For Chaudhari, 18, telling a male about one's menstruation would be shameful and awfully awkward.
"How can one let an army man know about your menstruation and ask him for sanitary pads?" she asked.On the second day, she crossed the road and bought sanitary pads at a shop at Bagbazar. Her extrovert nature was not enough to overcome the taboos of menstruation even during such a difficult time.
An earthquake victim who is from Sarlahi, Chaudhari is living with 12 others of her community under tents at Tundikhel. She also spoke about her difficulties in tiding over her period for lack of enough water in the makeshift toilets they have to use.
Lack of adequate water in the toilets has not only created problems for menstruating women but also poses long-term health risks.
"I felt so sick for almost a week because there was no water to clean up during menstruation," Chaudhari said adding, "I filled mineral water bottles and used them in the toilet."
Dr. Aruna Upreti, a gynecologist who writes on issues concerning women's health, said that menstruation is directly linked with the piety of women, because of which many of them suffer both mentally and physically.
"When women are not able to maintain proper hygiene during emergency situations like the one we are facing, they are sure to have long-term problems with reproductive health," she said.
Tirtha Tamang, 32, also had stories to share about her suffering during menstruation. She reckons that throwing away used sanitary pads is a sinful act.
"I will incur tons of sin as I have been throwing away used sanitary pads in open places that people clean up at random," she said. Back home in Bhojpur, she used to throw the used pads into a truck that collects garbage, she added.
She further opined that sanitary pads should be distributed to all women livng under makeshift tents across the country.
Even though relief packages have flooded Nepal from both national and international sources, the need for sanitary pads and for maintaining hygiene during menstruation are not properly realized due to other crushing priorities such as food, tents, tarpaulins and water in the makeshift camps.
Bishnu Baral of the Nepal Army who is in charge of the camp at Tundikhel, informed that there are enough sanitary pads with them and they have been inviting women through loud speakers to come and claim them.
There were around 2,400 people sheltering at Tundikhel following the massive earthquake of April 25. Out of the total, around 800 were women. Many of them have already left for their respective districts but some who are still living under the tents have to suffer menstruation silently.
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