Happy Periods Ragini; Uttarakhand Man Celebrates Daughter’s First Period, Throws A Party

Jitendra Bhatt, a music teacher from Udham Singh Nagar, breaks through the misconceptions that have been built around periods, to celebrate his daughter Ragini’s first menstrual cycle.

Bhatt, while growing up, would always see young girls and women treated as ‘impure’, telling them to stay away, not to enter the kitchen, and touch certain things. But this time, he decided to end these misconceptions and turn the issue of silence into an open ceremony. Times of India a report.

Bhatt’s post wishing his daughter “happy days” went viral on his social media account. He even brought a “vegan red velvet” cake to signify the start of a girl’s period. “Why do we hide things like this?” Bhatt was quoted as saying, “It is a natural process that leads to fertility and should be celebrated, not brushed under the rug.”

The party’s guest list included Rajini’s friends, who expressed their happiness at the initiative. Some of the guests came with sanitary napkins and chocolates as gifts.

Feeling proud of her parents’ initiative, Rajini said it is important for parents to acknowledge and celebrate a girl’s menstrual cycle as a historic event, adding that such a celebration creates an enabling environment. She further said that she plans to raise a similar level of awareness among her friends and parents of her schoolmates, reports say.

According to reports, one of Bhatt’s teenage students who attended the party said that this ceremony was an initiative to open up conversations. She added that people are now talking about superstitions and orthodox beliefs surrounding menstruation. She added, “As young girls, we aspire to a more enlightened and inclusive society.”

This celebration of menstruation was a good initiative, said Dr. Navpreet Kaur, a local gynecologist, adding that it is hoped that it will break the belief of ‘untouchability’ associated with menstruation.