Bajura women still suffering from period-related stereotypes

By Sher Bahadur Sarki, Bajura, Jan. 8:Five and half years ago, Nepal enacted a law criminalising Chhaupadi, the centuries-old custom of banishing women from home during menstruation. However, the Act has been limited to mere words.

Despite the law, women of Bajura district are still expected to stay separate or in the sheds and follow the restrictions during their monthly cycle.

This custom remains deeply entrenched in the district; they are even restricted to walk on the roads leading to the temple because of a longstanding custom in this region that considers menstruating women impure. 

Since majority of the roads and foot trails of the district have temples in-between, menstruating women are prohibited to use these roads, believing that god and goddess will get angry.

Parbati Nepali, a local of Budhiganga Municipality-10 Timada, said during her period every month she is not allowed to walk the road and foot-trail that leads to a temple.

She shared though she tried to walk forcibly on the road going against such irrational prohibition, the local leaders and shamans were not allowing her to walk along the path citing that this would anger the god and bring misfortune to the village. 

There is Kalapatal Temple near the village. This temple lies on the road that connects with other villages. Everyone is allowed to walk on this road except menstruating women, she added. 

Though the government and non-government organisations have been conducting various programmes in the district to end the evil practice, abolition of this inhuman practice still remains a pipedream in the village, Pabitra Nepali, a local said.  

Majority of women of the village are not allowed to sleep in a proper and safe place, and are compelled to bear extreme weather conditions, she added. 

This deeply-rooted tradition has restricted women’s mobility and participation in normal activities during their menstruation. 

They are banned from even taking nutritious foods like fruits and dairy products, in fear that the god will curse them if they do so. They aren’t even allowed to touch the livestock, said Nepali. 

“If some menstruating woman mistakenly touches a cow or other cattle, locals punish them in fear that they would not produce milk. Buffaloes are purified if touched by any menstruating woman,” she shared with heavy heart. 

In January, 2019 Amba Bohara and her two sons of Pandusen in Budhinanda Municipality, Bajura died in Chhaugoth - an outdoor mud hut to keep menstruating women. 

All three died of suffocation due to a fire, as they were banished to the Chhaugoth in the freezing cold. The shed which was built years ago for women in the family to practice Chhaupadi had no windows and ventilator. 

Following the incident, a drive to demolish Chhaugoth gathered pace in the district to put an end to the deep-rooted social taboo. 

However, the situation remains almost same today. Most of the menstruating women of the district are still forcefully banished to a Chhaugoth. 

“Some women in the village are even raped while sleeping in the Chhaugoth, which are built far away from the settlement. This has ruined lives of many women. Now the young girls are also forced to follow this perverse practice,” said Pabitra. 

Pabitra said the practice would continue until the local government takes legal action against those who force women to follow this nasty practice.

She also highlighted the need to take action against local priests and shamans who force women to follow this inhuman tradition.