Pune Menstruation Festival – ROSHNI Foundation

Pune Menstruation Festival™

पुणे मासिका महोत्सव

The intent of Pune Menstruation Festival is to break the silence, raises awareness and changes negative social norms around menstruation, and engages decision-makers to increase the political priority and catalyse action for MHM at all levels of society from global, national and to local. Pune Menstruation Festival aims be a policy dialogue platform to advocate for the integration of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) into global, national and local policies and programmes.

Odisha India’s First State to Celebrate Menstruation Festival:

In an article by scoop whoop which featured Odisha as India’s First State to Celebrate Menstruation Festival and further stated that we quote here

“Odisha India’s First State to Celebrate Menstruation Festival where women are pampered & made to feel special. Time and again, we have come across various infuriating practices and beliefs from all around the country regarding the menstrual taboo. However, there are certain cultural practices in India which believe in the opposite, case in point being this 4-day Odisha festival called Raja Parba which is celebrated in June every year. Pronounced as raw-jaw, Raja comes from the word Rajaswala, which means menstruating women. It is believed that during the first three days Bhudevi (Mother Earth), the wife of Lord Jagannath undergoes menstruation and is given a ceremonial bath the fourth day. Each day of the festival has its own name and significance - the first day is called Pahili Rajo, second day is Mithuna Sankranti, signifying the beginning of solar month of Mithuna i.e., the rainy season, the third day is Bhu Daaha orBasi Raja and the fourth day is called Vasumati Snana.”

Source: ScoopWhoop - Odisha is celebrating a menstruation festival, where women are pampered & made to feel special.
https://www.scoopwhoop.com/Raja-Parba-Odisha-Festival-That-Celebrates-Womanhood/

Source: Hindustan Times

Why Pune Menstruation Festival?

The flame lit by these social reformers and the menstruation festival of Odisha served as an inspiration to our founder to initiate Pune Menstruation Festival. Pune has always been a place which witnessed social reforms under the leadership of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatama Phule ji, Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Ambedkar ji. They gave us the ability to think rationally, have inclusive approach.

Rajmata Jijau, ‘Krantijyoti’ Savitribai Phule, great revolutionary and true inheritor of Dr Ambedkar's Legacy Smt. Ramabai Ambedkar ji, Fatima Sheikh ji are an inspiration to us at ROSHNI Foundation. They taught us that the socio political discourse should be open to all sections of the society and be inclusive in character by accommodating dissenting voices the way in which Savitribai marched along hand in hand with Fatima Sheikh women of all castes oppressed, barbers, workers and peasants.

What is Pune Menstruation Festival?

It is an advocacy platform that brings together the voices and actions of non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media supporting women and girls to break the silence about taboos associated with menstrual hygiene.

The intent of Pune Menstruation Festival is to break the silence, raises awareness and changes negative social norms around menstruation, and engages decision-makers to increase the political priority and catalyse action for MHM at all levels of society from global, national and to local. Pune Menstruation Festival aims be a policy dialogue platform to advocate for the integration of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) into global, national and local policies and programmes.

We also aim to feature positive and innovative solutions being taken to address these challenges. Pune Menstruation Festival was launched on 28 May 2019. And will be celebrated in Pune District henceforth from 28 May 2020 every year from 24st May to 28th May.

Every Year 28 th May we celebrate as Menstrual Hygiene Day. Due to taboos around menstruation, girls are forced to leave school, also we find limited access to hygienic menstrual products and poor sanitation infrastructure undermines the educational opportunities and health of women and girls around the world.

Due to these challenges women and girls are kept from reaching their full potential. The aim to celebrate 28th May as MHM Day is to create awareness around the world which empowers woman and girl to manage her menstruation safely, hygienically, with confidence. With a mission to break the silence, raise awareness and change negative social norms surrounding MHM around the world. And to engage decision-makers at global, national and local levels to increase the political priority for MHM and catalyze action.

Pune Menstruation Festival 2019.

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