Menstruation has been a very sensitive topic in our country. As far as I remember, my teachers flipped the pages and skipped the chapter where it was discussed in details. Even I wasn’t told about this physical change in my body by my family before it actually happened to me. The day I got my first periods made me scared to death that I had blood cancer and I would die soon. Not only the ignorance about this painful physical change disturbs a girl but also a lot of taboos associated with it follows her rest of the life.

This image is downloaded from official facebook page of Happy to bleed.

It is almost the end of 2015 and in a country where youth consists the major part of the population, worshipping centuries old taboos really doesn’t make sense at all. One of such case of blindly followed tradition is in Sabrimala Temple in Kerala where ladies aged 10 - 50 are not allowed. The priest in this temple has also demanded a scanner to scan the ladies if they are menstruating so that they can be refused to worship the same God who created them.

All thanks to the brave heart, Ms. Nikita Azad, who actually took it as a serious offence to her self-respect and brought it to the public attention worldwide. She launched a campaign #happytobleed against the prevailing patriarchal society we live in. In India, we worship female deities and we do not allow females into the temples when they are bleeding. Men and women are biologically different so why women are considered lesser beings in any aspect. Women go through the painful process of bleeding for most part of their lives which ensures their reproductive health. A biological process with which a new life is brought into this world.

The #happytobleed campaign is not about protesting against not letting women into the temples while they are having their periods. It is against the prevailing patriarchal society where women can be refused their rights on the grounds of them being just women. Girls like Ms. Azad show the modern picture of young Indian women who are not going to take their regressive images lightly and would challenge every finger being raised towards their non-equality quotient with men. It is not going to happen in a day but Rome was not built in a day either !

It has been eight years since I left India for higher studies and work. It does feel a long time when I hear stories of how much India has changed in those last eight years.

    
     This image is downloaded from www.freeimages.com and is free for commercial use

Back in my university days in Punjab, I’d return home late commuting in the bus and never felt unsafe. I’d spend more time in university so that I could use all the study resources at university which we couldn’t afford at home. Ultimately, I was the first girl in my conservative clan to have won “Gold Medal” in academics and got an opportunity to study abroad. My father, without giving a second thought, helped me in preparing for Canada despite continuous repulsion from relatives and friends on why is he sending “a girl” alone to a foreign land.

I have been always proud of my Indian culture, traditions, values, the ‘unity in diversity’ essence and the compassion every Indian adorns. The most important pride I carried with me is the freedom - the freedom of choice and voice - courtesy of my liberal father !

In the last few years, I noticed a different picture of India. It is hard to believe that She is the same country where I am brought up keeping my head high of her being the largest democracy in the world. My heart bleeds to know about the rapes happening in the country and finding that not even little girls are spared from this brutal crime. We read articles, we protest on the streets, we debate on news channels, we debate in parliament, we pass few “strict” laws to ensure girls’ safety. Do they make a slight difference?

Of course not ! Delhi wouldn’t be stigmatized with the rapes of minors in the last 2 weeks.  I am ashamed even sitting 50,000 miles away from India, the country who has given me my legacy and prepared me to prove my worth on a foreign land and to make her proud. No matter how fair I fare, only a single mention of unsecured women in India is enough to bow down my head in shame amongst my friends in Toronto !

Today, Canada’s federal elections were held. My riding has all the 4 candidates as women. I am so proud once again for something which I’ve always dreamed about happening in India. Women in power is a long way to go. First, we have to ensure that they feel safe in India even in daylight. When will my birth country achieve this? Long way to go my friends !!!

Charity begins at home so let’s just start making a difference from our own lives. Let your daughter feel that you are lucky to have her in your life and let your son know the same. Educating men about women rights is equally important so that they don’t treat women as piece of trash. 

I wish every girl child is blessed with a father like mine who would give equal respect to her so that she could also be proud of the country and the family she is born in !