Chhaupadi, 2021

My exploration of my Nepali heritage and the experience of Nepali women both in and outside of Nepal led me to focus on the practice of Chhaupadi, where menstruating women are banished to cowsheds due to a Hindu myth regarding period blood as a curse.

To raise awareness about this issue in the UK, I decided to convey it through a physical book to create a tactile and intimate connection with the reader, mirroring the taboo nature of menstruation. Each chapter ends with a French fold that, when torn open, reveals full-bleed images of Nepali women inside their period huts, evoking a sensory experience akin to intrusion.

I used Nepali lokta paper, traditionally reserved for official and religious documents, to print a statement challenging the menstruation taboo, creating a powerful contrast that recontextualises the narrative and underscores that menstruation should not be stigmatised.

French folds at the end of each chapter to be torn up to reveal images of Nepali women in/front of their cowsheds.