Periods. They are still a taboo in India! We are not allowed to talk freely about it, whether at home or outside of it. In those days, it was said that girls would become ‘impure’ and people still think that way! Well, I really cannot understand what  criteria is used to judge this supposed impurity, especially for something that is quite normal and happens every month. Nobody can give a proper answer to this, I’m certain.

Like many other Bengali households with its typically conservative families, I too had a lot of rules imposed upon me. During my periods, I was not allowed to worship, I had to stay in an assigned room, I could not sit on anybody and everybody’s bed, I could not move around the whole house, and needless to say, there were others too. These rules were imposed on every girl in our house, and the saddest part of it was that nobody was really bothered. Nobody cared that they were being so unequally treated. How can there be so much of a taboo about a biological process without which life itself is impossible to begin?

I could never really stay quiet. I was determined to break all the rules. I firmly announced that I would worship God in those days and go to the temple as well. Predictably, the counter-protests came bursting in.

“Don’t you know girls are not supposed to go to God during those days?”

“Don’t you know what you are saying? You are a girl! And you ought to follow certain rules of society!”

Well, I never really understood what the basis of such rules were.

It was the day of Ashtami during Durga Puja and I was on my periods. I was sort of locked up in a room and I was not even allowed to see the face of the idol! I was determined though, that I would I would give the Anjali come what may. I simply crept out of the room, went to the temple and gave the Anjali, but I did notice that [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]outside the temple it was written, “Women having periods are not allowed.”[/inlinetweet]

Breaking rules have always been a pleasure to me and particularly in this case since it was doubly daring too.

My grandma came rushing in suddenly and shouted out declaring that “this girl has broken all the rules. Now God will be angry with all of us. I wonder what bad things are going to happen.” I simply could not tolerate this anymore.

I shouted out loudly saying that periods are a very natural process and that it repeats itself every month and nothing really changes for it. It occurs every month and disappears on its own, so why look at it thus? Everybody was against me until a group of young girls came in support of me. They believed that it was natural too. Somehow, through our logic, we were able to convince everybody, but since I had started all of this, I was not allowed to stay there. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]People thought I was disrespecting their beliefs. But was I really?[/inlinetweet] I never could find out how!

However, everything finally settled down and people did understand.

Such things  are still going on in the country and God knows when they will stop! Women are being scanned before letting them enter a temple! Well rapists, murderers and the rest can enter a temple but not a woman on her periods!

We feel like launching a protest – [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]what if all women stopped having periods? The world will come to an end.[/inlinetweet] No new life, no new generations of people. People should be aware that periods are not a taboo, but a normal part of life and a natural one! All of us should feel free to talk about it and should not hesitate to do so.

I have taken my first step; and now, it is your turn!

aitijhya_kar_thumbnailAuthor: Aitijhya Kar

Aitijhya is a girl of 17 from Kolkata who is studying in class 11. She love writing, blogging, photography and traveling.

Edited by – Divya Rosaline

Image Credits – Shweta Bendre. You can find more of her work here.

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