Rara National Park and Shey-Phoksundo
National Park.
Sudurpaschim Province
Area : 19,539 sq.km
Physical Regions : Terai, Hill, Mountain
Population : 2,520,988
Capital City : Godawari
Chief Minister : Trilochan Bhatta
Districts : Kailali, Doti, Achham, Bajura, Bajhang
Kanchanpur, Dadeldhura, Baitadi, Darchula
Major Cash Crops : Cotton, Oilseeds, Sugarcane, etc.
Major Tourist : Trekking, Rafting, Dodhara Chandani Bridge
Attractions (Commonly known as Mahakali bridge is a suspension
bridge)
Major Peaks : Api, Saipal, Nampa, etc.
Major Religious Places : Beda baba, Saileshwori Temple, Jalpadevi,
Baidyanath Temple, Ugrataradevi, Jagannath
Temple, Tapoban, etc.
Major Rivers : Seti, Mahakali, etc.
Major Trades Centres : Dadeldhura, Dhangadi, Mahendranagar, Dipayal,
Tikapur, etc.
Protected Areas : Khaptad National Park and Suklaphanta Wildlife
Reserve
Source : Ministry of FederalAffairs and Local Development
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 15
Free the Words
administrative : related to running administration
monitor : to watch; to check
supervise : to make sure that everything is done correctly, safely
equitable : fair and reasonable; treating everyone equally
In-class Activities
Make a pie-chart to show the area of each province. Display the chart in class.
Exercise
1. Tick the correct alternatives:
a. Until 2007 BS, there were …………… districts.
i) 75 (ii) 25 (iii) 33
b. Nepal was divided into 14 zones and 75 districts on ………………..
(i) Chaitra 24, 2046 BS
(ii) Baisakh 1, 2018 BS
(iii) Falgun 7, 2007 BS
c. In 2029 BS, …………….. development regions were declared.
(i) 4 (ii) 5 (iii) 14
d. There are ................................................... provinces in Nepal.
(i) 6 (ii) 7 (iii) 5
e. There are .............................................. districts in Nepal.
(i) 70 (ii) 75 (iii) 77
2. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What is a province?
b. When was Nepal divided into seven provinces?
c. Which is the smallest province of Nepal?
d. Write one major medicinal herb found in Karnali Province.
16 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
3. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. Look at the atlas and/or the table in this lesson and answer these questions.
i. Name the provinces that border with China and India.
ii. Name the provinces that border only with India.
iii. Which is the largest province?
b. What are the benefits of having provinces?
c. Highlight the major problems and prospects of all the provinces.
d. Look at the atlas, find your province and give a brief introduction to the
region. Include information related to size, location, major towns, etc.
e. Make a list of major tourist attractions of all the provinces of Nepal.
f. If you had to choose one province to settle, which one would you choose?
Write with reasons.
g. If you had to divide Nepal into different provinces, how would you divide?
Explain.
4. Complete the following table with the informations on different provinces of
Nepal.
Province Major ethnic Prospects Problems Solution
groups
1
2
Bagmati
Gandaki
Lumbini
Karnali
Sudurpaschim
Community Project Work
Get into small groups. As a group, select a place of your community. Then, offer major
prospects of the place.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 17
1.3
Federalism
Pre-reading Activities
Get into small group of 4-5 students. Then, make a flow-chart to show the organizational
structure of your school. For example, show how the School Management Committee,
the Principal, Departments, Committees, Teachers, Students and Administrative units
relate to each other.
Reading
Importance of Federalism
Yesterday Ramila Joshi, the
chairperson of the rural
municipality (gaunpalika),
visited Namuna High
School. She met eighth
grade students of the
school. Here is the excerpt
of their interaction with her.
Teacher: Hello class! We
have a distinguished guest
today in our class. Mrs.
Ramila Joshi. She works as
a chairperson of the rural
municipality and supervises development activities in the rural municipality.
Class: Good morning Ms Joshi. We are delighted to have you with us.
Joshi: I am glad to meet you all. I would love to share what I know. Do you have
anything to ask me?
Student 1: We hear a lot about federalism these days. Can you tell us something about it?
Joshi: That’s a relevent question. Well, in a federal system of government, the entire
nation or states get greater power and autonomy. In this system, the country is
divided into various provinces or states. There are different levels of government. For
example, there is a federal government at the centre. Then, there are state governments
in various states or provinces. Both the provincial and central government have
their own parliament, judiciary, and executive. There is division of duties, rights,
and responsibilities among these different levels of government. Finally, at the local
18 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
level there is provision of the local government to carry out different development
activities.
Student 2: It sounds much like our school. We have school management committee
like the central government. Then, we have school houses and teachers.
Joshi: Right. It’s all about dividing responsibility and sharing resources. All these
rights, duties and responsibilities are mentioned in the constitution. For example, the
central government may look after border security, foreign affairs, mobilisation of
army, formation of national economic policy and its implementation, and national level
projects. Whereas provincial or state government may look after daily administration,
local security, and development activities like state level electricity, water and
irrigation supply services, making roads, providing health services, enhancing
trade within and between states, etc. Similarly, local government is entrusted with
different functions like preservation of local culture, distribution of land, building
ownership certificates, issuing citizenships, maintaining health sanitation, supervising
schools, etc.
Student 3: Indeed we got to know so much about federalism.
Student 4: I just wonder if we already have federalism in our country?
Joshi: O, Yes, our new constitution has already adopted federalism. It is in the
preliminary phase of implementation.
Free the Words
excerpt : a small part of some task
autonomy : power to govern or rule itself
federalism : a system of government in which there are levels of government
constitution : the main law or system of principles that govern a country
preliminary : beginning
In-class Activities
Divide the class into seven groups. Name each group after the provinces. In each
group, conduct a mock election to select a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and other
three members.
