“Burnt alive. Beaten and forced to eat human feces for being a ‘witch.’ Raped. Molested. Abused, physically and psychologically, in public spaces, in front of mute bystanders. The news about violence against women in our immediate and distant communities is brutal and consistently shocking. As an artist, I believe they deserves an equally shocking reflection and response – at least enough to provoke a sense of discomfort with what we allow and accept in our society where female deities are revered, in the country of the living virgin goddess Kumari, a world built by mothers, sisters, wives. Kumari is a living goddess and some of our biggest festivals are based around her. But why is reverence of women reserved to the gods, and not their mortal counterparts on whom the deities are in fact based?”

Aditya Aryal, Gairidhara, Kathmandu