A traditional fire, fueled by cow dung, burned steadily in the courtyard; a local ritual believed to protect newborns from infections and the evil eye (nazar). Communities across the country have long practised such customs to protect infants. But this brings us to a deeper, often unspoken question: Who protects the mother? Take Poonam’s household, for example. We met her when she was seven months pregnant with her second child. In the beginning, she remained quiet during our

While India has reached Mars and aspires to be a global technology leader, millions of women in rural Bihar still struggle to access basic knowledge about their own bodies. In the absence of education, myths, fears, and whispered half-truths shape their understanding of reproductive health. Today, I share the story of Neha, a 25-year-old woman from a village in the Supaul district. She never went to school and got married so young that she cannot recall her age at the time.