Task: Now imagine the class has a budget of Rs. 50000 to improve and develop the classroom
facilities. Now, decide how you’re going to divide the budget for certain classroom development
projects. Then give responsibility to each group to undertake the task.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 19
Exercise
1. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What is federalism?
b. What is the importance of federalism?
c. Write one major task of local government.
d. When did our country adopt the concept of federalism?
2. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. What are the likely responsibilities of central and state governments in
federalism?
b. Write short notes on:
(i) Regional balance
(ii) Federalism
c. Why has the concept of federalism been brought to Nepal?
d . Is federalism the need of time in Nepal? Explain.
Community Project Work
There are some merits and demerits of federalism. Discuss with your friends and
teacher and list them by making separate column.
20 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
1.4
Drinking Water
Pre-reading Activities
Read the following “Appeal to Customers” from Nepal Water Supply
Corporation:
One glass of water you save can save Now, think of these questions and
someone’s life. Therefore, please consider prepare a list of measures we can take to
the following: preserve drinking water.
Turn off the tap after the use. a. What are likely reasons for water
Do not get busy in other works b. pollution?
while the tap is open. How can we avoid polluting sources of
water?
Do not use drinking water for c. How can we preserve drinking water?
watering plants.
d. What are the main sources of drinking
Let us use rain water for washing water?
and cleaning purpose. e. Which advice given by Nepal Water
Supply Corporation do you follow?
Don’t drink water directly from the
tap; boil, filter or purify the water
before drinking.
Use clean water pot, glass and
wash hands before drinking.
Don’t litter in and around the water
source.
Reading
What do we need to build a strong house? Of course, we
need to lay a solid foundation. Similarly, to develop a
country, we also need a range of basic facilities. They are
called “infrastructures” of development. Drinking water,
education, electricity, roads, skilled human resource are
some of the infrastructures of development. In this lesson
and next, we are going to study about these infrastructures.
Drinking water is one of the basic needs and infrastructures for development. That
is precisely the reason why most ancient civilizations were centered on the bank of
rivers. As one of the richest nations in water resource, Nepal should have no problem
of drinking water. However, problems related to drinking water exist in our country.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 21
In hills and mountains, people use water from wells and rivers, which is not always
clean. In the Terai, they use underground water which contains a poisonous element
called arsenic. Because of this, many people suffer from water-borne diseases like
diarrhoea, typhoid, jaundice, cholera, dysentery, etc.
Drinking Water in Nepal
In the past, people drank water directly from the sources. Bir Shumsher introduced
the system of piped water for drinking purpose in 1883 (1940 BS). Water was piped
to a reservoir in Maharajgunj from Shivapuri. From the reservoir, it was supplied to
different parts of the Kathmandu Valley.
Bhim Shumsher piped water from Sangle Khola and stored it in a reservoir at Balaju.
From there water was distributed elsewhere. In 1964 (2021 BS), a water supply project
was launched at Sundarijal. Clean drinking water began to be supplied after this
project was completed. Later, Nepal Water Supply Corporation was established in 1972
(2029 BS). As a result of all this, many of people are benefited.
Problems
The situation of drinking water supply is not well managed in our country. In some
villages, people have to walk miles to fetch water. In Terai, they drink underground
untested water which is not good for health. In Kathmandu Valley, there is a shortage
of drinking water. Some households buy water from private water suppliers. Another
problem in Kathmandu is that there is no proper maintenance of water pipe-lines. As
a result, there is high level of water leakage, leading to wastage of precious liquid.
Water leakages also contaminate water and erode soil and damage roads.
Solutions
We can do many things to solve the problem of drinking water. Some of them are given below:
l We have to preserve and keep the sources of water clean.
l We should drink water only after it is purified.
l We should never keep the tap open.
l We should turn it off after use.
l We should drink boiled and filtered water.
Above all, we should not waste water at all. Keeping the importance of water in
mind, Nepal adopted a project, according to which the country had set the target
of providing healthy drinking water to the entire population by 2015 AD. But still
a large majority of the population continue to face challenges in the availability of
drinking water.
Free the Words
arsenic : a harmful chemical
reservoir : lake where water is stored
maintenance : keeping things in good condition by checking or repairing
infrastructure : basic systems and services needed for a country to run smoothly
22 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
In-class Activities
Get in a group of 4-5 students. As a group, prepare a pamphlet or a poster titled “Save
Water, Save Life.” In the poster/pamphlet, include pictures that suggest preservation of
water. Also include a list of things that one can do to save and preserve water. Using the
posters or pamphlets you have designed, launch a “Water Awareness” program in the
school so that you educate other students about the importace of preserving water.
Exercise
1. Fill in the blanks.
a. Drinking water is considered as a basic infrastructure of development
because..............
b. .......................... and.......................... are used as sources of water in the Hills
and Mountains.
c. .......................... has arsenic in it.
d. .......................... introduced the system of piping water for drinking purpose.
e. Bhim Shamsher had water stored at..........................
f. Nepal Water Supply Corporation was established in..........................
2. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What is drinking water?
b. What percentage of People in Nepal drink safe water?
c. Name any two water borne diseases.
d. Draw a picture of the main source of water at your home.
3. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. Why is water important? Write in a paragraph.
b. What is the situation of drinking water supply in Nepal? Discuss.
c. What is Bir Shamsher’s contribution to water supply system in Nepal?
d. What are some of the problems related to drinking water in the Hills, Terai
and the Kathmandu Valley?
e. Write at least five suggestions to improve drinking water supply system.
f. Write a letter to the Nepal Water Supply Coroporation requesting to repair
your water pipeline as your tap had stopped dispensing water.
g. What is the situation of dirnking water at your school? Write in a paragraph.
Community Project Work
Form a group of 4-5 students. As a group, visit at least three households in your
locality. Find out the drinking water related problems each household faces. List them
in the table below and offer suggestions to solve each problem.
Households Problems Solutions
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 23
1.5
Energy
Pre-reading Activities
Divide the class into two groups. Take a few minutes and think of the following
questions. Then come up with a list of possibilities.
Group A: Imagine a world without electricity in future. What would life be like?
