Nepal, April 12 -- Why do we follow the traditions without questioning them? Why are we so staunched to uphold them? What exactly are we taught, and how do we internalise it? We barely consider the deeper beliefs or reasons behind the sanctimoniously followed customs of Brahmin and Chettri families. Many, like me, must have thought they were rooted in some mythical fable. However, reading 'Dangerous Wives and Sacred Sisters' changed that perspective entirely.

In this work, Lynn Bennett outlines how cultural influences shape the construction of gender and the obligation to adhere to gender norms among women in the Brahmin and Chettri communities. This comprehensive study depicts how social, mythical, and ritual structures influence power ...