September 8, Doti – When his sister had her first menstruation, the family and community advised keeping her in the livestock shed (Chhaupadi) for 22 days as per tradition. However, 18-year-old Tekendra Kadayat from Ladagad, Dipayal Silgadhi Municipality-8 in Doti, strongly disagreed with this practice. “I did not like the idea. I raised my voice that my sister should be kept safe inside our home, not in the hut,” he stated. His firm opposition prevented anyone from pressuring the family to isolate her in the Chhaupadi hut.
Tekendra’s internal family protest helped his sister avoid the forced confinement in the Chhaupadi hut, a practice that requires women to remain isolated in small, remote, and unsafe enclosures during menstruation. “It pained me to see my mother and other women in the village sitting uncomfortably in those huts. I couldn’t understand how my young sister could stay alone there,” he explained. The huts are far from the main house, cramped, with neither proper doors nor windows, forcing women to remain in difficult conditions without freedom of movement. Witnessing women endure this hardship further intensified Tekendra’s dissatisfaction with the tradition.
Hearing news reports about women dying in these huts deeply disturbed him and brought images of the practice in his own village to mind. When it was his sister’s turn, his reluctance turned into a resolute rebellion. “I was shocked to learn that my young sister would have to stay alone in the hut, so I decided not to allow it,” he recalled.
Tekendra received support from his peers and community leaders to prevent his sister from staying in the Chhaupadi hut. Encouraged by this backing, he launched a campaign to dismantle the huts, not just for his sister but also to free other women from this harmful custom. He believes the onset of a girl’s menstruation is a joyous milestone, yet mentally and physically challenging for a young girl. “At such times, family support is essential. But when society advises isolation in the Chhaupadi hut, I found it unbearable,” he said.
Successfully removing his sister from the hut was one of Tekendra’s happiest moments. “That day, I felt immense joy, and so did my sister,” he shared.
Despite facing harsh criticism and accusations from elders and guardians in the village—being charged with breaking tradition or offending deities—Tekendra persevered. His courage inspired others, turning his efforts into a widespread campaign across Ladagad and neighboring villages to dismantle the Chhaupadi huts.
Through this campaign, Tekendra realized that demolishing these huts not only ends discriminatory practices against women but also protects them from violence, harmful customs, and life-threatening dangers. Since the huts were removed, women have been staying safely inside their homes without any issues, refuting concerns raised by traditional elders. Tekendra now believes, “The problem isn’t the huts themselves, but the mindset behind the practice.”
His campaign has gained additional support from empowered women’s groups and the Prosperous Nepal program, with contributions from Dipayal Silgadhi Municipality. Local rights activist Rama Bhandari expressed confidence that Tekendra’s courageous stand will contribute significantly to ending the entrenched Chhaupadi practice in the village.