What will happen? What will you be able to do and not do?
Group B: Imagine that petroleum reserve in the world is suddenly exhausted and
petroleum products are not available. What would our life be like then? What will
happen? What will you be able to do and not do?
Reading
Electricity, petroleum products, coal, and firewood are sources of energy. Without
energy, life is unimaginable. We cannot watch TV; we cannot work on computer; we
cannot cook food; and we cannot even boil or pump up the drinking water. This shows
how important energy is. One of the main sources of energy is electricity. We need
electricity to run industries, factories and machines. Electricity can be produced from
various sources: water, petrol, diesel, solar power, bio-gas, etc. But for our country,
there is no problem of electricity source because there are many big rivers from which
electricity can be generated. Nepal is the second richest country in water resource.
There are 6000 rivers in total. Although all the rivers are not suitable for hydropower
generation, there is a potential of producing an estimated 83000 megawatt of electricity.
However, we are unable to fully utilize this resource. As a result, we are facing the
problems of periodic blackouts throughout the country.
Electricity in Nepal
Nepal is heavily dependent on hydroelectricity to
meet its energy demands. It has hydro-potential
of 83,000 MW. Out of it, there is feasibility of
generating about 42,133 MW from economic
and technical aspect. Nepal saw electric lights
first in 1908 (1965 BS). It was during the rule of
Chandra Shumsher. Pharping Hydro Project was
the first hydropower project. It produced 500 KW
24 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
power. According to Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the hydro projects currently
operating in the country have at total installed capacity of around 1100 MW.
Electricity Consumption
Nepalese hydro-power potential in detail.
River Basin No. of project sites Economic potential (MW)
10,260
Sapta Koshi 40
Sapta Gandaki 12 5,270
Karnali & Mahakali 9 25,125
Southern River 5 878
Total 66 42,133
Source: World Bank
Transmission Status
S. N. F/Y Total import Total export Transmission
energy (MWH) energy (MWH) line loss (in %)
1 2072/73 3097302.02 2934259.90 5.26%
2 2073/74 5552927.57 527058.79 5.00%
3 2074/75 6347849.13 5990500.00 5.63%
Source: Nepal Electricity Authority
Still many people in Nepal are deprived of electricity. Many villages do not have
electricity. To solve such problems, we must generate more and more electricity. It
will be possible when we properly utilize the abundant water resource.
Alternative Energy Sources
Since most energy sources such as petroleum products and coals are limited, people
are thinking of alternative energy sources. One such institution that works towards
developing alternative energy is Alternative Energy Development Program. It
provides equipment to produce electricity from solar power and wind. In a country
like Nepal, wind-generated electricity and solar power can be effective sources of
energy as well.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 25
Free the Words
bio-gas : fuel from organic wastes such as cow dung, etc.
black out : a period when lights are off due to an electrical power failure
feasibility : possible
load-shedding : cutting off the electric current on certain lines
In-class Activities
Read the following instructions given by Nepal Electricity Authority and answer the
questions that follow:
Duty of a Responsible Citizen to Save Energy
Install low-energy consuming equipment at your homes.
Install less-electricity consuming CFL and LED bulbs.
Use white or yellow colour to paint rooms.
Use improved oven that consumes less firewood.
Open windows while using gas.
Use bio-gas, instead of burning cow dung.
a. What can we do to save energy?
b. Make a list of other measures to save energy.
c. Which of the suggestions given by the Nepal Electricity Authority do you follow
at home?
26 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Exercise
1. Write True or False against these statements.
a. Water and bio-gas are sources of electricity.
b. Nepal is the richest country in water resources.
c. There are 4000 rivers that can generate electricity in Nepal.
d. Kathmandu was illuminated with electric lights in 1990 BS.
e Nepal’s total hydropower potential is 83,000 MW.
2. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What are the main sources of energy? Which ones do you use on a daily
basis?
b. What problems will you face at your house without electricity?
c. What are the sources of electricity? Who first introduced electricity in
Nepal?
d. What is the main problem that people face in terms of electricity in towns
and cities?
3. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. What are the problems in the electricity sector? What solutions can you
think of?
b. What is the current status of electricity in Nepal?
c. Write an essay on “Electricity Development in Nepal.”
d. What alternative energy sources can we develop to solve energy problems?
e. Nepal is the second richest country in terms of water resources. It can
be economically prosperous through hydrpower generation. What roles
should the concerned authorities play to make proper use of water
resouces? Write in brief.
f. Imagine the situation:
i. What will happen if there is no electricity?
ii. What will happen when all the petroleum products (petrol, diesel, air
fuel, kerosene, cooking gas) get finished from the earth?
Community Project Work
Find out what types of energy sources have been used at your school, home,
neighborhood, or community. Prepare a brief report and present it to your class.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 27
1.6
Human Resource
Pre-reading Activities
Take approximately 5 minutes. Write what profession or work would you like to
pursue in the future. Then, explain why you want to pursue that profession and what
kind of education, training, and attitude would you need to pursue that profession.
Share your thoughts with the class.
Reading
A person cannot do anything unless he or she has skills and knowledge. Skills,
education, and knowledge allow a person to pursue a profession. People with such
skills, education, and knowledge are called human resource. People need formal or
informal education or training to develop their skills.
Human resources are also called manpower, labour force and human capital. Human
resources are classified as skilled, semiskilled and unskilled. For the development of
nation, we need all these manpower. But manpower or human resource is not only
enough for the development of nation. Means and resources are equally important.
We need specific kind of human resource for various sectors. For example, we need
people trained in medicine to work in the health sector. Similarly, trained and skilled
teachers are needed in the educational sector. Our efforts at developing human
resource should focus on all the sectors as people trained in one area may not be
able to work in another sector. For example, professors are best resources to teach
in a university, but they cannot perform surgeries in a hospital. Therefore, we need
different types of human resources for different sectors. The following are examples
of human resources available in the country.
