Chhau Goth demolition drive resumes

BY SHER BAHADUR SARKI,Bajura, Jan. 28: The campaign to demolish Chhau Goths (small sheds where girls and women are sent during menstruation) in Bajura has been resumed. Following news reports published in the Gorkhapatra and The Rising Nepal highlighting that the practice of Chhaupadi continues in Bajura villages, the Bajura District Police Office has initiated the campaign to pull down all the sheds built to keep women during menstruation. 

According to the Ritha Police Station in the Budhiganga Municipality-8, during the inspection conducted in Nuwakot, Sigada Bhandar, Jargau, Badaeda, Timada and Selapakha, 29 Chhau Goths were discovered. Deputy Superintendent of Police Dilip Kumar Giri informed that preparations were underway to demolish these huts in coordination with the locals. 

He stated, “During the inspection, we found 29 Chhau Goths. We are planning to demolish these huts in the presence of local representatives and locals. However, locals assured that they would destroy those huts themselves and requested for a few more days. If the huts are not demolished within that time, we plan to intervene and immediately demolish them ourselves.”

On January 9, 2019, a fire broke out in a Chhau Goth in Pandusain of Ward No. 9, killing 35-year-old mother Amba Bohora, her 9-year-old son Suresh Bohora and her 7-year-old son Ramit Bohora. After the tragic incident, a campaign was launched to end the practice of Chhaupadi and various local authorities began organising programmes to abolish this harmful tradition.

That campaign led to the demolition of nearly 511 Chhau Goths across all nine local levels in Bajura. However, with the continued construction of Chhau Goths in some villages, the practice of Chhaupadi still persists. Therefore, the demolition campaign has been resumed from Monday, informed Deputy Superintendent of Police Giri.

Meanwhile, the family of the deceased Amba Bohora, who lost their lives in the fire, was provided with nearly Rs. 200,000 in compensation, though no other significant support was given, said Man Bahadur Rawat, Ward Chairman of Budhinanda Municipality-9. He added, “Earlier, each household in this ward had one Chhau Goth. Later, each neighbourhood had one. Now, there are no Chhau Goth in anyone’s homes here.” 

Chairman Rawat informed that all women in the ward had stopped staying in Chhau Goths during menstruation after the Ward was declared a Chhau Goth-free zone between 2021 and 2022. 

Asmita BK, a resident of Serkatiya in Budhinanda Municipality-7, said, “We are forced to sleep in Chhau Goths due to the fear of deities.”

Chief District Officer Meghnath Padhya informed that they would first coordinate with all local bodies to put an end to the practice of Chhaupadi. He said that they would appeal to various organisations working in the district to take concrete actions, not just theoretical ones with several awareness campaigns. 

He said, “If Chhau Goths continue to exist or if anyone tries to keep this practice alive, we will take legal action against them as per the decision of the municipality.”