Secularism and statebuilding in Nepal

This article outlines how Hinduism became embedded in Nepal’s national identity and was used to administer the dominance of the established elite, such as through the caste system. Accordingly, for many communities secularism has been associated with emancipation, and has been a focal point for dispute and dialogue between progressive and conservative forces – for example in the relationship between religion and the state. The new constitution confirms Nepal as ‘secular’, although its equivocal definition leaves the door open to future contestation