Water-Caste-Gender-Tourism Nexus in Bodh Gaya, India: Assessing Water Inequalities Using Urban Political Ecology Framework

Framed within urban political ecology, this study presents an analysis of the water–caste–gender–tourism nexus in Bodh Gaya, a small touristic town in India. It examines the interlinked dynamics of the nexus through a mixed-method approach including household surveys (n = 107) and semi-structured interviews (n = 25). By analyzing the synergies and trade-offs, we find that structural inequalities, particularly those based on caste and gender, significantly influence access to water and sanitation as well as a household’s ability to benefit from tourism. Rather than promoting inclusive development, tourism has reproduced and further aggravated pre-existing inequalities in water access for marginalized castes. The lack of an operational wastewater management system poses significant public health risks for residents. This study offers a critical contribution to the growing body of literature on the political ecology of caste, gender, and tourism, emphasizing their intersectional dimensions.