Bhanubhakta Acharya's 'Badhu Siksha' reveals controversial views on women's roles

Nepal's annual Bhanu Jayanti celebrations usually highlight the contributions of poet Bhanubhakta Acharya, primarily his translation of the Ramayan into Nepali. However, this year, as in previous years, a lesser-known but controversial work, 'Badhu Siksha' (Education for Women), has largely been overlooked amidst the poem recitations and school assemblies.

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I think the poem is degrading to women. The treatment of women in the poem is akin to that of livestock. Women are asked to contain their jealousy if their husband brings home another wife. There is no space for individuation and self-actualisation for women.

'Badhu Siksha' presents a prescriptive view on women's education and conduct, instructing them to lead lives of devotion and service to their husbands, whom it likens to gods. The poem also contains stark warnings, suggesting that a woman who laughs risks becoming a prostitute or, at the very least, causing her household to fall into disarray. This perspective has drawn sharp criticism from contemporary literary figures and academics.

Ram Chandra Paudel, an associate professor of Nepali language and literature, explained that the poem was reportedly written for the wife and daughter-in-law of one of Bhanubhakta's close associates, Tarapati, following domestic strife within his family. Paudel noted that 'Badhu Siksha' is considered a minor work by Bhanubhakta. Bhushita Vasistha, a writer and researcher, described the poem as degrading, likening the treatment of women to that of livestock and highlighting the lack of space for female self-actualization.

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Viewed from a modern feminist lens, there is definitely space to be critical of the poem. Nepal has always been a patriarchal society, one that is not critical of its men. Acharya does not comment on what his friend, Tarapati, himself could do better. If his house is in disarray, he must be part of the reason why, but he is not told what to do.

Scholars like Shiva Gopal Risal, an eminent professor, view the poem as a product of its time, reflecting the limited education and societal expectations for women, particularly daughters-in-law, in 19th-century Nepal. He pointed out that the poem fails to address any potential shortcomings of the husband, Tarapati, in contributing to his family's issues. Despite the poem's problematic content, none of the experts interviewed advocate for its ban, instead stressing the importance of critical engagement with historical literature.

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Bhanu Bhakta’s poem is an example of the sort of education that women were given in his time. In particular, it is aimed at daughters-in-law. The prescriptions in the poem align with what many women's lives were like at the time.