28 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Example of human resources:
Agriculture Education Industry Health Tourism
farmers teachers chemists doctors tour guides
workers administrators engineers nurses chefs
transporters educationists workers administrators hoteliers
agro-experts professors supervisors pathologists travel agents
agro-technicians librarians quality dentists flight operators
controllers
vets, etc. researchers, etc. experts, etc. radiologists, house keepers, etc.
pharmacists, etc.
In our country, even though we have adequate human resource in some sectors of
economy such as agriculture, trade, and public service, we have inadequate human
resource in the field of science, medicine, engineering, telecommunication. Due to
the lack of human resources in these sectors, we are unable to develop these areas.
However, every job and profession is respectable. There cannot be a good or bad
work, neither can there be a prestigious or dishonorable job or profession.
Just having educated and trained human resource is not enough; people should have
hard working habit and should be ready to work ethically. A country can develop
only if it has a creative, skilled, honest, and hard-working human resource.
To accelerate the development process in Nepal, we need creative, skilled, and productive
human resources. The country needs to formulate strategies and plans to develop such
human resources for the effective implementation of development activities.
Free the Words
profession : occupation
pursue : follow
vets : veterinary
pathologist : an expert in the study of diseases
radiologist : a medical doctor specialized in diagnosing and treating disease
and injuries using medical imaging techniques
In-class Activities
Make a list of jobs/works available at your school. Then write a brief job description
for each professional.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 29
Exercise
1. Write True or False against the following statements.
a. Skills, abilities and knowledge add to human resources.
b. Education is an integral part of human resource development.
c. The same resource can be used for all the sectors.
d. Nepal has maintained a balance in human resource.
e. It is important to respect all kinds of works for personal and social
development.
2. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What do you mean by ‘human resource’? Why is it important?
b. What are the factors that help develop human resource?
c. Why should there be a balance between different types of human resources?
d. How do Nepalese generally view work?
3. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. What are the major problems caused by the lack of human resources.
b. Differentiate between skilled and unskilled human resources.
c. What effort have been made in Nepal to produce skilled human resources
for its economic and social development? Write in brief.
Community Project Work
Find someone in your community who is educated but unemployed. Talk to
him or her and prepare a profile.
Name :.................................................................
Address :.................................................................
Education :.................................................................
His areas of interests :.................................................................
Training/Skills :.................................................................
Your suggestion :.................................................................
What the person lacks :.................................................................
What the person should do to get a job :. ...............................................................
30 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
1.7
Development Projects in Nepal
Pre-reading Activities
Few years ago, vegetables produced in Histan, Myagdi, used to be consumed in the
village itself. Now, things have changed. Tek Bahadur Garbuja, a farmer from the
remote mountain village, earned Rs 60,000 this year selling potato, thanks to road
expansion. “Now we can supply our products to the market,” said Garbuja, who
had contributed Rs 15,000 as donation for the construction of the road.
Source: The Kathmandu Post
a. How did the people of Histan benefit from the road?
b. In what other ways road transport can be beneficial to us? Share your thoughts
with the class.
Reading
As you see in the news above, people directly benefit from development. Each year,
a number of development projects are run across the country. Most development
projects aim to provide facilities to people and develop basic infrastructures such
as drinking water, roads, communication, education, and health. The following are
some examples of development projects currently running across the country.
Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project
With the aim of providing secure and safe drinking water to people living in rural
areas, this project is run in Western Nepal. The project is funded by the government
of Finland. The project also runs sanitation and cleaning programs in many districts
of province five and six.
Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWAP)
Melamchi Water Supply Project is considered the most
important project that will supply water to Kathmandu
Valley. After the completion of the project, it is expected
to solve water shortage problem in the Valley. The
project is designed to divert about 170 MLD of fresh
water to Kathmandu Valley from the Melamchi River
in Sindhupalchowk district. The project will also add
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 31
further 170 MLD each from the Yangri and Larke rivers, which lie in the proximity of
Melamchi. Asian Development Bank is the major donor of the project. The project is
estimated to complete very soon.
School Sector Development Plan (SSDP)
The government of Nepal has developed the School Sector Development Plan (SSDP)
for 77 districts. The SSDP has been developed for the July 2016 to July 2023 period.
The SSDP was developed through a participatary process led by the Ministry of
Education and is in line with the country's vision of graduating from the status of a
Least Developed Country by 2022 AD. The project is funded by the government of
Nepal and various donor agencies. The main objective of the project is to increase
people's access to quality education and provide education to all. For this, the project
runs programs such as development of school infrastructures, teacher training,
reform of testing system, improvement in the quality education, institutionalization
of performance accountability, etc.
Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bardibas Road Project
Started in 1996 with the donation and support of Japan, this project links the Eastern
Terai directly to Kathmandu. This road is the shortest route to link Terai and Kathmandu
Valley. The total length of the road is 158 km only. As a result, this road functions as an
alternative link route to Kathmandu. This project was completed in 2015 A.D.
Hydropower Projects
There are more than a dozen small and large hydropower projects being constructed
in Nepal. Projects such as Upper Tamakoshi (456 MW), Rasuwagadhi (111 MW), Kali
Gandaki “A” (144 MW), Chameliya (30 MW) are some of the ongoing hydropower
projects in Nepal. Upon completion of these projects, they will increase electricity
supply to national power grid and relieve the country from the problem of power
shortage.
Free the Words
expansion : an act of increasing the size and scope
sanitation : system of keeping a place clean; removing waste
access : having availability
reform : an act of improving something
implement : to run a program; to make something happen
32 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
In-class Activities
Think of any development project currently running in your locality. Write a brief
description of the project, including :
What kind of project it is
Who funds the project
What are the benefits of the project
Read out the description to the class.
Exercise
1. Write True or False against the following statements.
a. The road that links Histan of Myagdi to markets was constructed by the
government.
b. Development projects directly benefit people.
c. Kali Gandaki “A” project has the capacity to produce 111 MW electricity.
d. Dhulikhel-Sindhuli-Bardibas road links Kathmandu with Western Terai
region of Nepal.
e. The School Sector Development Plan aims to provide education to all.
2. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What is a development project?
b. What are the areas that come under development projects?
c. What is the main aim of rural water supply and sanitation project?
3. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. Write about Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) in brief.
b. Which regions and areas does the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation
Project focus on? What are its main works?
c. What are the main objectives and functions of School Sector Development Plan?
d. Describe briefly any development project currently running in Nepal (not
mentioned in the lesson).
Community Project Work
Get into small groups of 4-5 students. As a group, visit the site of a development
project being implemented in your community. Based on your observation, write a
brief report of the project and share it with the class. In the project report, include:
Project description/introduction
Funding sources/estimated cost
Beneficiaries /benefits
Start and completion dates
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 33
Unit Review
In this unit, we have learnt that :
an activity that brings positive changes in people’s lives and community
is called development.
we need resources and infrastructure for development.
education, health, water, minerals, communication, transportation are
some of the basic infrastructure of development.
to develop a country, we need skilled, educated, hard-working, and
ethical human resource.
the purpose of dividing the country into several provinces is to achieve a
balanced and equitable development.
in a federal system, there are three levels of governments : central,
provincial, and local.
development projects directly benefit people.
there are a number of development projects currently being run in Nepal related
to various sectors such as education, health, transportation, and energy.
Test Your Knowledge
1. Select the correct answer.
a. The concept of development refers to activities that :
i. Bring positive changes
ii. Bring happiness
iii. Rebuild old structures
iv. None of the above
b. Federalism helps:
i. Form various political parties
ii. Popularize local cultures
iii. Achieve balance in development
iv. Divide national budget equally among districts
c. Human resource refers to:
i. People having skills, education, and habit of working hard
ii. People having money and willing to invest
iii. Resourceful people with good income and spending
iv. A large number of laborers to work in factories and farms
d. Which one is not the objective of dividing the country into provinces?
i. To develop the country proportionately
ii. To solve local problems at the local level
iii. To promote unity amidst diversity
iv. To strengthen the central government
34 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
e. Which one does not apply to federalism?
i. Provinces have their own parliaments
ii. Federalism allows to have multiple level of government
iii. All development works are carried out by central and federal
government
iv. Every province has its own security force and foreign policy
f. Which one is not the infrastructure of development?
i. Education ii. Transportation
iii. Drinking water iv. Markets
g. Which one is not the problem related to drinking water in Nepal?
i. Floods and landslides ii. Polluted water sources
iii. Shortage of drinking water
iv. Lack of maintenance of water pipelines
h. Which is not the source of energy?
i. Firewood ii. Coal
iii. Soil iv. Rivers
2. Answer the questions.
a. What factors are primarily necessary for development?
b. What are development regions?
c. How can federalism be beneficial for the development of the nation?
d. What are the main sources of energy? What are some of the alternative
sources of energy?
e. Offer suggestions to solve the problem of load-shedding in Nepal.
f. In which areas or sectors does Nepal need skilled human resources?
g. What benefits does the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project have for
the people living in the western parts of Nepal?
h. What can be done to increase people’s participation in development?
C. With the help of an Atlas, reference book, or the lesson, fill up the following table:
Provinces Trade Tourism Major Agricultural Mines and
centers sites ethnic
groups products minerals
D. Get into small groups and as a group prepare a “Development Plan” for your
school. In your plan, name the project such as “Library Expansion” and then
draw a detail plan of how you are going to do that. Also mention the source
of fund, beneficiaries, and importance of each project you have designed.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 35
Unit
2
Our Social Values
and Norms
Learning Objectives
Upon the completion of this unit, students will be able to :
explore social and religious traditions of Nepal
participate in the preservation of social and religious traditions and
cultures
understand the notion of unity in diversity and to promote tolerance
and cordial relationship among peoples
identify Nepal’s national heritage and to participate in their conservation
discover, study and learn from the lives of international personalities
36 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
2.1
Social Traditions and Customs of Nepal
Pre-reading Activities
Read the following text and also look at the picture.
For the Lowa community in the Upper Mustang of
Nepal, apron weaving traditions are an important
part of their cultural identity. Some women own so
many aprons, they can wear a new apron each day
of the year. In recent years, due to the widespread
use of modern synthetic fabrics, many women no
longer practise traditional weaving methods to create
these aprons. Fewer young women are learning this
tradition from their elders and as a result this ancient
art form is at risk of being lost.
Source: National Geographic Channel
a. Why is the apron-weaving tradition important for the women of Lowa
community?
b. Why is this tradition disappearing?
c. What can be done to preserve this tradition?
Reading
Like the apron-weaving social tradition of Lowa community, many social traditions
and customs in our society are disappearing. For us to preserve our identity and
maintain social good will, we need to find out about such traditions and work towards
preserving them for posterity.
Neeru Rajbhahak, the Social Studies teacher of Namuna High School, divided
her students into four groups. She set the task for each group to find a social
tradition belonging to a community and present their findings in the class.
Each group presented their ideas in the following ways:
Group A: Guthi
Hello Friends: We are going to talk about a wonderful social tradition belonging to Newar
community. It is called Guthi. The word “Guthi” is derived from “Goshti” so it can be said
that Guthi system began very early. Guthi refers to the idea of communal ownership of
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 37
land, often donated for the Guthi. The income generated
by the land owned by the Guthi is used for a range of
works such as maintaining and preserving temples,
Patis (rest houses), Mathas and stone taps. In a typical
Guthi, there is a leader of the Guthi, known as Thakali
and other members are called Guthiyars. As a whole,
Guthi in Newar community is a form of institutional
leadership and it does religious and charitable works
as well.
Group B: Bheja
Hello Friends: We are going to talk about Bheja, a
traditional social organization, prevalent in Magar
community. Bheja is a social organization formed to
achieve specific social and cultural goals. This group
usually looks after religious, cultural practices and
promotes social unity. It also manages entertainment
programs. The senior most member of the group
is called the Mukiya. A Mukiya is selected from
among the eldest members of Bheja. Bheja also selects the priest and works towards
conservation of traditional customs, rites, and rituals.
