I come from a relatively progressive and open-minded family where periods, sex, and sexuality weren’t taboo subjects, like in many households across India. I remember the first time I had my period. I wasn’t shocked, unlike many of my friends, because my parents had already explained to me in detail how a woman’s body changes with age. There were no sanitary napkins in stock at home when it happened, so my mother asked my father to bring some from a drugstore. That is how comfortable the male members of my family were around that subject.
But that is not the case with most Indian families. In several parts of the country, urban and rural alike, menstruating women are discriminated against. They are shunned to a separate room, are not allowed in the kitchen, are asked not to participate in festivals, and in many cases, are not even touched because they are considered impure.
A man from Uttarakhand named Jitendra Bhatt, who is a music teacher, grew up under similar circumstances where he saw his mother and other female members of the family being treated unfairly while they were on their period. So he decided that his daughter will never suffer the same fate.
When his 13-year-old daughter Ragini got her first period, he decided to celebrate. So, he threw her a ‘period party’, invited a bunch of people including men and boys, and brought a red cake for her to cut, reported Moneycontrol.
The message on top of the cake read, “Happy period Ragini.”
Ragini was gifted sanitary napkins and chocolates – two very essential things some women need during periods! 😛
The guests were served snacks and everyone seemed to have a gala time.
Jitendra Bhatt shared pictures from the party on Instagram and wrote, “Daughter all grown up. Celebrated daughter Ragini today for starting periods.”
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Several people online lauded the father for being incredibly supportive and smashing regressive norms. Here’s how some of them reacted to the post:
Kudos to Jitendra Bhatt for setting a wonderful example of fatherhood!