Nepali porter carries a heavy load using traditional wicker basket and tump headband in the lower Hingku Valley, close to Lukla and Mount Everest, Khumbu region, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Shivaratri festival, Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Locals gather for celebration in the foothills of the Himalayas at Pokhara in Nepal

Female dancer at cultural event in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Namaste welcome greeting from women in traditional clothing at home in the foothills of the Himalayas at Pokhara in Nepal

Women at their home in the foothills of the Himalayas at Pokhara in Nepal

Locals playing traditional Narsiha wind instruments for cultural celebration in the foothills of the Himalayas at Pokhara in Nepal

Nepalese dancers at cultural event in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Nepalese dancers at cultural event in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Sherpas in the foothills of the Himalayas at Pokhara in Nepal

Boudhanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal

Nepalese children in traditional costumes with traditional welcome garlands

Old man at Swayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu valley in Nepal a sacred monument in the Buddhist world

A young boy in a checked shirt and red knitted hat in the doorway of a fruit and vegetable shop in Patan, Nepal

Two men sitting on the steps of a building with a goat in Nepal.

Woman stallholder holding the knife she uses to cut fruit for sale in the market in Kathmandu, Nepal. Her stall displays in baskets fruit, vegetables and dried fish.

Nepalese goatherd leading his goats through the town of Bhaktapur, Nepal. The large satellite dish on the roof makes a contrast of old and new with the traditional dwellings and other buildings.

Man carrying heavy pots on shoulder hoist, Patan, Nepal

Nepalese girls (possibly sisters) enjoying orange ice lollies in rural Nepal.

Children sitting on the wall outside theSwayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu valley in Nepal which is bedecked with flags. It is a sacred monument in the Buddhist world and is a symbolic representation of the fully enlightened mind and the path to enlightenment.

A woman from the Kathmandu valley in Nepal wearing nose jewels in the traditional way. Her head is covered with a tartan shawl.

A holy man crouching at the Pashupatinath Temple on the Bagmati River in Nepal. It is one of the holiest Hindu Temples in the world.

Schoolboys at work during a Biology lesson at a school in Kathmandu, Nepal

Locals gather for celebration in the foothills of the Himalayas at Pokhara in Nepal

Caged parrot in window, Patan, Nepal. Avian flu (Bird flu virus) might affect caged birds.

Nepalese Army band in Kathmandu, Nepal

Young woman at carved window in Patan, Nepal

Young child workers painting carvings, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Women and children living in the foothills of the Himalayas at Pokhara in Nepal

Ceremonial guard and garlanded religious statue, Kathmandu, Nepal

Male dancer at cultural event in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Holy man at Hindu Temple at Pashupatinath, Nepal.

Man and boy carrying heavy pots on shoulder hoists, Patan, Nepal

Locals gather for celebration in the foothills of the Himalayas at Pokhara in Nepal

Male and female dancers at cultural event in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Brightly colored wooden carved puppets-on-strings on sale in the market in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Tourists on elephants in Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal

Locals gather for celebration in Nepal

Woman and girl child in rural Nepal.

Nepali Mandir, one of the oldest Hindu temples in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Darbar Square and Temple in Bhaktapur,Nepal

Fish Tail Mountain - Machhapuchhare - in the Himalayas Mountains, Nepal at dawn.

Woman in Nepal

Nepalese people going about daily life, Nepal.

Religious statue adorned with garlands in Kathmandu, Nepal

Man carrying heavy pots on shoulder hoist, Patan, Nepal

Nepalese woman walking past Bouddhanath Stupa in Nepal at the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site.

Young girls inspecting for nits, Patan, Nepal.

Darbar Square and Temple in Bhaktapur,Nepal

A close-up of an ornate metal bell decorated with dragon-like creatures and suspended in an arch by two metal chains decorated with lizards in Patan, Nepal.

Holy woman sitting on the ground at the Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Man rowing a boat carrying a woman and some cargo in the foothills of the Himalayas, Nepal. Behind is the Annapurna range of mountains.

Woman at wooden carved decorated window, Patan, Nepal

Family at window to watch festival in Bhaktapur, Nepal

A brick building decorated with ornate wooden carvings with a central metal door and metal statues on either side in Patan, Nepal.

Snake charmer, Patan, Bagmati, Nepal, Asia

Woman dancer in painted mask,Bhaktapur, Nepal

Dancer, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Friends two women and a baby, Patan, Nepal

Portriat of a young girl, Kumari (Living Goddess festival), Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Ornate carvings on Golden Gate in Bhaktapur, Nepal

An ornate carved and decorated doorway of a building in Patan - a city famous for such decorative buildings.

Firewood drying near ornate carved wooden doorway, Bhaktapur, Nepal

A woman cradles her baby in the streets, Nepal, Asia

Nepalese locals gathering in the foothills of the Himalayas, Nepal

Ornate temple carving, Patan, Nepal

Sang sang rimpoche uses the dorje, a sacred ritual object to make the first decisive cut into the sand mandala on the last day of the mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal. solu khumbu, nepal

Fire ritual at chiwang monastery during the mani rimdu festival. these monks circumambulate the pyre after its ignition. one holds a long book wrapped in a felicitous scarf. the purifying fire takes the offering and raises them towards the sky in smoke. the circumambulatory ritual also recalls the way disciples showed respect for the buddhas body. solu khumbu, nepal

Monk beating traditional drum called gong, int he courtyard of chiwang monastery during mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal

A brass plate full of offerings to God. Coconut, dried fish, black soya beans, duck eggs, oiled wicks, colour powder, bitten rice, betel nut, hand made rice paper incense, unhusked rice and flowers. Brahmayani Temple, Bhaktapur, Nepal

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Newars, the dominant clan of Kathmandu Valley, playing traditional music. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Hindu scripture with cymbals, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal

A Pilgrim reads his Hindu scripture. Bhaktapur, Nepal

Some religious people reach Brahmayani temple measuring their body length. To do so, a person prostrates on the ground and extends his clasped hands above his head. An assistant puts a few grains of rice at the end of the clasped hands as a marking point. Then, the man steps to this marking point and then prostrates again. Bhaktapur, Nepal