As someone who is currently on a spree of reading books authored by female authors, one of my close friends gave me a book called ‘Draupadi Abasesh’ as a birthday gift.

‘Draupadi Abasesh’ is a Nepali novel by Neelam Karki Niharika. She is the author of many acclaimed books, including ‘Yogmaya’ and ‘Chirharan’, all featuring female protagonists.

The novel extracts an analogy of Draupadi’s story from the epic, Mahabharata. In the epic, Draupadi is the wife of the five Pandava brothers—Yudhisthir, Bhima, Arjun, Nakul and Sahdev. Similar to this saga is the story of Pema from the Karnali region of Nepal. Of the many traditional practices prevalent in the region, the novel's storyline revolves around the practice of Polyandry.

The lead characters of the novel are Digvijaya, Pema, and Gyaljin. Digvijaya is the main protagonist. He is a government officer posted to the Humla district of Nepal and has to stay there for six months to perform his administrative responsibilities. Through his narration, the readers experience and are introduced to the various customary practices prevalent in the Humla district.

Likewise, Gyaljin, a local inhabitant of the Hilsa village of the Humla district, is a guide escorting Digvijaya into the lives and experiences of the people of his village.

Pema, another lead character, is married to five brothers of the same family even though she loves only one of the brothers.

In the modern context, where people are overtly habituated to advocating radical changes without analysing the ground reality of practices such as Polyandry itself, this book serves as a critical examination and thoughtful reflection on the complexities and nuances of such traditions.

According to the book, Bahupati bibaha (polyandry), also known as Draupadi bibaha, is extensively practised in the Western part of Nepal. The purpose of such marriages, according to the novel, is directly connected to the geographical and economic climate of the West.

Situated in the northernmost part, the land used to grow different crops is covered with snow for six months. So they utilise this time to travel to the urban areas to earn a living. Stricken by poverty, it is impossible to feed families born out of a single marriage. Hence, the locals of Hilsa resort to Polyandry to accommodate themselves amidst the economic adversity of their village.

Likewise, with the intent of revealing the contradictions prevalent in Nepalese society, the novel also digs into the various existing social paradoxes such as marriage, family, gender roles, etc. The novel offers an insightful peek into a society where people’s perception of reality is governed by their belief in myth and fatalism.

The author has done a commendable job of voicing the viewpoint of the people living in Hilsa regarding sanctioning societal change. In one of the conversations between Gyaljin and Digvijaya, Gyaljin posits the notion that change is not easy in itself; therefore, changing a system that is rooted deeply in behaviour is indeed a difficult task.

Similarly, the author, through her conscious yet scholarly attribute, avoids the norm of educating the people of rural areas with the urban-lite knowledge of her characters. For instance, Digvijaya, an urbanite, gets acquainted with the culture and lifestyle of the Hilsa village, which in every dimension, is alien to him. However, instead of criticising and offering solutions, the character portrayal of Digvijaya is empathetic and understanding, highlighting the complexities of rural life without imposing urban biases.

The book also endeavours to bring marginalised problems to the forefront, shedding light on issues that have been underrepresented in Nepal. One such practice is the custom of Nelu pratha, prevalent in the western part of Nepal. This custom involves the sexual relationship between a single mother and a married man.

In such a union, the lady is called ‘Surmu’, and the child born into the union is named ‘Nehulu’. If the newborn is identified as male, his biological father provides additional financial resources for him, but if the infant is female, no such resources are provided.

Similarly, when comparing the situation of women under Nelu pratha with the contemporary situation of women after marriage, the author concludes that there is little distinction between the two. When push comes to shove, both are subjected to stereotypically gendered treatments.

The raw free-flowing nature of the storyline accentuates the hardships of the people living in Karnali. The untarred road with dangerous cliffs, rugged mountains, cold climate, and depressed economic state defines and dictates the lifestyle of people in Karnali.

One of the lines from the book corresponds with the said situation while highlighting the stark reality of general people’s perception of such hinterlands.

“No matter how beautiful a place is, admiring it from afar is enjoyable, but living there poses challenges for those who reside there”.

Even though the subject matter contained in the book tries to be women-centric, it does so by resorting to the pattern of glorifying the role of women as a mother. From someone who has authored numerous books associated with women, the author repeatedly fixates on limiting the role of a woman in the sphere of motherhood.

From a feminist viewpoint, praising the role of women exclusively as mothers can be problematic as it perpetuates traditional gender roles and reinforces the idea that a woman's primary worth lies in her role as a caregiver—rather than recognising her multifaceted abilities and contributions beyond motherhood.

Overall, the book is an insightful read for anyone wishing to learn about the sophisticated elements that make up the diversity of Nepalese culture and society. Moreover, the author’s expertise in the skilful use of literary terms and words transforms the story of the people of Karnali into a captivating work of fiction.

Her ability to evoke raw emotions provides an emotional depth to her storytelling, making it an exceptionally remarkable work of fiction.

Draupadi Abasesh

Author: Neelam Karki Niiharika

Year: 2021

Publisher: Sangri-La books