Fiction As Method

“Good fiction is the truest thing that ever there was. Facts are not necessarily the only truths. Facts can be fiddled with by economists and bankers. There are other kinds of truth. It's about telling the story.”- Arundhati Roy

We have employed fiction as a tool, a method, a way of understanding and relaying these ten stories of change. Although fiction is understood to be something that is “made up” or “unreal,” we have found this medium capacious and acrobatic especially in revealing layers of truths in the diverse stories we encountered across the five districts of Kavre, Sarlahi, Surkhet, Doti and Kailali.

Tasked to write only 10 stories of 10 women when we spoke to over 100 women from March-June of 2024, we leaned on fiction as a method to democratise the selection and crafting of stories. We were careful not to make a single “heroine” out of a single woman’s story. As such, we changed the names of the protagonists of these stories to protect their identities, and to shield them from any uninvited attention or unforeseen attack. Although stories of change can be inspiring, many of the women from the stories have arrived where they are against many odds, and are still pursuing a life of their own choosing despite familial and societal pressures. 

Most importantly, fiction allowed us to create a single female protagonist by borrowing characteristics and life events from other women of similar age, background, context, and geographic disposition. Fiction made it easier for us to tell as many stories of as many women as possible. 

This anthology holds stories of women who have historically been left out of public narratives. And because of such an erasure, their realities when told in the form of a story often appear fictitious: Badi women who fight against injustice; a young Dalit woman who leaves her abusive husband and chooses a path of freedom for herself and her son; a Tharu woman who deeply loves another woman; an elderly woman who chooses to care for herself; Musahar women who share their desires to love and be loved, to name a few. 

But most of these stories are based on real-life events of the women we have met. Some parts of the stories have been dramatized in scene form to accurately maintain the integrity of the stories in the ways we received them. And some of the stories capture and realise the dreams and desires that many women shared with us. 

All of these stories are true.  

Stories available as digital books (see below) and audio/Nepali sign language books (click here).

A deep thank you to all the women who have shared their stories with us and the incredible team of 9 artists led by Muna Gurung with a larger team of great support and the Srijanalaya team.

Writers: Alfa M. Shakya, Muna Gurung, Pooja Poudel, Tsering Tsomo Gurung

Illustrators: Anushri Lama, Bandana Tulachan, Manantuna Jyapoo, Pooja Poudel, Priyanka Singh Maharjan, Tsering Tsomo Gurung, Ubahang Nembang

Managing Editor: Muna Gurung

Translation Team (from English to Nepali): Kriti Adhikari, Rochak Dahal, Alfa M. Shakya, and Prawin Adhikari.

Proofread by Rajendra Maharjan (in Nepali) and Iva Maharjan (in English).

Layout and design by Sixwasnine Design.

Documentation team: Manjit Lama (Video) and Amit Machamasi (Photo)

Animated trailer: Pramesh Sherchan Video editing: Manjit Lama

Audiobook: Phatcowlee Studio (production, music), Smarika Phuyal (Voice), and Rajan Shrestha (Voice)

Nepali Sign Language Video: Lemon Pvt Ltd, Nanu Shrestha (Nepali Sign Language Interpretation), Sajal Maharjan (Editor)

Curatorial Support for the Exhibition: Sanjeev Maharjan

Collaboration with photo.circle to share this at PhotoKTM6 and the Arts and Education Team at PhotoKTM6

Srijanalaya Team: Sushma Maharjan, Anita Maharjan, Aayushma Bhattarai, and Sharareh Bajracharya

Research work was possible through the coordination of Justice Rights Institute (JuRI), Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO), Centre for Dalit Women Nepal (CDWN), Nepal Dalit Sewa Samaj (NDSS), and so many individuals!

The first edition is now published by Srijanalaya with the support of UN Women Nepal and the Government of Finland as part of the Hamro Sahakarya: Our Collective Action - The Storytelling Initiative.

The illustrated book is available in Nepali in both print and digital formats, and in English in a digital format. The Nepali version is also available as an audiobook and in Nepali Sign Language.