Nepal never was a buffer state between India and China. Nepal has always been culturally close to India. The Himalayas are intractable on the Chinese side, not the Indian side.
oh yeah for the cultural closeness to india, you need to read more. I dont mean that as an insult. No one who has even read a little about the place would say such a thing. Nepal is traditionally in the chinese sphere of influence. I dont think this is an indian architecture style :
Similarly if you have been in Beijing you will see Nepalese temples there. thats why the chinese government
erected a statue of an ancient Nepalese architect
Also, religiously, Nepalese are not Hindus like indians but both Hindu and Buddhist. Talk to a few and you see they can go to both Hindu temples and Buddhist stupas to pray.
Probably the strongest indicator, the Chinese new year is celebrated in Nepal (called
Losar) . Does india have its own calendar? If it does i am not aware of its new year being of a holiday there.