MENSTRUAL CYCLE- AN IDENTITY OF WOMANHOOD

Menstruation, a natural common process that occurs in every women’s life. I feel it as a routine that happens to all women as a recognition to their womanhood. A woman is stronger mentally and physically and this menstrual cycle that a woman encounters will add to her will power. During her periods as a woman, as a wife, as a mother “She knows how to balance her emotions, overcome her nervousness, and keep away from things that are annoying, to show steadiness towards her mood that swings, to get time for a deep breath and to fulfil her duties”. She never tells no to her responsibilities at the time of her periods. She never quits, instead she moves forward to keep up her role.

My question is that does the society in which I am living has complete awareness on menstrual cycle? Do men have proper knowledge and attentiveness about the physical and mental changes that occurs in a woman due to her periods? Is there any traditions that are still followed in the world, that isolates a woman on the terms of culture and traditions, during her periods? Does women are stopped from doing her regular work, by their own family members at the time of her monthly periods?  Is she kept arrested in her home in the name of monthly periods, instead of flying out?

I remember most of my college friends, who are from various traditional background, is not allowed to come outside during their periods and most of my friends shared with me that they are not allowed to touch anythings in their home and isolated in a room for the continuing three days. It gave rise to a lot of questions in my mind. It’s a natural phenomenon that happens to every girl, but still a girl is denied of her freedom and rights during her periods. Is there something wrong with the nature or with our cultural background?

A woman should be supported mentally in those days, instead she is kept like a sculpture in the corner of her house. Is the same practice going to be followed in the coming generations also?  Does all women in this world faces the same problem in the name of culture and traditions during her periods? For whom the awareness should be given? How can we change the myths? How are we going to bring those changes?

I analysed all these things, which finally ended with an another big question which shook me that “If sighted girls are facing these many problems in the society during their periods, then what are all the problems encountered by the blind girls during their periods? Am I also going to face the same problems on the basis of cultural practices? I very strongly replied to myself: No, I felt it is a pride of every women and it is an identity of the womanhood.

Finally I started with an initiative of giving awareness to the blind girls and to their families in the rural areas, which made me to add “EDUCATION ON MENSTURAL CYCLE TO BLIND GIRLS” as a part of my MOBILE SCHOOL which trained many blind girls reaching their home, in overcoming their emotions and queries. We gave proper education to their families, of how they should go with utmost patience with their daughters during their periods. It is the responsibility of the family members to give the blind child a sense of confidence, to make them understand that menstruation is a normal process and nothing to feel panic or embraced.

I took an oath, that I am being a blind and as long as I am a part of the blind community, no blind girl should be denied of attending her schools during her periods and suppressed mentally as a part of the social beliefs. Till date, I run and to attend to the needs of any blind girl who is in need of mental support during their menstrual periods.

“Even a small change can bring a drastic revolution in this world”. As a woman, if we join our hands together, whatever the barriers which is built upon cultural myths and traditional backgrounds against women, will be broken and the ways will be made clear”.

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