Nepal

Nepal, located in South Asia between India and China, has a multiethnic population of more than 31.5 million. For most of its history, royal families have ruled Nepal. Despite the diversity and plurality of Nepal’s religions, languages, customs, and traditions, the Shah regime, and subsequent Ranas and Panchas rulers, sought to develop Nepal as a unitary state with “one language (Nepali), one caste group (hill Bahun-Chhetri), and one religion (Hindu)” (Hachhethu, 2003, p. 7). Disparity among high-caste groups and other social groups (i.e., Janajati, Madheshi, and Dalit) increased through Hinduization, institutionalization of the caste system, the spread of dominant national Nepali culture (parbatiya), and the centralization of politics and administration. In the latter half of the 20th century, Nepal experienced several revolutions and attempts at ...