Newar Erotic

Newars comprise approximately 5.0% of the Nepalese population — approximately 1.4 million, the historically dominant ethnic group of Kathmandu Valley. The Newar speak Nepal Bhasa (a Tibeto-Burman language with substantial Sanskrit and Indo-Aryan influence — the language was the official language of the Malla-period Kathmandu Valley kingdoms). The Newar community is religiously diverse including Newar Hindu and Newar Buddhist (Vajrayana / Nepalese Tantric Buddhism, the only living tradition of Indian-style tantric Buddhism in continuous practice) sub-populations. The historically distinguished Newar civilization produced the architectural heritage of Kathmandu Valley (UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, and the Buddhist sites of Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Changu Narayan), the Pauba and Thangka painting traditions, and substantial Sanskrit-Pali Buddhist scholarly literature. The Newar caste-system is distinct from broader Nepalese Hindu-caste hierarchies and includes both Hindu and Buddhist sub-castes.