My first period didn’t feel like the beginning of anything. It felt like an ending — something that happened, and then was simply over. I had no idea it was actually the start of something much bigger: a slow, sometimes confusing, sometimes lonely journey of growing up in a body that everyone suddenly had opinions about.
The Puberty Function and the Saree I Didn’t Choose
A few months later, my puberty function was conducted. To be honest... I wasn’t excited. Everyone else seemed happier than I was. There were sweets, snacks, relatives, photos, new clothes, and of course... the saree.
The only thing I remember clearly is wearing a saree for the first time. Everyone said I looked beautiful, but I felt uncomfortable. It didn’t feel like me. After the function, my mom scolded me for not wearing another saree she had chosen. I cried that day — not because of the saree, but because everything around me was changing so fast.
That’s when I realized every girl grows up differently. Some of my friends weren’t allowed to sit on the sofa for a week or touch kitchen items. Hearing those stories made me feel relieved, but I also realized: after your first period, people slowly start treating you differently. Your clothes change. Expectations change.
When It Happened Again — In Front of Everyone
A couple of years later, in higher secondary school, I got my period unexpectedly during class. I didn’t even realize I had leaked onto our light green uniform. Out of 30 students, there were only five girls in my class; the rest were boys.
When I walked up to collect my answer paper, the teacher looked at me differently and called me outside. Nobody teaches you how heavy that moment feels — the embarrassment, the fear, the silence.
A Stranger’s Silent Kindness on a Crowded Bus
Another memory stayed with me. Standing in a crowded bus, I unexpectedly leaked again. Two college girls beside me noticed, but no one told me. That day taught me a vital lesson: a simple act of kindness — quietly telling another girl about a stain — can save her from so much discomfort.
The Temple I Wasn’t Supposed to Visit
On my birthday, while on my second day of period, I visited a Murugan temple with a friend. When my mother found out, she became upset: "You shouldn’t go to a temple during your periods." My father agreed. They were simply repeating what they were taught — beliefs passed down with love, but without questioning whether they were medically true.
Your period has never made you less worthy. It only made you human. And that’s something you should never be ashamed of.
Essential Menstrual Hygiene Rules
Good periods hygiene isn’t complicated — it comes down to menstrual hygiene basics done consistently: changing pads on time, staying clean, and choosing breathable, chemical-free period products designed for your flow.
