Opinion | What 'Lalmunia ki Mai' Can Teach Us About Feminism And Smashing Patriarchy

Updated: Sep 02, 2026 17:14 pm IST Published On Sep 02, 2026 17:14 pm IST Last Updated On Sep 02, 2026 17:14 pm IST

Published On Sep 02, 2026 17:14 pm IST

Last Updated On Sep 02, 2026 17:14 pm IST

There are many things many of us take for granted, so much so that we rarely pause to think about what they mean to someone living a very different life. Even the most ordinary things can mean something entirely different depending on where and how you live.

Take the toilet. It is so basic, so ordinary, that we barely give it a thought. It is simply there. 

But what happens when that basic necessity simply isn't there? Imagine a young woman in a very different setting. Let us call her Lalmunia. She is nineteen years old and has just been married to a young, healthy man from a nearby village. The wedding is over. Everyone is happy. She has arrived at her new home and is beginning her first night as a married woman. At some point that night, Lalmunia needs to pee. She looks for the toilet. There isn't one.

Her husband shyly tells her that there is no toilet in the house. She will have to go to the nearby field, land that belongs to another family. She must go quietly, relieve herself, and return before anyone notices. If someone from the family that owns the field sees her, they may shout at her, abuse her, or tell her to leave.

And this is not just about that one night.

From now on, Lalmunia has to think about when she can pee, when she can defecate, whether there is enough darkness, whether someone might be watching, and whether she has someone to accompany her. She cannot simply walk into a bathroom whenever she needs to. Daylight is no longer just daylight. An empty........

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