KOLKATA: The
Victoria Memorial, which along with the Howrah Bridge is one of Kolkata’s two instantly recognisable landmarks globally, has become the country’s first national monument to instal a free sanitary napkin-dispensing unit on the campus.
More than 36 lakh people visited the 97-year-old white marble wonder in 2017, of whom around 15 lakh were women. Besides the obvious convenience factor for women, especially those coming from outside the city or the country who may not know the neighbourhood and where its medical stores are located, the move is also being seen as a huge “progressive” measure at a time Kolkata is caught up in a debate about moral policing, where gender issues have cropped up as well.
“This type of a move can send several signals that go beyond the obvious,” sociologist Ruby Sain said. “This decision about something, which is so necessary but is still considered taboo even in conversation, is extremely bold and its ramifications will be felt outside the memorial’s campus,” Sain added.
When needed, women visitors can now press the vending machine button inside a newly refurbished washroom and take their free pack of three sanitary napkins. VM is also buying napkins in bulk for free distribution.
Victoria Memorial curator Jayanta Sengupta said: “Keeping women’s hygiene requirements in mind, we took a relook at the toilet facilities and brought in the machine. We not only get foreign visitors but also a lot of women visitors from rural areas and the suburbs, for whom rushing out to a medical store in an unknown place is a problem.”
Next in the pipeline is a mother-and-child room where new mothers can comfortably feed their babies. “We are trying to earmark the space where the room will come up,” Sengupta said. Last year, when Sengupta also held charge of the Indian Museum, he had started a mother-and-child room there, which received positive feedback.
A children’s play area and an attached room with modern facilities for their mothers are also coming up. This will give mothers a break as their kids romp about under adult supervision, officials said.
Another toilet customised with ramps, a spacious approach and special seats has come up for disabled visitors. “We are building ramps at the main entrance so that our disabled visitors can enter through the same door. These will allow them to come in with their own wheelchairs. We are also changing the lifts so that wheelchairs can fit inside,” said Sengupta.
Victoria Memorial (File Photo)