When I was young, I rarely went
to market during an auspicious day of TEEJ ( a red color festival among Hindus specially Nepal origin). But I mostly went to the market
along with mom a day after or the next day of TEEJ which is called
RishiPanchami. I was in market to watch and care of clothing and other
materials of mom and her friends when they were busy in bathing in holy river
Narayani and worship (Puja) after bath. It was continued till I graduate from
grade ten or before leaving my home for further study after School Leaving
Certificate.
Every year, I watched that very
young girls were participated in Puja, few were too young and expressed their
shyness through their body language. Meantime, the fellow women and priest also
passed so many comments which were related with sex, husband, marriage and
future. I really felt sorry with them and also kept on thinking about me, ` the
day would come where priest would tease me, women would make jokes, friends
would be happy..’. The girls who had first menstruation were easily identified
because they were come with few unique materials like small water pot made from
mud called Ghaito. Therefore, this Puja recognized as Ghaito Puja. I always
hate Ghaito Puja, I always scared from Ghaito Puja. I admitted that I was girl,
I would menstruate like my mom, my sisters and my friends but I didn’t like to
make public by doing Ghito Puja. I knew all process of how and why do women
taking bath, what type of materials they do use for holiness or purity since
beginning. They should wash their genitalia for 365 times. Means their
genitalia were dirty or impure, or one times for a day of a year. Likewise, they also should have brush of their
teeth by 365 green sticks, a kind of herb called Dattiwan and so many things.
My childhood brain questioned but no way for response or no way except follow
each steps.
Fortunately, I had science and health
my majors when I was in high school. Unfortunately, neither health or science
teacher taught well about menstruation nor I dared to ask about it. I was good
student so far, I passed though I really didn’t understand what menstruation
meant? In second year of my nursing course,
I really knew the physiology and its value throughout life and beyond
personal gain which gave me strength and courage to live with proud, proud
on my womanhood.
Because I hate Ghaito Puja so I
was in offensive mood of it with my mom. Fortunately, I was out of home during
Teej means I was in dormitory. Later, I started to educate my mom, sisters,
nieces about menstruation, its values and Hindu’s socio-cultural values
associated with menstruation. Anyway, I gave up following restriction what my
mom, sisters, friends and neighborhood were following regards to it. Later, my
mom also started to abolish restrictions gradually. One day, she allowed me to
work in Kitchen when I had menstruation during Dashain. Due to having many
daughters, my dad really didn’t aware who had menstruation and when, unless
first menstruation. He always seeks for cleanliness at person, place and
activities.
Without having deep knowledge on
gender equality and rights, I had deep but bad feeling on harmful practices
specially on menstruation. Because I saw that on my many girl classmates, they were
stigmatized when they were absent at class for more than week due to first
menstruation or leaking blood at their school dress. The first menstruation has to hide for few days to month. Thus, it was easily identified
by friends, teachers, neighbors and all. In this connection, I had chosen title
for my thesis for Bachelor of nursing entitled `the menstrual practice among Newari
educated and uneducated women in Gokarna village, Kathamndu.’ During my study I
didn’t only knew the various practices across the country including Chhaupadi
but also very dangerous practices as well e.g. a same piece of cloths was used
by three generation of a family. Later, I went to Jumla where my landlord
didn’t touch the foundation of house and slept under sky even during winter or
snowing due to Chhaupadi practice. My heart shrank and started to work
aggressively however still not getting tail and teeth to get rid of such harmful
traditional practice.
I have gone through all
religions; Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Buddhism. None of the religion talks about restriction during menstrual period. However, few fundamentalists are not
like to disclose about period in Budhhism, Christin and Muslim. In terms of
Hindu, the holy epic e.g. Veda doesn't talk about it but Hindu people manipulate
the information while time passes. A holy book called Garun Puran (used for
death ritual) published by Jaya Nepal 2058 BS, Kachaudi Galli Baranashi, India, says that menstruation is impure blood
which is given by god Indra (6/3). Further it says, during that period not
allow to see woman's face. In Nepali
society, we have many such values and saying which imposed women and girls to
stay in cowshed, many restrictions for touching, entering, eating, acting and
so on. However, I never mind with these all irrational saying and practices.
Because I believe in science and nature and respect too. Thus, I am doing everything
as normal during my period such as going temple, cooking in kitchen, touching
with dad and all. In 2005, I went to Muktinath where I knew that women are
priest for Hindu temple which helped to more empower. Finally, my younger
sister and I continued the death ritual during mourning,death of our mom in
2009. While travelling in Jumla, many friends, families and relatives are following
very strict norms in front of me because they considered that their family god
will angry and everything would chaos e.g. sickness or loss. At the meantime, I
was eating at their kitchen and attaining religious programs and all. It is
really funny to me. Because none of the hotel would close which is operate by
women, none of temple of goddess closed for seven days, none of working women
take 5 days leave during her period. All are moving from east to west, north to
south but the problem with us because we are living still under extreme ignorance,
chronic deprivation and excessive poverty. In other hand, it is a primary
barrier to bring women in 33 % participation where women are suffering from
political, cultural, social, economical etc opportunities at family and
community level and encountered various forms of physical, mental,
psycho social, financial burden and torture including rape, death due to
restriction related to menstruation.
At last but not least, I am
expecting all women and girls will abandon this unscientific and irrational
practice and will try to do best `for living with dignity as human being as
men.
