Nepali Around the World is the result of a daring mission of pioneer field research, tracing the
historical migration and settlement of Nepali outside of Nepal, throughout India and Sikkim. into Bhutan, Myanmar and other parts of Asia, including a special section on the Gurkhas. Side by side it examines the fascinating spread of Christianity among these Himalayan wan- derers, and the interplay of missions and national Christians.
The Nepali-Lepcha churches of Darjeeling and Sikkim and beyond, and the churches in Nepal, were not aware of one another's history and situation before this timely work. Moreo- ver. Nepali evangelists from North-East India and Christians from Bhutan began to appear. In order to better understand this situation a virtually insurmountable task was undertaken.
The job was no less than that of an archaeologist. The author has discovered and recorded accounts that were buried under the sands of time. Various census, gazetteer historical and statistical documents as well as geographic and anthropological works have been consulted Besides that she has taken help from mission literature, personal papers, life histories and testimonies of numerous Nepali Christians. She has traveled far and wide untiringly in Nepal. across North, North-West and North-East India, Sikkim and Myanmar, working amidst the heat and political upheavals at times.
If it is the work of research in history, the book itself is a historical landmark.
-R. C. Timothy