17-year-old Jefferson He reviews the 2024 documentary Ajima and 6 Gender Identities
I travelled to Kathmandu, Nepal in August to report on LGBTQ+ rights and had the opportunity to watch Ajima and 6 Gender Identities, a new documentary by Sunil Babu Pant, cultural emissary for Rainbow Tourism.
The 88-minute film explores Nepal’s matriarchal heritage through the figure of Ajima, a grandmother goddess in the Tantra tradition who embodies wisdom, protection and fertility. Temples and shrines devoted to Ajima can be found across the Kathmandu Valley, honouring her feminine power, integral to local spirituality.
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Pant begins by exploring two dominant traditions in Nepal’s religious landscape: the Shramanand Brahman,both deeply rooted in patriarchal values. He then introduces a third tradition, the matriarchal Tantra tradition, where leaders and role models embody feminine characteristics – a rarity among the world’s major religions.
This historical perspective reveals that Nepal once embraced feminine power within society, creating space for women’s roles and influence. In Nepal today, women are often marginalised, and the documentary subtly advocates for re-establishing a sense of matriarchal inclusivity.
Sunil Babu Pant, cultural emissary for Rainbow Tourism and director of 'Ajima and 6 Gender Identities'.
I found Pant’s work compelling because it reframes Nepal’s spiritual legacy through a lens of equality and respect – ideas that feel fresh and inspiring in our time. As a young man, learning about a culture where feminine power was once revered made me reflect on our own society’s biases and how ancient values of inclusivity could reshape our future.
Throughout the documentary, there are several short clips of Nepalese celebrations, putting a powerful image in the minds of the audience and helping them visualise and experience what is being talked about in the film.
It also presents a striking contrast between Hinduism and Buddhism, where the female presence is minimised, and the Tantric tradition, where the female genitalia is revered.
In Hindu and Buddhist contexts, women are often seen as secondary, with female genitalia regarded as impure. But, in the Tantra tradition, as Pant explains, “there is a practice of worshipping the figure of the genitals. Wherever such figures are seen, it should be considered a Tantric temple.”
Through temple design, Pant illustrates how Tantra acknowledges six genders, challenging the binary norms. For instance, he highlights a symbolic triangular doorway feature, representing Ajima.
The film emphasises the complex relationship between the Ajima goddesses, patriarchal and matriarchal values, and the reverence given to female genitalia in Tantra as a life-creating force. The temples to Ajima in the Kathmandu Valley stand as a powerful reminder of this heritage.
Beyond cultural insights, Ajima and 6 Gender Identities promotes LGBTQ+ acceptance in Nepal by reviving these inclusive traditions to empower marginalised communities and inspire future generations.
Pant’s documentary invites us all to rediscover Nepal’s rich, inclusive heritage. This film is a must-watch for anyone interested in cultural heritage, religious and gender studies, or Nepal’s evolving approach to inclusivity.
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