Rudrapur: Jitendra Bhatt, a music teacher from Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar, is resolute to challenge the misconceptions surrounding menstruation. He threw a celebratory bash for his daughter, Ragini, on her menarche.
Having witnessed young girls and women being treated as ‘impure’ and subjected to restrictions like staying away, avoiding the kitchen, and touching certain things during menstruation, Bhatt was determined to put an end to these misconceptions. He transformed what was usually a hush-hush affair into an open celebration, as reported by Times of India.
Bhatt’s social media post wishing his daughter a ‘happy periods’ caught the attention of the netizens and did rounds on social media. Moreover, he even presented a ‘vegan red velvet’ cake to symbolize the beginning of Ragini’s menstrual cycle. His rationale was simple – why hide such a natural process that signifies fertility? It should be celebrated, not hidden away.
The attendees at the party included Ragini’s friends, who were thrilled about the initiative. Some of them brought sanitary napkins and chocolates as gifts, showing their support for breaking the stigma around menstruation.
Ragini herself felt proud of her parents’ groundbreaking initiative. She emphasized the importance of parents acknowledging and celebrating a girl’s menstrual cycle as a significant milestone, as it encourages an empowering environment. Ragini expressed her plan to raise awareness among her friends and their parents at school.
The celebration had a significant impact, sparking conversations about menstruation myths and orthodox beliefs. One of Bhatt’s teenage students who attended the party mentioned that it served as an initiative to encourage open discussions. Young girls like her look forward to a more informed and inclusive society, free from the burden of taboos.
Dr. Navpreet Kaur, a local gynecologist, praised the celebration of the first menstrual cycle as a positive initiative that could help dispel the notion of ‘untouchability’ associated with menstruation. This celebration has the potential to break down barriers and foster a more accepting and enlightened society.
