What is Menopause

This chapter presents an enquiry into the scourge of menstrual untouchability, which still pervades a large section of Indian society. An attempt has been made to understand the underlying dynamics of the social evil of menstrual untouchability through anecdotal evidence gathered through unstructured theme-based interviews of respondents in Uttarakhand, India. Social norms and the pressure to abide by them have been found major reasons for propagation of menstrual untouchability. The practice of menstrual untouchability has been found to be much less rigidly observed in urban communities and single adult-women households. Isolation during menstrual periods and consequent respite from household chores has also been discovered as a reason for some women submitting themselves to this practice. All these insights have formed the basis for suggestions made to rid the society of evil of menstrual untouchability.