Group C: Rodhi
We were fascinated by Rodhi, a social tradition
popular among the Gurungs. Rodhi is primarily
a cultural gathering. Young people of Gurung
community gather in a house, known as Rodhighar
and perform cultural programs such as singing and
dancing. Such programs help promote strong social
relationship among the people. Rodhighar is chosen
in a rotational way. People gathered in Rodhi decide
where the next Rodhi will take place.
Group D: Margapuja
Within Kirat religion, there are different communities
or sects. One of them is Rai. Within Rai community,
Aathapahariya Rai has a distinct history. They live
in Dhankuta and its surroundings. Their religion is
Kirat, and they observe different rites and rituals,
feasts and festivals and worship different gods and
goddesses. Marga is one of the important gods in the
community. Marga is put in Margasthan and they
worship the god in Margasthan. They worship the god
three times a year in Baishakh/Jestha, Bhadra/Ashoj and Kartik/Mangsir. They choose a
38 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
particular date to worship the god, Marga. During the worship, they sacrifice animals
such as pigs, goats, hens, offer newly harvested grains such as rice and corn. Mostly,
various dances such as Dhan Naach and Chandi Naach are also performed.
Group E : Badghar
The Badghar system is very old tradition in the Tharu
community. Badghar refer to the elected chief of a village
or a small group of village for a tenure of one year. Every
year, the Tharu community elects the Badghar in the month
of Magh, after celebrating the Maghi festival and completing
major farming activities. The major tasks of Badghar are :
● To create unity in village or community.
● To complete the rituals of birth, death, etc.
● To ensure the social norms and values are followed.
● To carry out different tasks for the welfare of the village.
Free the Words
community : all the people who live in a particular area
tradition : a way of doing something that existed for a long time
conserve : preserve
rotational : taking turn; one after another
In-class Activities
Work in a group. As a group find at least three persons belonging to a community
such as Newar, Magar, Tharu, Sherpa, etc. in your school. Talk to them and find
out about any special social tradition they practise. Gather information about the
tradition. Write a brief description of it and present in the class.
Exercise
1. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What do you mean by social traditions?
b. Write any two social traditions of Nepal.
c. Give a significance of Margapuja.
2. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. What is Guthi system? Write down its major functions.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 39
b. How does Rodhi promote good relationship among the members of Gurung
community?
c. Write down the similaritities and differences between Bheja, Badghar, Rodhi
and Guthi.
d. Briefly introduce a social tradition practised in your community (other
than mentioned in the lesson).
e. Nowadays we often hear the news of being cheated in the name of Dhukuti.
What precautions need to be applied to protect ourselves from such fraud
activities and preserve such social tradition as well? Write in points.
Community Project Work
Read the following information posted in the webpage of Compassion for
Farm Animal Organization, UK.
Up to 250,000 farm animals were inhumanely slaughtered as part of the Nepalese
festival ‘Gadhimai’ which last took place in 2009 – this November the slaughter is
set to take place all over again. The Gadhimai Festival takes place every five years
in the Bara district of Nepal, south of Kathmandu. For 250 years the festival has
continued relatively unchallenged, but as news of the inhumane slaughter has
spread internationally animal welfare advocates have spoken out against it. This
year, there are more people, groups and organizations that are not willing to sit back
and let this cruelty happen. Together, we are speaking out against this inhumane
festival.
As you know from the information above, some social or cultural traditions
are controversial. While people who participate in animal sacrifice justify it,
others argue against it. Get into two groups and debate whether such animal
sacrifice should be banned.
40 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
2.2
Major Religions in Nepal
Pre-reading Activities
Before you read the lesson below, think of the following questions and come out with
your own answers.
What do you think is religion?
Which religion do you or your family follow?
Who are the major God or Goddess in your religion?
Share your views with the class.
Reading
Religion is an organizational practice that aims at improving the ways of living and
conducting oneself in a society. It requires self-discipline, goodwill, and devotion. People
of Nepal practise many religions and follow different religious traditions.
Nepal was declared as secular state on Jestha 4, 2063 B.S. Secularism means the
separation between religion and state. In a secular state people are not discriminated
on the basis of their religious belief and all religions are treated equally. In Nepal, there
are more than one religious traditions in practice, but the state does not prioritize one
religion over another. Thus, Nepal is a secular country. Let us examine some major
religions followed in Nepal.
Population Distribution in Terms of Religion
Hindus 80.62% Buddhists 10.74%
Muslims 4.20% Kirats 3.60%
Source: (CBS report 2068)
Hinduism
Although Hinduism is no longer the national religion of
Nepal, the majority of Nepalese are Hindus. Hinduism
is taken as the oldest religion. There are many old
scriptures in Hindu tradition, but the oldest of all are
the Vedas. Other books are the Gita, the Ramayana,
the Mahabharata and the Upanishadas, etc. Hindus are
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 41
polytheists too. That means they worship and believe in
many gods. The supreme gods are Brahma, the creator
of the universe and men, Vishnu, the preserver and
protector and Maheshwar, the destroyer. It is believed
that when sinners begin to rise on earth, God takes
different incarnations and comes to earth to eliminate
them. Lord Rama and Krishna are examples of such
incarnations. Other gods and goddesses include Ganesh,
Laxmi, Durga, Saraswati, Indra and Surya.
