“I have a small bed. On the 4th day, I wash my clothes and let them dry in the sun. I do not go far to bathe. I bathe nearby. My mother in law takes care of me during the time I am menstruating. She gives me plenty of water to wash up and plenty of fruits and vegetables with rice. I look at the homes of other girls in the village and there are many who have difficult lives. They toil under the elderly of the house without a word and they suppress all their feelings. My eyes water thinking of the suffering they are made to go through. I am lucky that is not the case with me. My mother in law tells me to do what I can and leave the rest to her. Even when I gave birth to a girl, she never told me anything. She never told me that she wished for a boy. To my surprise, she expressed her happiness that the birth of my daughter was the arrival of Goddess Laxmi. It was the people around the house, some neighbors and some relatives who would comment on her. They would say a grandson would have been better for her. But she would retaliate. She would say there is no difference to her and that a granddaughter is as equal to her as a grandson.

I have a lot of dreams for my daughter. But let us see what happens. With changing times, I hope my daughter will be able to be whatever she wants to become.”


#BreakingTheSilence with Dignity Without Danger: Menstruation in Nepal