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Abstract
The study attempts to find out the existing social and cultural practices regarding menstruation, awareness levels, and the behavioral changes that come about in adolescent girls during menstruation, their perception about menarche, how do they treat it, and the various taboos, norms, and cultural practices associated with menarche. The study was conducted on 117 adolescent girls (age 11–20 years) and 41 mothers from various communities and classes in Ranchi comprising residential colonies and urban slums. The findings unfolds many practices: cultural and social restrictions associated with menstruation, myth, and misconception; the adaptability of the adolescent girls toward it; their reaction, reaction of the family; realization of the importance of menstruation; and the changes that have come in their life after menarche and their resistance to such changes. The article also suggests the strategies to improve menstrual health and hygiene among adolescent girls. The study concludes that cultural and social practices regarding menstruation depend on girls' education, attitude, family environment, culture, and belief.
Notes
1. Sarna (religion), the religious beliefs held by tribes in the state of Jharkhand, India, and other central Indian states.
2. Hindu—Hindus are follower of Hinduism (world's third largest religion), which is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of South Asia, often referred to as Sanātana Dharma (a Sanskrit phrase meaning “the eternal law”) by its adherents. Hinduism is formed of diverse traditions and has no single founder.
3. The salat, the five obligatory daily prayers by Muslims, is also known as the namaz in India.
4. One of the tribe in Jharkhand. The tribes of Jharkhand consist of 32 tribes inhabiting the Jharkhand state in India. The tribes in Jharkhand were originally classified on the basis of their cultural types by the world-renowned Indian anthropologist late Professor L. P. Vidyarthi. His classification was as follows: Hunter-gatherer type—Birhor, Korwa, Hill Kharia; Shifting agriculture—Sauria Paharia; Simple artisans—Mahli, Lohra, Karmali, Chik Baraik; Settled agriculturists—Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Ho, Bhumij, etc.
5. Scheduled Tribes is an umbrella term for a heterogeneous set of ethnic and tribal groups believed to be the aboriginal population of India. They constitute a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India.
6. Kayastha is a caste/ethnic-group of India. They are the only referred to as direct descendants of a Vedic God in the religious texts and the only ancestor worshipping sect of Hinduism also called Chitranshi/Devputra. They are mainly spread across North India and are a subsect of Brahmins whose ancient profession was writing.
7. Marwaris are subgroup of larger Indo-Aryan ethnic group, which inhabit the Rajasthan region of India. Now settled all over India.
8. Bhargava is a common surname in Northern India. It is also used as a first name in parts of southern India. Bhargavas are a community, who are decedents of Rishi Bhrigu (who contributed in Manu Samriti also) and Parshurama.
9. Vaishya Vaishya is 3rd position in one of the four varnas (social divisions) of Hinduism. According to Vedic tradition, this order primarily comprises merchants, cattle herders, and farmer artisans.
10. Anganwadi means “courtyard shelter” in Hindi. It is a government sponsored for children and lactating mothers. The Anganwadi system is mainly managed by the Anganwadi worker. She is a health worker chosen from the community and given 4 months training in health, nutrition, and child care. She is in charge of an Anganwadi that covers a population of 1,000.