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautam was the founder of Buddhism. He was born in 563 BC in Kapilvastu
of Lumbini. He was married and had a son. When he turned 29, he left his palace to seek
out the ‘truth’ of life. For months he meditated, eating and drinking little to understand
the nature of suffering. One night as he was meditating, he became the Enlightened one,
or Buddha. Buddha means a person who has understood the cause of suffering and the
methods to end it. Later Buddha taught his wisdom to others. Soon his teachings spread
to India, China, Sri Lanka and other countries. Today, there are millions of followers of
Buddhism in the world. A large number of Nepalese also follow Buddhism. The Tripitaka
and the Jatakas are the sacred books of Buddhists. The Tripitaka contains teachings of
Buddha and rules for monks and nuns. The Jataka tells the story of Buddha’s birth and
life. Monasteries, Viharas and Stupas are the holy places for Buddhists. Non-violence and
charity are the important virtues for Buddhists.
Islam
Prophet Muhammad was the founder of Islam. He was born around 570 AD at Mecca
of Saudi Arabia. He had lost his father before he was born and his grandfather when
he was eight. It is said that when Muhammad was 41, he received a message from the
angel, Gabriel who said to him “You are the messenger of God.” Then he began to
preach the words of God to the world. The holy book of Islam is the Quran. Followers
of Islam go to mosques and pray ‘Namaz’. The main religious festival is Eid which
falls in the month of Ramadan.
42 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Kirat Religion
Kirat religion is a very ancient religion. The Kirats worship
their ancestors and nature. Fire, air, trees, hills, forest, rivers,
stones and other natural objects are worshiped with full
beliefs. The religious place of Kirats is also called Margathan.
Phalglunanda Lingden is the founder of Kirat religion and
Kirati people consider him as their main 'Guru'. They Sakela/
Sakewa Ubhauli during plantation and Sakela/Sakewa Udhauli
during harvestation. Their holy book is the Mundhum which
is also known as the Kirat Veda, Paruhang and Sumnima are
worshiped as their main deities.
Christianity
Christianity is the chief religion of European and American countries but it has been
flourished worldwide nowadays. Jesus Christ was the founder of Christianity. He was
born on December 25 in Jerusalem. He stood against social evils and spoke for reforms.
He became popular among people and for the same reason he was crucified on Good
Friday in 30 AD.
But his teachings spread after his death too. The Bible is the holy book of Christians;
they go to Church and recite prayers. The main religious festival of Christians is
Christmas, which falls on the birthday of Christ, December 25.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 43
Sikhism
The foundation of Sikhism was laid by Guru Nanak Dev. Guru Granth Shaib is the main
religious text of Sikhism. It is an anthology of prayers and hymns that contain the words
and verses uttered by the Sikh Gurus. Sikhs do not worship the idol. They pray and
chant hymns at Gurudwara. To follow Guru's words, to help the destitute, to follow non-
violence, to keep cordial relationship with all and to protect the religion are the major
preachings of this religion. Sikhism advocates equality for men and women of every race
and religion.
Beside these religions, there are other religions prevalent in Nepal. Some of them are Jain,
Bahaei, Sinto, Tao, etc. Nepalese people respect each other's regligious activities. There is
peace and harmony among the Nepalese people. There is religious tolerance in Nepal.
Free the Words
secular : not connected with religious matters
incarnation : life in particular form, especially that of gods
enlightened : having the understanding of people’s suffering, needs
crucify : to kill somebody by nailing or fastening to a cross
In-class Activities
Divide the class into four groups. Imagine that each group belongs to a distinct religion
such as Hindu, Christianity, Islam, etc. As a group, make notes of the main features of
the religion you have chosen for this purpose. Then, give a brief presentation on the
religion your group belongs to.
44 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
Exercise
1. Write True or False against the following statements.
a. A secular nation is where one religion is dominant over others.
b. Nepal became secular state in 2007 (2063 BS).
c. Hindus have the largest population in Nepal.
d. Jesus Christ was crucified for his reformist ideas.
2. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What is a secular state?
b. How is Nepal a secular state?
c. Who are the three supreme Gods of Hindus?
d. What is a ‘Buddha’?
e. How are the Tripitaka and the Jataka different?
f. How do the followers of Islam regard their God?
g. What do you mean by the term "religious tolerance"?
3. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. Which of the religions practise idol worship and which don't? Make
separate lists.
b. Fill in the table.
Differences Kirant Shikh
Similarities Hindusim Buddhisim Islam Christinity
Preaching
Scriptures
Community Project Work
Find out the followers of different religions in your community. Make a report
about the difficulties they face while following their religious practices. Also suggest
measures to solve those problems.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 45
2.3
Diversity and Social Harmony
Pre-reading Activities
Take a few minutes. Think about the composition of your class and find out:
How many and which religions do the students of this class follow? How
many languages (which languages) do they speak?
How many and which cultural traditions do they belong to?
From how many districts (and which ones) do they come from?
Based on your findings, discuss whether your class is diverse or uniform. If
diverse, then what makes it so?
Reading
As you have found out by now, your class is very diverse. Students from different
parts of the country or different areas of the same district study along with you.
While some belong to one religious or cultural tradition, others belong to traditions
other than yours. And yet, you have good relationship with everyone, irrespective of
what religion your friends practise, which culture they follow, and which language
they speak. Have you ever wondered what makes students from different cultural
backgrounds work together? It is your common goal—to study and learn.
46 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
The nation too is like a class. Nepal in particular, like your class, is extremely
diverse. This diversity is reflected in our geography, culture, language, and religion.
Geographically, we have snow-capped mountains, high hills and plains with different
climate, vegetations, and soil. However, each geographical region is largely dependent
on others. For example, Terai produces food grains and supplies to mountainous
regions where farming is scanty. Rivers that irrigate the fertile plains of Terai originate
in and flow from the mountains. This relationship creates a harmonious society in
which people living in one place respect the people living in another place. They
share cultures, products, values, and common concern. This is what we call social
harmony.
As you have learned in the previous lesson, we have many religions and people follow
the faith of their choice without any restriction. Moreover, the religious diversity has
become the strength of our society as we respect each other's religious tradition and
customs; we celebrate festivals belonging to different religions and cultures. Indeed
we have tolerance towards diversity and differences. This also promotes social
harmony in the country.
According to population census of 2068, 123 languages are spoken in Nepal. Most
of the languages have their own dialect. These languages are our typical identity.
