Conference Year: 2018

In Indian western Himalaya the local gods function as gods-kings in a type of theistic rule. Among other things, this is exemplified by their ability to move from place to place, their judicial authority, and their royal mannerisms. In my lecture I will describe the conceptual and practical changes that have taken place over the …

Is it God Speaking? The Identity and Agency of Deities in the Western Himalayas Read More »

Situated in Eastern Himalayas, the mountainous state of Sikkim shares its border with Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal. Among the many existing types of Buddhism, in Sikkim Vajrayana Buddhism (Lamaism) is practiced and rituals are an important aspect of  this form of  Buddhism, these rituals are not just bound within the monasteries, they are performed at …

The Other World Connection: A Study of the ‘Thread Cross’ Ceremony in Sikkim Read More »

A search for a sense of security in the ever-changing world is an essential part of the human condition. In this regard, often an attempt is made to connect to the other-world. Ancestor worship is one such age old attempt followed in different societies and communities. In the case of the Chhetri community of Nepal, …

Dewali through Sociological Lens: A Study of Ancestor Worship amongst the Khadkas of Nepal Read More »

In the latter half of the 19th century, British appear to have achieved complete dominance at the apex of the formal structure of power. Britain feared that another European power might take the opportunity of the control over the subcontinent. With the defeat of the French commercial interests, Britain gradually acquired control over vast regions …

Impact of British Colonial Rule in the Modernisation of Sikkim Read More »

The history of trans-Himalaya and Darjeeling constitutes an important chapter in the extension of British rule. The main motive of this paper is to document the historical process and development of trans-Himalayan trade and culture and role of Darjeeling Himalaya in it. Trade and Commerce brought about a great transformation in the economic landscape, demography …

Trans-himalayan Commercial and Cultural Interactions: A Case Study of Colonial Darjeeling Himalaya Read More »

Critical examination of international development discourses have shown that the norms and values of more powerful groups have often been upheld as the standard, while historic and current relationships of global privilege and oppression remain unrecognized. Knowledge produced about developing countries has been criticized as playing a key role in depoliticizing social issues and maintaining …

Domestic Violence in Nepal: A Discourse Analysis of the Research Publications of International Development Institutions Read More »

Background: Global literature suggests that domestic violence has a significant impact on the nutritional status of mothers. Domestic violence increases stress levels, which result in poor self-care including the consumption of less food and in turn, low body mass index (BMI). There is little empirical evidence on the relationship between domestic violence and maternal nutritional …

Domestic Violence and Maternal Nutritional Status in Nepal: Findings from NDHS, 2016 Read More »

Violence against women migrant workers (WMWs) is an important yet largely understudied issue in Nepal. With surveys, in-depth interviews and focused group-discussions on returned women migrant workers (WMWs) and their husbands, children and parents in-law in Dhading and Rupandehi districts of Nepal, the study explores the prevalence of and contributing factors to violence against WMWs …

A Study on the Prevalence of Physical and Sexual Violence Against Returned Women Migrant Workers in Nepal Read More »

In the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake, Maharaja Juddha Shamsher’s handling of relief and reconstruction after the 1934 Bihar-Nepal quake was celebrated in some nationalist and royalist circles as a laudable example of self-reliance and his role at that time had already won him praise even from those taking a generally critical view of the …

Juddha Shamsher and the 1934 Earthquake Read More »

The loss of tangible heritage after the two major earthquakes of 2015 was immediately visible. However loss of heritage is not a definite category as destroyed monuments are not entirely absent but resonate. In this article I envision the missing as paradoxically present, foregrounding the future. Ruins leave room for interpretation as they refer to …

Missing Rani Pokhari: Conditions for Alternative Futures in a Monument Destroyed Read More »