It’s said that after reaching 70 years, you become a child once again – and that you can be moulded and taught new things in life. So, one day, I was having a conversation with my granny, about the taboo surrounding periods.
At home, I am not allowed to touch anybody or anything when I am having my periods, for the first two days. I am treated as untouchable and impure. So I started telling my granny the history of how the ‘period taboo’ was created. Then, I said that I bled more during the third or fourth day of the cycle – and in that case, I should be away from all, during the entire menstrual cycle.
She explained to me that this was done earlier – but now, it’s not possible because of the busy schedule of the modern world. “Bingo!” I said, “Dadi, you explained my point. Conditions were different earlier and all this was created to give rest to women from tedious work during their periods. But now, the case is different. Why don’t you stop this stupid custom?”
She replied, “Tumhare college mein yahi shiksha dete hain? Bahut bigad gayi hai tu, aur upar se bado se aisi baatein karti hain (Do they teach you all this in college? You have changed for the worse, and on top of that, you are talkjing like this with your elders)!”
Yes, she didn’t have an answer – and hence, she had to silence me by telling me that I am a bigdi hui ladki.
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Featured image used for representative purposes only.