Ways of Life in Hills

The hills lie in beetween the terai in the south and the Himalayas in the north. It's topography consists of Mahabharat ranges. It covers 44.3% of the total area in Nepal. Agriculture is the main occupation of the hill people. But it is very hard because they have to work in the undulating topography. In such a topography, most of the agricultural activities are done manually; they cannnot use machines. Paddy is still major food crop in the hills. It is grown in gentle slopes of the hill making terraced fields and in the lowlying basins and valleys. Maize and millet which are also known as hard crops since they withstand the hill climate, are mostly grown in 'besi' land. What is grown in areas where irrigation facilities have been provided. In fact, maize and millet are the main staple foods of the people.

Brahmin, Chhetri and Several tribal groups like Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Tamang and Magar are major ethnic people living in the hilly belts of Nepal. These ethnic groups have their own language, relegion, culture, civilization and ways of life. They made their houses roofs are slanted, where the annual amount of rainfall is less, roofs of the houses are mostly flat and made of mud. The traditional dresses of the hill people are 'bhoto' , 'kachhar' and 'bhangra'. Rugs and blankets, woven from the wool of sheep are used as matress and shawl.