Displacement, resettlement, and the sacred: negotiating religious identity in post-disaster Nepal.

Natural disasters in Nepal - ranging from earthquakes to landslides and floods - have displaced communities on a massive scale, disrupting both physical and cultural landscapes (Shrestha, 2022). While disaster studies often emphasise shelter and livelihood recovery, the loss of sacred sites represents a profound rupture in spiritual continuity and social identity (Jones & Aryal, 2021). This paper argues that, for displaced Nepali populations, reconstructing religious identity in new resettlement contexts is central to community resilience and belonging. Drawing on recent ethnographic insights and disaster recovery literature (Simkhada, 2023; Karki, 2024), it highlights how displaced groups recreate sacred spaces, sustain rituals, and use religion as a resource for resilience. By situating these practices within broader debates on displacement and cultural heritage, the paper underscores religion's central role in negotiating belonging and rebuilding identity in the aftermath of ecological crises.