i recommend
Editor’s note
Sanjana Pai is the founder of an amazing subscription service called The Pink Box. Sanjana’s business is driven by one goal: helping women free the experience of menstruation from pain, shame and chemicals. We asked her to recommend the things that best embody her life mission.
Growing up, two things that really stood out for me. One, how periods hold women back from being their best selves. Two, we hardly ever take time out for ourselves! It’s natural for us to prioritize our families and our careers. But ourselves? Maybe just during birthdays and anniversaries. I’ve always felt that self-love and acceptance is the first step to lead a content, happy and healthy life. Here are a few things that helped me love myself, treat myself and also give back to the community!
‘Holy Blood: An Ode to Menstruation’: Ghazal Khanna is a confessional poet, writer, feminist, performance artist and educator. She advocates intersectional feminism through her poems and performances. Her work speaks of a life derailed by abuse, and is grounded in her lived experiences as a queer brown woman. This poem had me hooked from the first time I heard it.
The Period Song: We’re all familiar with the 2-second transition from “Yayy it’s finally here” to “Oh no, it’s here!” This fun song by Aayushi Jagad captures all our wildly oscillating swings of mood and attitude! It will make you smile, perk you up, and also make you say “Yass queen!”.
‘A Long Petal of the Sea’: I was drawn to Isabelle Allende’s work because of magical realism, a genre that was once completely new to me. Set in the Spanish Civil War, it tells the story of Victor and Roser—brought together in marriage not by love but misfortune. NPR says it offers the “solace of wisdom when we need it most, wrapped in a love story which reminds us, as abiding love always does, that grace takes many forms—yet its core is not faith, but truth.”
Red Is The New Green: When the pandemic hit Mumbai about a year ago, many less privileged than us were completely cut off from their basic sanitary requirements! It took the officials about a month to categorize sanitary pads as essential items. During this time, we partnered with an NGO, Red Is The New Green, and helped over 1000 womxn—even those stuck in containment zones—gain access to a month’s supply of sanitary pads. You can still reach out to the NGO and contribute to this cause!
A Pink Box subscription: Ok, I am pitching my own company, but I genuinely believe in the value and support we offer womxn. Our subscription services range from basic period needs like eco-friendly sanitary pads, tampons and menstrual cups to pain and nausea remedies to snacks and sweets for your cravings. We’ve got you totally covered. And the best bit is that it all arrives at your doorstep well in time for your next period.
Note: This is NOT sponsored content. We use this section to spotlight the recommendations of people we trust and admire.
