PERIOD CARE DURING HOLI

Holi is the festival of colours and the favourite time of the year for millions, a time that is meant to be celebrated with family and friends. It’s almost criminal to not have fun on the day of Holi. But sometimes, the timing can be off and we could be on our period during the festival. Imagine the frustration when all you want to do is get soaked in colours and have fun and frolic but you feel like you can’t because you are worried about stains.

Lucky for us, it's 2023 and we are aware of the care to be taken during this time of the month so that it doesn’t get in the way of the general merriment of life.

Some of the things you can do to enjoy Holi even when on your period are:

• The most important concern with playing Holi during periods would be hygiene and dryness. When it comes to menstrual hygiene, the first step is to carry extra sanitary napkins, undergarments, tissues and a sanitizer with you. You can buy sanitary pads online and make sure that you always have access to a clean bathroom.
• Inform your immediate friends, the ones you plan on being with throughout this day festival about you being on your period so that they don’t make you run and jump too much.
• Another issue with playing Holi on your period is that the area is somewhat sensitive and can be easily irritated with the colours being used. So, maybe try applying an oil like coconut or any other that suits you, to the area and surrounding parts before you leave for the celebrations. This can act as a layer of protection. Also, buy soft sanitary napkins for this time and protect your eyes from hazardous chemicals.
• Try to wear darker colours as in case of leakage, blood is more visible on whites which would attract unwanted stares. Also choose dry-fit comfortable clothes, so that it is easy to stay dry even when you are playing with buckets of water.
• Women and girls do not skip meals because you were too engrossed in the celebrations. You need a certain amount of attention during this time, which if ignored, could cause serious discomfort to your body.
• Something important to know is that there is a difference in playing with water by throwing water balloons and getting into water, like at a pool party. The former can be managed with the above precautions but the latter would be a problem not just for the person on the period but for others in the pool as well. There is the danger of the pad slipping. Tampons or menstrual cups are a more practical choice in case of such an event. We advise you to be mindful of your situation and not get carried away.
• A final thing to remember is to not take any intoxicants during this time. Bhang is a huge part of Holi and while it wouldn’t affect your menstrual cycle, it would affect your awareness and put you in a situation where you might not be as careful with your period tracking. This advice of course, is subject to you and your judgement of your habits.

Holi means playing with colours and lots of fun for everyone and there is no reason to let anything get in the way of it, not even your periods. All we need is some mindfulness and a certain amount of care such as following the above measures and bathing with lukewarm water after that. Given that, this Holi would be as good as any other, period or no period.