Nepal

This book presents a profile of the majority of hot springs in and around tourist destinations in Nepal. In particular, there is a focus on Pokhara, Jumla, the world- famous Annapurna region, Ruby Valley, and Api Nampa Conservation Area. The chapter on health benefits of mineral hot springs provides a history of hot springs supported by a literature review and case study. Further chapters explore the direct uses of geothermal energy for various purposes and power generation, together with a section on conventional hydrothermal resources.

This book is a detailed account of how hierarchy has been maintained historically by the Nepali state, affirming the uniqueness of a caste-based social order by bringing outsiders, especially ethnic groups and religious minorities, into the caste fold. Focusing on the contemporary state of Dalits, the community that was and is put at the bottom of a very hierarchical social order in Nepal, the author argues that the traditional caste-based social order is still prevalent in the “new” Nepal even after the recent socio-political and constitutional changes.