KATHMANDU, Dec 8: Nepali women residing in urban settlements are practicing ‘chhaupadi’ in a different form, which is invisible, and goes unnoticed. At a time when different programs and campaigns based on awareness are being conducted to discourage menstrual taboos and normalize menstruation as a natural process of a woman’s body in the rural villages, ‘concrete chhaupadi’ is still prevalent in the urban areas of Nepal.

Nujal Rayamajhi (name changed due to privacy), 26, from Sukedhara used period-delay pills in Tihar to put Bhai Tika to her beloved brother. Even though she explained its side-effects on health with her mother and grandmother, they refused to accept it.  She wasn’t allowed to conduct religious practices, enter the kitchen, and worship during her period because she is considered 'impure' and 'untouchable', so she forcefully used period-delay pills. Born and brought up in a well-off family in the heart of Kathmandu, Rayamajhi must strictly adhere to her 'family values' as ordered by her mother and grandmother. However, she is unable to convince them as their religious belief systems are rigid. She said, “I know it is a bad practice, but I am still forced to obey simply to respect my mom and grandma despite knowing the adverse effects of period delay pills on health.”

Angeela Shakya (name changed due to privacy, a ninth grader from Damak, Jhapa, was suggested to use period delay pills by her relatives to avoid menstruation during a pilgrimage to the Pathivara Temple in Taplejung. She said, “Even though my sister supported me not to use period-delay pills, saying menstruation is a biological and pure process to be a woman, my relatives refused to accept her remarks which forced me to take period-delay pills without my interest.”  

A 56 years old Bhagawati Shakya  from Lalitpur shared, “Because of the availability of period-delay pills, I am able to worship god and goddess during festive seasons and other important religious occasions fearlessly. I don’t have to seek a doctor for prescriptions to use period-delay pills as it is easily available in pharmacies and is affordable.” She added, “Period-delay pills are the outcome of the modern period provided by enhancement of knowledge and technologies. She recalled her past and said, “I was abandoned to worship and conduct religious practices due to menstruation as it was out of my control. It feels disheartening to remember I couldn’t attend the funeral of my grandmother because of menstruation.”

Prathana Shrestha, (name changed due to privacy), 20, from Kathmandu, said, “It is sad that the culture of menstrual untouchability commonly called 'chhaupadi' in western part of Nepal is also being practiced in the capital city Kathmandu. “When having girls’ talk every time, a topic related to experiences of menstruation is discussed. My female friends have shared that they didn’t stay in their homes and visited a relative's house while menstruating for the first time.” She added, “I  am blessed to have an understanding family who treated me with love and support during menstruation. However, my friends are still forbidden to touch plants, practice puja, participate in rituals, cooking, mingling with mates, and members of the family. So, there exists a different version of chhaupadi which  is invisible, and goes unnoticed. It can be termed as ‘concrete chhaupadi’.”

Chhaupadi, a traditional practice outlawed by the Supreme Court of Nepal in 2005 and criminalized by the Criminal Code in 2017, isolates menstruating girls and women in remote areas. However, the urban phenomenon of 'concrete chhaupadi' takes a different form, often overlooked and scarcely researched. Menstruation, a natural physiological process, is unfortunately still considered impure and a social taboo even among city dwellers.

“In the past, women had to travel long hours to receive water and engage in fields and household chores. The practice of chhaupadi was introduced to create safety measures for women but it is misinterpreted in present day,” Damodar Paudel, a religious practitioner said, “Some Nepali women take period-delay pills during menstruation to conduct religious practices. But it is harmful in itself as it disrupts a natural biological process in women.”

According to gynecologists, women seeking to suppress their periods through the use of period-delay pills should consult with experts to gain information about the potential side effects and health consequences. These professionals emphasize that such pills essentially manipulate the hormonal balance in the body

Radha Paudel, an activist who has been working in the field of dignified menstruation for a long time, said that the discrimination during menstruation adds on power to patriarchy and that is why the problem persists despite many efforts.

She mentioned that not being able to go to the kitchen and attend religious practices during menstruation is a violation of the fundamental rights provided by the Constitution, and the Supreme Court has already defined the chhaupadi practice as a violation of human rights. “Concrete chhaupadi continue to practice in urban settlements due to the lack of awareness about dignified menstruation,”

She said, “Concrete chhaupadi is creating obstacles at homes, schools, and public places in urban areas. Therefore, it is necessary to raise voices against such practices together.”

Despite Nepal’s ongoing 16-day campaign against gender violence since 1997 and the introduction of Dignified Menstruation Day in 2019, marking on December 8, there is still much work to be done to promote dignified menstruation and discourage the practice of concrete chhaupadi.

 
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