All these languages are national language. All languages are not understood by all
Nepalese. Hence, Nepali language has been used as the lingua franca. It is also an
official language. Similarly, there are 125 ethnic groups and people following more
than 10 religions in Nepal.
Moreover, we respect our seniors and love our juniors. We love and help each other
when we are in need. We love and respect our gurus and teachers. This is what is
common among all Nepalis. Other common social traditions of Nepalis are naming-
ceremony, initiation ritual, wedding, mourning, etc. They may be observed differently.
Everyone respects others’ cultures and customs. We participate in each other’s
festivals. It has been rightly said that it is a common garden of all the castes. Different
cultural groups have their own costumes, songs, music, dance, art and traditions and
every Nepali feels proud to be a part of this beautiful garden. Therefore, cultural
diversity has actually strengthened our social and national ties.
Free the Words
diverse : of various kinds
observe : mark, celebrate
strengthen : make stronger
tolerance : willingness to accept other’s views, practices, cultures etc.
harmony : state of peaceful existence; everyone living peacefully
lingua franca : a common language
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 47
In-class Activities
Get into small groups of 4-5 students. As a group, discuss the importance of tolerance
and social harmony in Nepal. Brainstorm and offer suggestions to promote harmony
and tolerance among people of Nepal. Write suggestions of each group on the board.
Then, make a final list of all the suggestions.
Exercise
1. Write True or False against the following statements.
a. A classroom reflects the diversity found in the country.
b. Nepalese society is very uniform.
c. Sharing and caring for each other promotes social harmony.
d. Diversity is the strength of Nepalese society.
e. If we think of our religion as the only true religion, we promote tolerance
2. Write very short answers to the following questions.
a. What do you mean by ‘diversity’?
b. What makes Nepal a country of diversity?
c. What common values do all Nepalese share despite the differences in terms
of caste and culture?
d. What do you mean by social harmony?
e. What can be done to promote social harmony in Nepal?
3. Write short answers to the following questions.
a. 'Diversity is the strength for Nepalese.' Explain this statement.
b. Have you ever helped a person of another religion or culture? If so, what
did you do?
c. Have you ever received help from a person belonging to another caste
religion or culture? If so, what was it?
d. How would a garden look if there were only one type of flower?
e. How would Nepal look if there were only people wearing the same
costume?
4. Draw pictures reflecting different costumes or festivals or traditions or culture
of different ethnic groups in Nepal. Display in the class and show to friends
of other classes.
Community Project Work
In this project, you will have to write a brief report on “Tolerance and Social Harmony
in My Community”. For this, first survey at least 20 households of your community
and find out what religion, culture, and tradition each family follows. Then, ask people
how they interact with other families, how they share food, culture, and music, and so
on. Based on your findings, write the report and present it to your class.
48 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
2.4
Our National Heritage
Pre-reading Activities
“Clean Bagmati, Our Heritge”
Let’s unite to clean Bagmati for the 78th week on this Saturday near UN Park.
--Bagmati Cleaning Campaign Nepal Telecommunication
Read the text message sent by Bagmati Cleaning
Campaign of NTC to its customers and discuss
the following questions :
Why do you think cleaning Bagmati is
so important?
If we don’t clean it, what will happen?
If you received this message, would
you join the campaign? Why or why
not?
Reading
Our country is blessed with beautiful and unique temples, monuments, and palaces.
The temples, old palaces, waterspouts and parks reflect our culture, tradition,
lifestyle, art and architecture. The natural sites, religious sites, and cultural sites which
represent Nepal’s identity to the world are collectively known as national heritage. It
is great for us that within the small area of the country, Nepal holds a considerably
high number of places recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific
and Cultural Organization) as ‘World Heritage Sites’. There are altogether ten World
Heritage Sites in Nepal, seven of which are in Kathmandu Valley. The list includes
both natural and cultural sites.
Cultural Sites
The cultural heritage of the Kathmandu Valley is illustrated by seven groups of
monuments and buildings which display the full range of historic and artistic
achievements. The seven sites include the Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and
Bhaktapur, the Buddhist Stupas of Swayambhu and Bauddhanath, and the Hindu
temples of Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan.
Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8 49
Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square
Listed as one of the eight Cultural World Heritage sites
by UNESCO, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a cluster of
ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets that date
back to the 12th and 13th centuries. The square is known
to be the social, religious and urban focal point of the
capital city.
The Palace Complex was the royal residence until the 19th century. The palace is
decorated with beautifully-carved wooden windows. Presently, King Tribhuwan
Memorial Museum and the Mahendra Museum are situated inside the Durbar Square.
Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square is situated at the center of Patan city, also
known as Lalitpur. The square was the residence of the former
Patan royal family. It shows a good specimen of ancient Malla
architecture. There are several temples of different sizes and
styles such as Krishna Temple, Bhimsen Temple and the Golden
Temple of Hiranya Verna. It was enlisted in the UNESCO, as
the World Heritage Site in 1979 AD.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a collection of temples grouped
around a fifty-five-window palace of brick and wood. The
square is the part of a charming valley as it highlights the
idols of ancient kings. It was enlisted in the UNESCO, as the
World Heritage Site in 1979 AD.
Changu Narayan Temple
Changu Narayan Temple which was built in the 4th century
is the oldest temple of Kathmandu Valley. The temple is
decorated with some of the best specimens of stone, wood,
and metal craft. This temple represents culture, religion,
history and faith of the Kathmandu Valley. It was enlisted
in the UNESCO, as the World Heritage Site in 1979 AD.
Swayambhunath
The Buddhist stupa of Swayambhunath is situated on the
top of a hill to the west of Kathmandu. It is also known
as the ‘monkey temple’ because of the large number of
monkeys which roam around the temple as if they are
guarding it. It was enlisted in the UNESCO, as the World
Heritage Site in 1979 AD.
50 Oasis Social Studies and Population Education 8
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Social Studies 8
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