Book explores diverse experiences of menstruation in S Asia

A new anthology will look into the diverse experiences of menstruation in South Asia through essays, stories, poetry, interviews and menstrala art with contributors including Tishani Doshi, Shashi Deshpande, Rupi Kaur, Lisa Ray and Shashi Tharoor, among others.On the occasion of World Menstrual Hygiene Day on Saturday, Pan Macmillan India announced that it will release Period Matters Menstruation in South Asia, edited by Farah Ahamed, on June 30.The cover, designed by Sukruti Anah Staneley, contains menstrala artwork by Lyla FreeChild, who harvested her own menstrual blood for the painting.

A new anthology will look into the diverse experiences of menstruation in South Asia through essays, stories, poetry, interviews and menstrala art with contributors including Tishani Doshi, Shashi Deshpande, Rupi Kaur, Lisa Ray and Shashi Tharoor, among others.

On the occasion of World Menstrual Hygiene Day on Saturday, Pan Macmillan India announced that it will release ''Period Matters: Menstruation in South Asia'', edited by Farah Ahamed, on June 30.

The cover, designed by Sukruti Anah Staneley, contains menstrala artwork by Lyla FreeChild, who harvested her own menstrual blood for the painting. The complete painting forms a part of the book's art section.

The book includes interviews with transpeople, menstruators in prison, the homeless and various marginalised groups about their experience of menstruation as also Ahamed's short story ''Hot Mango Chutney Sauce'', which was on this year's Commonwealth Writers' Prize shortlist.

According to the publishers, ''Period Matters'' is an important endeavour forward to bring conversations about menstruation and menstrual health into the open.

While activist Granaz Baloch narrates how she defied traditional notions of tribal honour and conducted the first-ever menstrual health workshop in Balochistan, Radha Paudel writes about her mission to have menstrual dignity acknowledged as a human right in Nepal.

Tharoor relays the Menstrual Rights Bill which was tabled in Lok Sabha. Doshi breaks new ground with a poem about her uterus. Ayra Indrias Patras describes how some poor women in Pakistan managed their period during the Covid pandemic.

Aditi Gupta reflects on promoting menstrual literacy among young children across India through the Menstrupedia comic books. In a personal essay, Lisa Ray reveals how her illness triggered an early onset of menopause.

The book also showcases menstrala, or art inspired by menstruation, ranging from Rupi Kaur’s iconic photo essay, Anish Kapoor's oil paintings, Shahzia Sikander's neo-miniaturist art, photographs of wall murals made by young people in Jharkhand, to Sarah Naqvi's embroidery. Amna Mawaz Khan offers a perspective through the choreography of her menstrual dance.

In a nutshell, ''Period Matters'' illustrates with power, purpose and creativity both the variances and commonalities of menstruation.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)