Chhaupadi:Taboo of menstruation

Chhaupadi:Taboo of menstruation

 Whether the practices of Chhaupadi or accuses of Witchcraft may be a things of past in this 21st century technology driven world. Infact with the development and evolution of science and living standards these superstitious practices has been put on history. But somewhere around the world what If such claptrap practices is still being practiced? What if People are still being tortured or killed in the name of witchcraft? What If the violence and discrimination still prevails among the voiceless?

Laxmi Kumari Budha who is was only 16 years old teenage girl from Nepal lost her life while staying in Chhaupadi. The term Chhaupadi might be a new terminology for the most of the readers, however for the people of Nepal, it is practices or tradition where menstruation women or girls are forced to stay away from their home and take shelter in shed or Chhaupadi. Girls and women are considered to be impure and are forbidden to touch men and even the courtyard of their own home. Furthermore, they are barred from eating any nutritious food during menstruation phase and they have to survive on dry food and plain rice. Such cruelties are rampant in country like Nepal where illiteracy and superstitions practices exist on the mind of the most of the people residing in rural areas.

Unfortunate incident like that of Laxmi Kumari  Budha is everyday story there where some woman die on Chhaupadi where some of them are raped. Death due to Snake bites, Lack of ventilation, Rape are some of the risk that woman have to bear during this seclusion period.

Kalli Biswokarma,a 47 year old mother of one was mercilessly tortured as she was accused of practicing witchcraft which is rife in most of the rural part of nepal. She was taken forcibly from her home by a group of around 35 people and was detent in cowshed where she was forced to eat human faeces and urine. Furthermore, they cut her skin with blade and finally she was forced to confess that she was witch inoder to save her life. Such kind of practices of torturing is more rampant and targeted basically to woman belonging to poor family and low caste. Hundred of women suffer the same ordeal every Year in Nepal in the name of witchcraft.

Day light Robbery, gang rape or child molestation and other crimes are  also a major case that needs to be highlighted but the incident I have put on spotlight are some of the major examples that needs to be addressed as they are pure form of crimes in the name of superstition in underdeveloped countries like nepal. Considering all the above given crimes, the world needs to address such injustice besides headlining Whitney Houston or Michael Jackson death for a month or creating a hype for launch of upcoming I pad.