About Honey

The age-old practice of honey production in Nepal has a profound historical legacy, with honey being revered as a precious commodity by ancient "honey hunters." In Hindu culture, honey is held in sacred esteem as one of the five 'Amrit,' or celestial foods, alongside cow milk, yogurt, ghee, and sweet syrup (molasses). It is customary to offer honey during religious worship, and it plays a significant role in Hindu wedding ceremonies, where a sweet known as 'Kasaar,' made from roasted rice and honey, is presented to guests.

Beyond its cultural importance, honey is widely acknowledged for its therapeutic properties in Nepal. Ayurvedic medicines frequently incorporate honey, and in rural areas, pure honey is utilized as a disinfectant, a remedy for coughs, and a aid for digestion.

Nepal showcases diverse methods of beekeeping. The impressive nests of giant bees, suspended from mountain cliffs and reaching up to two meters in size, are particularly captivating. These nests can hold as much as forty kilograms of honey. In different regions, bees inhabit hollow tree trunks in forests, while villagers house bees in carved-out logs attached to their house walls.

In various parts of the country, bees are housed in wallhives—a cavity within the house wall with a small opening for bees on the outside and a harvest window on the inside. With the adoption of modern beekeeping practices, an increasing number of Nepali beekeepers now use frame hives. In these contemporary hives, bees construct combs within easily removable wooden frames, streamlining beekeeping tasks and often resulting in increased honey production.