Palanpur: Turning the spirit of Raksha Bandhan into a meaningful social initiative, Gujarat’s menstrual hygiene activist Nayan Chatrariya, popularly known as the “Padman of Gujarat,” has dedicated five Free Sanitary Pad Parabs at once for needy girls and women.

Raksha Bandhan traditionally celebrates the bond of love, care and protection between brothers and sisters. Nayan’s initiative extends that message beyond family relationships by focusing on an essential aspect of women’s health and dignity. The five newly dedicated Pad Parabs are intended to provide free sanitary pads to women who face an unexpected or emergency requirement during menstruation.

The initiative has received valuable support from Mahila Kala Nidhi Trust, Kanodar, whose contribution has helped make the establishment of the five Pad Parabs possible.

A Five-Year Commitment to Menstrual Hygiene

Nayan Chatrariya has been working continuously to promote menstrual hygiene awareness across Gujarat for approximately five years. During this journey, he has travelled to around 515 villages, interacted with more than one lakh adolescent girls, and distributed over five lakh sanitary pads free of cost.

His work focuses on creating greater awareness around menstrual hygiene while making sanitary products accessible to those who may otherwise face difficulties in obtaining them.

Making Sanitary Pads Accessible During Emergencies

The concept behind the Free Sanitary Pad Parab is simple but practical. Menstruation can sometimes begin unexpectedly, leaving women without access to sanitary products at an important moment.

Financial limitations or a lack of immediate availability can make such situations even more difficult. The Pad Parab concept seeks to provide a readily accessible source of sanitary pads so that women can obtain them when they need them, without having to compromise on basic menstrual hygiene.

Nayan describes the initiative as a unique effort aimed at ensuring that no girl or woman has to compromise her menstrual hygiene because of lack of access or financial difficulty.

Taking the Message of Raksha Bandhan Beyond Tradition

The timing of the initiative gives it particular significance. Raksha Bandhan is associated with protection, responsibility and affection. By dedicating five Pad Parabs on the occasion, Nayan has connected these familiar values with a broader social concern—supporting women’s health, hygiene, dignity and self-respect.

Rather than limiting the idea of protection to personal relationships, the initiative presents it as a community responsibility as well.

A Continuing Social Mission

The five new Pad Parabs are another addition to Nayan Chatrariya’s ongoing menstrual hygiene campaign across Gujarat. His reported outreach across hundreds of villages and interaction with more than one lakh adolescent girls reflects a sustained effort to bring conversations around menstrual health into communities.

The initiative also highlights the importance of combining awareness with accessibility. While education can help people understand menstrual hygiene, access to essential sanitary products remains equally important for maintaining hygienic practices.

With the support of Mahila Kala Nidhi Trust, Kanodar, the five newly dedicated Free Sanitary Pad Parabs aim to provide practical assistance to women at the time it is needed most.

The initiative ultimately gives Raksha Bandhan a wider social meaning: if a rakhi represents a promise of care and protection, ensuring access to basic menstrual hygiene can be seen as another way of extending that spirit of care to women and girls across the community.

For Nayan Chatrariya, the journey continues—not only to distribute sanitary pads, but also to encourage greater awareness, accessibility and dignity around menstrual hygiene in Gujarat.

Yash Tomar