What does the coat of arms of Nepal look like today and what was it like before?

Even a schoolboy knows that each country has its own specific symbolism. In this article I want to talk about what the coat of arms of Nepal is, what it depicts and how it has changed for over 80 years.

A bit about the country

First of all, I want to give a brief description of a country like Nepal. It is the representative of the Asian continent, which together with India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China forms an amazing culture and geographical diversity of this region of the globe. It should be said that this country is surprisingly geographically rich, and its expanses stretch on the slopes of the Himalayas (in this country there is the highest point of the Himalayas - Everest, or Jomolungma, in the local dialect it is called Sanghamitra, which means "ruler of the sky"). Nepal borders on India in the south, west and east, as well as with China in the north. Interesting and unexpected for many will be the fact that all respected Prince Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, that is, the Buddha, was born in Lumbini, Nepal.

A bit about the coat of arms

What does the coat of arms of Nepal look like? It is worth mentioning that it was approved only recently, only in 2006, before that it was somewhat different. What is the modern coat of arms in itself?

1. Handshake of women's and men's hands, which means equality of the sexes in the whole country, and can also be treated as friendship.
2. In the background is the top of Mount Everest, a little lower - the slopes of other mountains.
3. Around the circle is a garland of rhododendrons - flowers, which are also a symbol of Nepal.
4. At the very top, between the branches of the rhododendron, is the flag of Nepal (two triangles - the symbols of the mountains, in which the sun and the moon are depicted are symbols of royal power).
5. At the very bottom of the dark red ribbon (the color of the country) adorns the inscription in Sanskrit, which in translation means the following: "Mother and Motherland is more than the heavenly kingdom."

History of the emblem

It is worth saying that over the past 80 years, the coat of arms of Nepal has undergone three different changes, until it becomes what it looks like at the moment.

1. From 1935 to 1946 he looked completely different. On the arms at that time was a shield of heraldic form, on which was depicted a Hindu deity. On the sides were two men-bearer, the military. Two crossed Nepalese swords were on the top.
2. In 1946 the coat of arms of Nepal has changed a little. The essence remained the same, but the clothes of one of the guardians changed.
3. In 1962, the Nepalese coat of arms was again changed. However, now it is not just reworked, but as if created anew. So, the military remained, but there were mountains, a white cow (a sacred animal on the territory of the country, for the murder of a person must be punished), a bird, blades were preserved, but were somewhat modified. Also there were small garlands of rhododendrons, and elements from the flag: the sun and moon on the sides of the drawing on the coat of arms (symbolize, in addition to royal power, the desire of the inhabitants of Nepal to live forever, as the data of heavenly bodies).

About mountains

It is worth saying that some elements have always adorned the coat of arms of Nepal. Mountain and mountain slopes, for example, have always been in the background of all four historically known coats of arms. What exactly is depicted there? This is the peak of the highest mountain, which attracts tourists, - Everest. Another interesting fact is that it is in Nepal that there are eight of the ten mountains that are the highest in the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that the mountain peaks were always one of the most important symbols of the country, which necessarily had to decorate the coat of arms.

Bird

The modern coat of arms of Nepal is very different from the previous one. The bird and the white cow are already missing. However, it will be interesting for many to the fact that it was the bird that was there. It's a green pheasant, or a monal.