15-year-old Samuna B.K. talks to girls in Nepal about the beliefs and practices around menstruation
Mirmirey Youth Society volunteers make reusable sanitary pads at Sinamangal in Kathmandu, Nepal.
March 7, 2025
Menstruation and the experience of Nepali girls amid many taboos
Menstruation is a natural process that occurs in girls and women, indicating that they are ready for reproduction. It usually starts in early teenage years (ten to 14) but sometimes later, and occurs once a month. It lasts until women reach the menopause in their early fifties.
Although menstruation is a natural process, it has negative connotations in some communities around the world. Menstruating women are considered impure and unclean, and face strict taboos about what they can and can’t do. This happens in certain parts of Nepal.
There are numerous beliefs regarding the first period – the first menstruation. For example, in many places, brothers are not allowed to see their sister’s face. Girls and women face numerous restrictions while they are menstruating. For example, they can’t go to vegetable fields or flower gardens, or visit temples. They are not allowed to eat food inside the kitchen.
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A traditional practice that is prevalent in rural areas of Nepal, particularly in the centre and far west of the country (such as Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces) is known as chhaupadi. Menstruating girls are banished on their own to small huts or even cowsheds, which are often dirty and without water and far from the house.
It is often reported that girls suffer from many difficult things, including animal attacks, fires and even rape during their stay in these huts.
However, things are changing gradually. In the past, girls used to wear cloth pads, and there was a danger of suffering from many diseases. Now, for my generation, there are many good-quality sanitary pads, easy to use and affordable. Schools also distribute free sanitary pads to students.
Harbingers’ spoke to several young Nepali girls about their experiences of menstruation.
Rakshya B.K., 14, in Dhangadhi, Kathmandu.
Ambika Nepali, 11, is a student from Sudurpaschim province. In her community, girls have to hide while menstruating. She had her first period at the age of ten and had to live alone in the chhaupadi hut. She explained her feelings to me: “I was extremely scared when I had to stay in the hut.”
In the beginning, she wore a pad made from old clothes; it was dirty and often carried infectious disease. But now she has access to sanitary pads, and she uses them.
Another student from Sudurpaschim is Rakshya B.K., 14, who started menstruating at the age of 11. She explained: “In my community there is strict practice when girls first experience menstruation. They need to stay in the closed room for five days.” She said that she didn’t see the sun rise or the sun set. If she went to the washroom, she had to hide from male members of the family.
Soniya Tamang, 20, from Sindhupalchowk, north-east of Kathmandu, said that during her first period, she had to stay in her own room for seven days. She ate inside the room and wasn’t allowed to enter the kitchen or worship room, or go to the temple. She said: “During my period, I had to take a shower early in the morning before everyone got up.”
Santoshi Gurung, 14, who is also from Sindhupalchowk, shared that she had her first period quite recently. She had a similar experience to Soniya: she had to spend five days alone in her room and took a shower early in the morning every day. This affected her education as she could not go to school for five days.
When her first period ended, her mother worshipped her and sprinkled gold water on her body and in the corners of the room. This is a traditional practice. She was fortunate because her family provided good-quality sanitary pads.
Binita Nepali, 15, is from Bajura, in the far west of Nepal. She had her first period three years ago, at the age of 12. She stayed 12 days in her room and did not interact with family or friends. She had to have her food in the same room. She could not celebrate Dashain, one of the most important Hindu festivals in Nepal, and enjoy it with friends. Instead, she had to watch the celebrations from the window.
Renu Pariyar, 18, who comes from the district of Dang in western Nepal, says that menstruation is a natural process that occurs to every girl. Her first period started when she was 13. At first, she thought that she was sick or something bad was happening to her – but her mother explained to her what was going on. “I understood after my mother told me everything about the period,” she told me.
She didn’t have to hide when first menstruating because her family does not believe in superstition, and they discourage the practice of chhaupadi.
Kriti Tamang, 17, from Dandagaun, Kathmandu, had her first period at the age of 14. She had to stay in her room for two weeks. She was not allowed to enter the kitchen or the prayer room and couldn’t go near any statues of gods and goddesses.
Devi Nepali from Surkhet in south-west Nepal is aged 60, so had her first period a long time ago when attitudes to menstruation were quite different. She didn’t have to follow any superstitious practices, but the conditions were difficult.
She didn’t wear a sanitary pad or any kind of clothes pad. Instead, she wore multiple layers of clothes and had to try to stop bleeding with the help of those clothes. “I didn’t wear a pad and didn’t face any kind of disease,” she told me.
People should understand that menstruation is a natural process, and it should not be regarded negatively. It is a blessing and power to girls. Negative beliefs and practices related to menstruation should be abolished.
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