This morning I watched a video going viral- on periods and all things related to the taboo. I am amazed that in the days of open relationships, open sex and all other openness why do we still wrap it all in a whisper?
I remember when my peer group started theirs and how it was a matter of being the privileged one with the cramps, sit outs in the games class and and discussing the color of Stayfree. One by one my friends all belonged to the club, all except me - I was considered the baby and not to be taken into the inner wheel of the red young ladies. Being fed up of being the outcast, I faked chum to be with my bumchums !!!! I faked cramps, sit outs in the PT class, though I hated it, and spoke about imaginary stayfrees !!!! It's a different matter that I finally started my periods while I was almost 13 and almost 2 years later than my friends. The periods of course made Ma look red - she was forever worried that me being me I should not shout in glee!!! Her sermons were long and tiring that included the fact that I should sit quietly and not wear shorts and certainly not stain them!!!
I remember that I was in Benaras when I stepped into womanhood, and the first person I blurted out to was Baba, when he came to receive us at the Howrah Station much to ma's horror and no amount of pinching would make me stop from giving in all the gory details. Baba being baba, said " Doshshi meye ta to boro hoye gyalo!!"
I stopped at 50 just short of my birthday after a surgery at the same OT where my son was born. I don't think I was sad to let it go...Menopause has it's freedom whatever you say !!!!
And if pee, poo is no taboo then why Whisper about period? Period !!!!
I remember when my peer group started theirs and how it was a matter of being the privileged one with the cramps, sit outs in the games class and and discussing the color of Stayfree. One by one my friends all belonged to the club, all except me - I was considered the baby and not to be taken into the inner wheel of the red young ladies. Being fed up of being the outcast, I faked chum to be with my bumchums !!!! I faked cramps, sit outs in the PT class, though I hated it, and spoke about imaginary stayfrees !!!! It's a different matter that I finally started my periods while I was almost 13 and almost 2 years later than my friends. The periods of course made Ma look red - she was forever worried that me being me I should not shout in glee!!! Her sermons were long and tiring that included the fact that I should sit quietly and not wear shorts and certainly not stain them!!!
I remember that I was in Benaras when I stepped into womanhood, and the first person I blurted out to was Baba, when he came to receive us at the Howrah Station much to ma's horror and no amount of pinching would make me stop from giving in all the gory details. Baba being baba, said " Doshshi meye ta to boro hoye gyalo!!"
I stopped at 50 just short of my birthday after a surgery at the same OT where my son was born. I don't think I was sad to let it go...Menopause has it's freedom whatever you say !!!!
And if pee, poo is no taboo then why Whisper about period? Period !!!!
period s still a 'hush' word? i didnt know...
ReplyDeletehappy Easter!!
ReplyDeleteHa ha .. love it Mithu..! Love your penning style..!
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