KATHMANDU, March 8: A nun wrote a 200-page-long autobiography 300 years ago. It was found at Rifuk and Gakar monasteries in Dolpa district.

The autography deals with social discrimination against women imposed by the then patriarchal society. Her name was Urgen Chhoki who has vividly portrayed how the then society preferred son to daughter.

When she was born, her parents were not happy since they were expecting a son. Her parents gave her the appellation ‘Kilo’ meaning something that would cause troubles. The way her parents treated her caused in her psychological impact which ultimately turned her into an iconoclast.

She was born in 1732 BS in mountainous district Dolpa. Her mother was a nun before she got married with her father. Her father was a leper.  

In the book, Urgen has criticized the then society for discriminating against women. Besides, it is also philosophical.  For instance, it portrays various aspects of life such as birth, life and death.  It also does justice to her self-life experience, especially how her parents treated her for being born as a daughter.

She was given the title ‘Khaldoma’ for her knowledge about Buddhism. 'Khaldoma'  in a local language is a term which means a trantric goddess. 

She concludes that to be a daughter equipped with etiquettes is far better than to be a son with bad manners in the society.

Dr Ramesh Dhungel’s book on Ani Urgen’s autobiography is being published soon. 

 
• ani chhoki
 
• autobiography
 
• buddhism
 
• social discrimination