Understand the spiritual values, traditional dining practices, body language taboos, and sacred boundaries of Nepalese culture.
The standard Nepali greeting is "Namaste" (नमस्ते), performed by pressing your palms together at chest level and bowing the head slightly. It means "I bow to the divine in you." Never use a Western handshake as the first greeting — wait for the Nepali person to initiate. Adding "Namaskar" with both hands raised higher shows additional respect to elders.
Always remove your shoes before entering a Nepali home, temple, or monastery. You will see a pile of shoes at the entrance — this is your cue. Entering sacred spaces with shoes on is considered deeply disrespectful and can cause significant offense. Wear socks or sandals that are easy to remove when sightseeing.
Jutho (जुठो) refers to ritual pollution caused by direct contact with saliva. Never offer food or drink from your own plate or cup to another person. Do not taste food with a spoon and then put it back into a communal pot. Touching food items in a market without buying them may also be frowned upon.
Walk clockwise around temples, stupas, and mani walls (prayer stone walls). Do not touch religious statues, particularly the feet of deities. Photography inside temples requires explicit permission. Many Hindu temples in Nepal, notably Pashupatinath, are restricted to Hindu visitors only — respect these boundaries.
Meals are traditionally eaten with the right hand. The left hand is considered unclean for eating purposes. Accept food or gifts with both hands or the right hand only. It is considered polite to initially refuse a second serving before accepting — the host will insist. Finishing everything on your plate signals you are still hungry; leaving a little food behind indicates you are satisfied.