A large crowd of protesters in Kathmandu chant and raise fists while holding signs during a demonstration. In the foreground, a woman holds a handwritten sign reading “Remove statute of limitation for rape & sexual violence”.

A 2022 protest in Kathmandu demanding justice for survivors of rape and sexual assault. In ‘Unsanskari’, Nirvana Bhandary offers a powerful reflection on women’s lives in Nepal, showing how their physical, social, economic and sexual oppression are inextricably linked.IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Nirvana Bhandary on what it means to be a feminist in Nepal today: Southasia Review of Books podcast #38

A conversation with the writer and filmmaker Nirvana Bhandary on her collection of essays exploring feminist thought, lived experience and the generational shifts transforming contemporary Nepali womanhood

Published on:

15 Dec 2025, 5:03 pm

Welcome to the Southasia Review of Books podcast, where we speak to celebrated authors and emerging literary voices from across Southasia. In this episode, Shwetha Srikanthan speaks to the writer and filmmaker Nirvana Bhandary about her new book, Unsanskari: A Feminist Life (October 2025).

Unsanskari: A Feminist Life by Nirvana Bhandary is a collection of essays, reflections and sharp cultural observations on what it means to be a Nepali woman beyond traditional expectations and patriarchal norms. From queerness and body politics to marriage, migration, intersectionality and intergenerational feminism, the book traces the cultural and political shifts shaping women’s lives today – and makes a compelling case for why claiming one’s femininity, and refusing to be “sanskari”, remains a radical act.

This episode is available on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Episode notes and further reading from the Himal Archives:

Unsanskari: A Feminist Life by Nirvana Bhandary (October 2025)

Feminism Project Nepal: Capturing the voices of Nepali women across the world

Sister Orator: A storytelling project amplifying women’s voices across the globe

GenZ hopes for an inclusive new Nepal: State of Southasia #32 (Himal Southasian, Sep 2025)

Weena Pun on the invisibility of women in Nepal’s society and literature: Southasia Review of Books podcast #15 (Himal Southasian, Jan 2025)

Podcast interview with Kathmandu-based author Shradha Ghale on her debut novel The Wayward Daughter (Himal Southasian, Dec 2018)

Words and warriors: Nepali women slam poets write on their lives and times - Puja Sen (Himal Southasian, Sep 2016)

Yes, our son is gay”: A Nepali father’s awakening: A path-breaking personal essay calling for social acceptance and full rights for Nepal’s LGBTIQ+ community - Bhojraj Pokharel, translated by Niranjan Kunwar (Himal Southasian, May 2023)

Nepal’s citizenship battles: On the systemic discrimination against women in Nepal’s citizenship laws - Abha Lal (Himal Southasian, Nov 2020)

Displaying defiance: Photo Kathmandu 2018 provided a much-needed snapshot of the history of feminist movement in Nepal - Sewa Bhattarai (Himal Southasian, Dec 2018)