Bhubaneshwar, ‘Periods are not a curse or impurity. If women can give birth, why should they be stopped from entering a temple or kitchen during menstruation?’
Driven by this conviction and drawing from her own experience of undergoing traditional ‘purification’ rituals after her first period, Padmini Pradhan, the sarpanch of Harianta gram panchayat in Odisha’s Cuttack district, is leading a campaign to break the taboos associated with menstruation among the rural communities.
Pradhan, 45, has been travelling across villages, speaking to adolescent girls, mothers and elderly women about menstrual hygiene, the safe use and disposal of sanitary pads, and the importance of creating “period-friendly” schools.
“In the villages, many girls still miss school during their period because the toilets are dirty, there is no water, or they just feel ashamed,” she told PTI.
“We are trying to improve the toilets in schools and ensure that girls have access to the required facilities so that they continue attending classes confidently,” she added.
According to a recent study, nearly 74 per cent of girls surveyed across Odisha reported missing school during menstruation, from one to eight days every cycle.
Jointly carried out by UNICEF, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, IIT Bhubaneswar and a group of non-profits and local stakeholders, the survey found that pain and discomfort were cited as leading reasons for absenteeism, followed by lack of facilities, insufficient privacy and social stigma around menstruation.
“While we still have a long way to go, things are improving. Conversations around periods are slowly changing, especially among younger girls.
“When girls hear another woman speaking openly about menstrual health, it gives them confidence. Earlier, they used to hide pads inside bags or clothes. Now, some of them openly ask questions about menstrual hygiene,” Pradhan said.
It was her own experience with menstruation that shaped Pradhan’s determination to speak openly about the issue today.
“I got my first period when I was very young. I did not understand what was happening to me. I was so scared and embarrassed that I could not even tell anyone in my family for three days,” Pradhan recalled.
“At that time, there was no awareness and nobody discussed these things openly with their daughters,” she said.
After her family eventually found out, Pradhan said she was made to undergo traditional purification rituals.
“I was bathed with a mixture of cow dung and water to make me ‘pure’ again. The clothes I had worn were sent to the ‘dhobi’ for a thorough wash. All these practices reflected the deep stigma and misconceptions surrounding menstruation at the time,” she stated.
Like many women in rural Odisha in the ’80s and early ’90s, Pradhan relied on cloth for years before switching to sanitary pads.
“I continued using cloth till 1993 because pads were either unavailable or considered unnecessary luxury items. Today’s girls should not suffer the confusion and silence we faced,” she emphasised.
According to UNICEF, lack of toilets, menstrual products and awareness affects girls’ attendance in schools and participation in community life.
One of Pradhan’s key focus areas has been encouraging women to shift from old cloth pieces to sanitary pads to reduce the risk of infections.
“Earlier, many women used cloth without properly washing or drying it because of shame. I explain to them that sanitary pads are safe if used correctly and disposed properly,” she said.
Pradhan also conducts awareness drives on menstrual waste disposal.
“We tell girls not to throw pads openly near ponds or roadsides. Proper disposal is important for hygiene and dignity,” she said.
Studies and reports from Odisha show that menstrual taboos remain deeply rooted in several communities.
A UNFPA India report on Odisha documented practices where menstruating girls were barred from kitchens and temples, isolated in separate rooms and discouraged from bathing.
Another study published in the journal BMC Women’s Health noted that poor menstrual hygiene practices, social barriers and lack of access to products continue to affect women’s health and dignity in the state.
Noting that myths surrounding menstruation still persist in the villages, Pradhan said, “Women are told not to touch tulsi plants, not to cook food, not to enter temples and sometimes even to sleep separately.
“I want to ask people issuing such diktats, does menstruation make a woman impure? It is a natural biological process.”
She also believes that menstrual awareness must involve men and boys.
“If fathers and brothers understand menstruation, girls will not feel ashamed. Awareness is the only solution,” she said.
With the hope that the next generation of girls in rural Odisha will grow up without fear, stigma or embarrassment around periods. She said, “No girl should miss school or lose confidence because of menstruation. Periods are normal, not something dirty or secret,” Pradhan said.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
