The colour red is significant in a Nepali woman’s life: it indicates marital status, symbolises auspiciousness, sexuality, fertility, and life. Another colour significant to women is white, employed to signify a woman’s purity, vulnerability and fragility as the unspoiled bearer of patriarchal honour.

A Nepali woman’s experience of life is shaped by patriarchy. The need to control a woman is ingrained in the Nepali psyche. Nonconformity comes at a cost: any defiance of norms raises questions, suspicion, concern, ridicule—some visible, others silent and invisible. I am made aware regularly that I keep crossing many such boundaries. Amidst the conflict created by my alleged transgressions, the psychological push and pull, I struggle to be the woman I want to be: fearless, and standing by my choices.

My work attempts to explore my sense of self in relation to the society by saying things I’m not supposed to say, by making visible what is meant to stay out of sight. Through questions about my body, my age, my monthly menstruation cycle, notions of beauty, and marriage, Confrontations also explores my relationship with my mother.

Confrontations is on exhibit at Khapinchhen in Patan until November 16, 11am-7pm, as part of Photo Kathmandu 2018.