Chhaupadi ( ) is a form of menstrual taboo which prohibits women and girls from participating in normal family activities while menstruating, as they are considered "impure". Chhaupadi is said to be practiced primarily in the western part of Nepal, but the same is true for city dwellers also. It is practiced all over the country with different names and practiced in different ways. During chhaupadi, women are banned from the house and are made to live in a cattle shed (mainly in the western region of the country), or a makeshift dwelling known as a menstruation hut, for the duration of their period. Childbirth in Nepal also results in a similar form of confinement. During menstruation, women and girls are restricted from participating in everyday life events, and from interacting with their communities. Origin The word Chhaupadi was originated in the Western part of Nepal. The practice of chhaupadi originates from the superstition that menstruation causes women to be temporarily impure. This superstition arose from a myth that Indra created menstruation as a means to distribute a curse. In this belief system, it is thought that if a menstruating woman touches a tree, it will never again bear fruit; if she consumes milk, the cow will not give any more milk; if she reads a book, Saraswati, the goddess of education, will become angry; if she touches a man, he will be ill. The practice persists in rural areas primarily in Western Nepal. It is also called ‘chhue’ or ‘bahirhunu’ in Dadeldhura, Baitadi and Darchula, ‘chhaupadi’ in Achham, and ‘chaukulla’ or ‘chaukudi’ in Bajhang district. It is also practiced all over the country, the only difference is the way of practice and how strict it is. Description The tradition begins with an adolescent girl's first menstrual cycle, during which she remains in the shed for up to fourteen days; afterwards, she must spend the duration of each monthly period in the shed, until she reaches menopause. The girls and women living in the cities also follow the practice by living separately within the same room or house. Additionally, women who have just given birth must stay in the shed with their children for up to two weeks. Menstruating women and girls are required to remain isolated from their family, and are forbidden from entering homes, kitchens, schools, and temples. During this time, they remain in what is often known