Pune: A Ganesh mandal breaks a taboo, silence over the issue of menstruation

“Those Four Days’ is a social awareness initiative using dance, drama and music. Sanyukta Mitra Mandal’s unique show and activities at Nagnath Par tackled this very significant women’s issue with sensitivity. Even in the 21st century, society balks at talking about it. However, this bold and unique initiative seeks to raise awareness and break silence over the topic.

Everyday, a group of girls and women perform a skit, showing the difference between the traditional village and a modern perspective, and how girls now celebrate the day they get their first period. The concept, writing, set design and direction of the show has been done by Piyush Shah. Eight women activists of the board, from ages 7 to 50 years took part in the performance. President of the Mandal, Nilesh Paygude, said this idea was taken from an abhang about ‘Dehasi Vital Karti Sakal’ composed by Sant Soyrabai. Accompanied by simple rap music, the show blends both the old and the new.

“This year we want to do something different and to spread awareness about how people would address the issue of periods earlier and how they are becoming progressive,” said Shah. It’s especially important to talk about this during festivals when it’s considered inauspicious for a menstruating woman to attend prayers and festivities, which compels many of them to take medicines to delay their periods, which could harm their physiology. Talking about this, the secretary of the mandal said, “During Palkhi season where women contribute more, it again becomes an important issue and we have portrayed this in our decorations and skits.

As per some visitors to the mandal, this progressive approach by Pune’s Sanyukt Mitra Mandal serves as a reminder of how far society has progressed and how much further it needs to go in normalising menstruation. The initiative is a powerful example of how traditional festivals can be leveraged to spark important conversations and promote social change, reflecting a new era of inclusivity and progressive thinking, said another visitor, who also appreciated the fact that men are in forefront here, talking about a women’s issue.