Last night, I told her I got my period! Why did I? I still question myself?

I was all excited about it because I had missed my dates since the last three months. Boy! I was worried and wanted to consult a doctor so badly. Finally after three months i saw some blood. 🙂

This time, I wanted to experience how are women treated in the village where I was staying, when they are having there mc’s (alag hona) that is what they call it. ( for confidentiality purpose I would not like to mention the name of the village, state). So I have been working on a project where I have to stay alone in a village and live like they live and just survive in the village as if you are one of them and like a child of the family that you are living with.

Hence, I told her with a happy heart, and she was completely taken aback. She exasperated,”Why are you telling me? Anyway, let’s get you a chatai (mat) for you to sleep on.” She also mentioned that since I am a ‘modern woman’ she is not going to ask me to sleep where the cows sleep and she will let me sleep inside their house but with certain rules.  I obeyed!

I had to sleep on the ground with a different blanket and a pillow. I was woken up at 4:00 in the morning with a bucket full of warm water. I was asked to take a bath immediately wash my mat, pillow and blanket. I got up not understanding a word she was saying because it was way early in the morning. Every morning, I greeted her with a half hug but now I was not allowed to come near her. I had to stand minimum 4 feet away from her, from plants, not allowed to enter the kitchen, the puja room(Well, I was glad about the kitchen and cooking part, I won’t deny that ?) and I was then given a separate room. I was asked to sleep in that room alone for the night on a mat.

After my bath she came near and sprinkled Gau Mutra (Cow’s urine) on me. I was also asked to drink some of it. I couldn’t deny as I wanted to experience each and every part of it. Now I experienced something that I hadn’t before at all “UNTOUCHABILITY” just like in movies. Not allowed in a temple, kitchen, common room I was given tea and food in a different way. She used to put a cup of tea on the ground and I had to pick it up and have it, same goes with the food. The plate was kept on the ground I had to pick it up and eat.

Till date, I have been proud of myself and glow while I’m on my period, I work out in the mornings to be free from cramps, yes there are times when I also feel like why should boys have all the fun but up til I have never felt so bad about being in periods. No wonder, the girls in the village feel inferior that anyone in such situation would. I felt like there was something wrong in me and couldn’t make an eye contact with anybody around me, forget talking to males of the village.

Earlier I got a compliment from the village pradhan (head) saying, “I love how you city girl take pride in the way you are and keep your head high up in the air and greet everyone with a smile and full confidence.” But after this I did not feel like seeing him as well, thinking he won’t let me in his house and his wife might treat me as an untouchable!

Later that night I slept alone and I admit, I was really scared. After all it was a new surrounding for me and that place was quite at a distance with the road. So for next 3-4 days I had to eat alone, sleep alone, wash my stuff daily (blankets, pillows, mat). If by mistake I entered her room then she would mop the floor. And as soon as my fifth day came she again became that sweet lady who loved spending time with me and was happy with my existence in her house and village.

All this while I so wanted to talk about things and tell her what happens in my house when I’m in periods and what is happening in the village is completely the opposite of it. But there was something that was stopping me, one reason was that I wanted to go through the whole “Come, make me feel inferior and ashamed of my bodily process.”

Second, I have also seen women in my city and many metro cities following a few of these things. They don’t go in the kitchen, don’t do puja, sleep on ground, keep a distance from other people at home – things like that.

I am not going to say whether treating females this way during menstruation – a natural biological process it right or wrong. You tell me?

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