There are some experiences which might be small enough for others to forget but huge enough to reveal the prime purpose of someone’s life – trajectory.

When I was about fifteen, I was probably on my fourth or fifth cycle back then. By that time, I knew the code of conduct that was expected of me:
“Don’t use the sofa and the bed..”
“Don’t touch anything in the kitchen…”
“DO NOT GO near temple..forget about entering it!”
“Are you a fool? How can you dance during ‘those days’?”
“Keep your used utensils outside of the washing unit, not with our utensils!”

Being a teenager, all these practices barely bothered me and the same is true even now.
I had my cellphone, my wifi and my food. Who could care less about the stupid world?

However, flashback to 20th June 2015. I remember. I was sitting in my room reading my favourite novel.
“Beta! Get your utensils. Bai will wash it”
Since I was in my own world, I had unknowingly kept my utensils with everybody else’s.
“Ye kya kiya? Arre kitni baar kaha hai…’Unn dino’ me apne bartan alag rakha kar!”
I had no idea what was the fuss was all about.
You can’t scold a girl in front of an entire joint family when she is on her periods and expect her to not be moody about it.
Obviously I lost my cool.

Best way to talk to your daughters about periods

 

“What wrong did I do? Anyway these stupid practices of yours have NO logic, do they?”

“Beta, It is written in our Shastras and so you will have to follow it.”
“Who reads the Shastras? Did you?”
“Go back to your room!”

I was really surprised that day. Until that day, I had lived with the perception of being born into a supposedly modern, educated and urban family.
It was on that day that I promised to myself to stand up for all that was wrong and the way I saw it, this certainly was wrong.

These practices seemed fine in the context of ancient times, considering the fact that no hygiene facilities existed back then.In today’s scenario however, I feel that they are simply hindrances.

We expect everything to evolve with time – people’s way/s of living, the clothes they wear, the food that is eaten, the government. But this? Oh no! Evolving in this area is an absolute sin!

I always wanted to be something more than a doctor, engineer, CA or collector.
That day, I had found my calling.
Apart from professional excellence, I have a dream to start an NGO working against such wrongs.
Not that our shastras are wrong, oh no! They are one of the most beautiful teachers IF interpreted, preached and properly imparted.

Following these rituals is a personal choice but dumping them on somebody else’s head and making them feel less confident about themselves is not.
In the 21st century, it’s time to think about what needs to be changed and what shouldn’t.

Think about it.

palak_thumbAuthor: Palak Jain

Palak is a 16 year old, Class 12th Student in Biology who is an amateur musician, writer and orator. She has already taken up the initiative of making women and girls of nearby slum aware about basic knowledge a woman must possess about herself and her body. She aims to continue this on a larger scale. Facebook

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