NU
Sun, 13 July 2025
KATHMANDU, Nepal – A 28-year-old woman in Nepal's western Kanchanpur district has tragically succumbed to a snakebite sustained while confined to a menstrual hut, known locally as a chhau goth. This distressing incident starkly re-emphasises the dire consequences of chhaupadi, a deeply entrenched and illegal social practice that continues to imperil women and girls across parts of Nepal especially in Sudurpaschim Province.
Kamala Aauji Damai, a resident of Nigali in ward 1 of Krishnapur Municipality, Kanchapur, was bitten by a snake late on Friday night while sleeping in a chhau goth adjacent to her home. Despite being rushed to Seti Provincial Hospital in Dhangadhi, she passed away undergoing treatment on Saturday evening, confirmed by the District Police Office Kanchanpur.
Mohan Basnet, ward chair of ward 1 of Krishnapur Municipality recounted the poignant circumstances, noting that Damai, after her evening meal, retired to the isolated hut for her menstrual period, while her young sons remained safely within their permanent, concrete dwelling.
The chhau goth was situated approximately 20-30 metres from her main house. Further compounding her vulnerability, Damai's husband is currently employed in Surat, India, and her in-laws had also recently travelled to India following the completion of paddy transplantation, leaving her to manage alone, Basnet further added.
The Unflinching Reality of Chhaupadi's Perils
This fatality is not an isolated occurrence but rather the latest addition to a lamentable tally of deaths linked to chhaupadi. Records indicate at least 15 fatalities over the past 13 years, with victims succumbing to various hazards including smoke inhalation from fires lit for warmth, extreme cold, animal attacks, and snakebites, as in Damai's case.
The practice, most profoundly rooted in Sudurpaschim Province, persists due to enduring social stigma and pervasive superstitions that brand menstruating women and girls as 'impure'. This cultural decree compels them to reside away from their homes—often in dilapidated sheds, cattle enclosures, or makeshift huts—during their periods. Beyond the palpable physical dangers, chhaupadi subjects women to an insidious threat: sexual assault.
Numerous instances of women and girls being raped while in chhau goths have been documented, though many such crimes regrettably remain unreported due to societal pressure and fear for the victims' future. A recent, unsettling incident in June 2024 involved a 16-year-old girl from Achham District who was found unconscious in a chhau goth and later revealed she had been raped.
While chhaupadi was officially criminalised in 2017, with the Nepali Criminal Code Act providing for penalties of up to three months in jail, a fine of Rs3,000, or both, its enforcement remains notably weak across affected regions.
According to Basnet ward chair of Krishnapur-1, last year, the local ward office initiated a concerted campaign to demolish such huts, successfully demolishing around 60 structures. However, local authorities continue to grapple with community resistance.
"Reflecting widespread frustration, Basnet lamented that despite their considerable efforts to eliminate these structures and persistent educational endeavours, communities consistently rebuild them and remain unresponsive to their pleas."
Despite possessing a robust concrete house, Damai had deliberately constructed and utilised the separate shed for her menstrual isolation. Locals and authorities unequivocally assert that awareness campaigns alone have demonstrably proven insufficient to dismantle this deeply ingrained and hazardous tradition.
This tragic loss serves as a compelling and urgent call for more robust, multi-faceted interventions and systemic societal transformation to eradicate chhaupadi and safeguard women's fundamental human rights.
