Multiple Reflections of a Holy Waterbody
Grégoire Schlemmer
Oxford University Press eBooks September 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197859957.003.0009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnography Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Caste Hindus, Buddhists, and the indigenous Kulung Rai communities associated with Lake Salpa, Nepal |
| Key findings | Argues that diverse communities map distinct cosmologies onto Lake Salpa, and that since Nepal's 1990 democratic revolution ethnic politics and Janajati movements have intensified struggles over custodianship of the site. Contends that the pilgrimage remains inclusive, drawing an over-representation of young people, women, and subaltern groups who experience a temporary breakdown of rigid social hierarchies. |
Abstract
Abstract Grégoire Schlemmer investigates the multi-layered meanings of belonging and sacred geography through an ethnographic study of Lake Salpa in Nepal. This remote, high-altitude holy waterbody serves as a convergence point for diverse groups, including caste Hindus, Buddhists, and the indigenous Kulung Rai. The author shows how different communities map their own unique cosmologies onto the same natural landscape, alternately viewing the site through the lens of shamanic ancestry, Buddhist sacred geography, or Hindu deities. Since Nepal's democratic revolution of 1990, the rise of ethnic politics and indigenous Janajati movements has significantly intensified local struggles to assert primary custodianship over the lake. Nevertheless, the pilgrimage remains an inherently inclusive space, drawing an over-representation of young people, women, and subaltern groups who experience a temporary breakdown of rigid social hierarchies.