The Period Fairy

पीरियड परी

Rosy gets her first period on the night of her eleventh birthday. A fairy from her Mummy's gift shows her what is happening, and how to manage it. Free to read, on any phone, in 29 languages: 12 Indian languages, plus English and 16 more from around the world. The new languages are AI translations, so there may be small mistakes.

The story, chapter by chapter

A birthday at Rosy's house. It is Rosy's eleventh birthday. Her friends Zoya, Maria and Monty, and Totu the parrot, share her cake. Mummy gives her one more gift to keep in her cupboard, to open when she needs it.
Something is wet. Rosy wakes in the night and finds blood. She is frightened and does not want to wake Mummy. Many girls feel just like Rosy the first time. A first period often starts with just a few spots of red or brown. It is not an injury and it does not mean you are ill.
The pouch begins to glow. The Period Fairy appears from Mummy's gift. She explains that this is Rosy's first period, that her body is growing up as it should, and shows her how to use a sanitary pad: clean underwear, peel the paper, stick the pad in the middle, fold the wings. Change it every four to six hours in the day, or sooner if it feels full. Rinse stained underwear in cold water with soap. Wash yourself outside with clean water, front to back; no soap inside. Most girls get their first period between 9 and 16, and a period usually lasts 2 to 7 days.
The gate of Period Land. Rosy meets other girls who got their first period this month, and her friends join her. The fairy shows the signs that come before a first period: growing taller, breasts starting to grow, hair under the arms and between the legs, more sweat, pimples, and white discharge, which is normal and keeps the vagina clean. Boys change too: they grow taller, their voice cracks, and hair grows on the face and body. Feelings change as well; talk to someone you trust.
The market of Paddy and friends. Paddy the sanitary pad, Kapdi Didi the cloth pad, Cuppy the menstrual cup, Tammy the tampon and Comfy the period panty all argue about who is best. The fairy settles it: the best one is the one that is right for the girl, safe, comfortable, and changed on time. Cups and tampons are worn inside the body and are for when a girl is older. A used pad is rolled, wrapped in paper and put in a covered dustbin, never in the toilet. A cloth pad is rinsed in cold water, washed with soap, dried fully in the sun and kept in a clean, dry bag. Never use ash, sand, husk, newspaper, plastic or a dirty rag. Wash your hands before and after.
The journey inside the body. The friends shrink and travel inside a girl's lower tummy to see the uterus, the ovaries and the fallopian tubes. About once a month one egg gets its turn. Every month the uterus makes a soft lining, like a cosy bed. When the bed is not needed, the uterus lets the lining go through the vagina, a little at a time, over a few days. That is the period. It is not dirty blood, and over a whole period it is usually only a few tablespoons.
The Flow Queen and Crampy. The Flow Queen teaches Rosy to mark the first day of each period with a red dot and count the days between: that is her cycle. In the first years a cycle can be 21 to 45 days; later most are 21 to 35, and a period lasts 2 to 7 days. Periods are often irregular in the first year or two. Crampy the cloud explains cramps: warmth, rest, gentle stretching, good food and water help, and never take a painkiller without a doctor's advice. Tell an adult and see a doctor if the pain stops your daily work, if you change a pad every hour or two, if a period lasts more than seven days, or if you feel very dizzy or weak.
The Mythbusters game show and the Taboo Wall. True or false? Touching pickle spoils it: false. You should not bathe during your period: false. A girl on her period should not play or go to school: false. Period blood is dirty: false. Don't eat sour things: false. Losing period blood makes a girl weak: false; eat green sabzi, dal, chana and gur for iron. The Taboo Wall was built long ago, when people did not know how the body works. If someone at home still believes these things, talk gently, and talk to your mother. Change takes time.
The Period Party, and home. Rosy learns that some families in India celebrate a first period with sweets and a new dress, and that every family is different. The fairy sends her home: a fairy comes for one night, but Mummy is there for always. Rosy tells Mummy, who is proud of her, and Papa offers to buy more pads on his way home. Telling someone you trust is the bravest and best first step.
Back at school. On Monday, Rosy quietly helps her classmate Seema, whose first period starts in school. The teacher keeps spare pads for days like this. When Bunty teases, Monty stands up for the girls: every girl gets periods, it is normal. A Pinkishe Foundation team is coming to the school for a session about growing up, for girls and boys together. Every girl has a Period Fairy: hers is the person she chooses to tell. Every school should have a clean washroom and a covered bin for pads.

Tell someone you trust

Free, confidential menstrual helpline: 85888 70999.

For parents and grown-ups

The Period Fairy is free, for every girl. ₹1,100 covers one girl's menstrual protection, education and support for a year. Donate. Giving from outside India.

Keep the talk going: Guide for parents, Guide for boys, Period quiz. Companies and foundations: bring The Period Fairy to the schools you support. Partner with us.