Pimpri Chinchwad: Despite being ruled unconstitutional, the practice of forcing women to prove their “virginity” continues to persist in many parts of India, particularly in urban centers like Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Women, often under immense societal and familial pressure, are increasingly turning to hymenoplasty — a surgical procedure to reconstruct the hymen — in an attempt to avoid shame and judgment before marriage.
Tradition, stigma, and cultural expectations continue to fuel this growing trend. In Pune and its twin cities, private medical clinics report that roughly 600 to 800 women undergo hymenoplasty annually. The women opting for this surgery are usually between 22 and 40 years old and include working professionals such as software engineers, bankers, hospitality workers, and students. The motivations are rarely medical; rather, they stem from entrenched ideas surrounding female chastity and honor, especially in situations involving interfaith or inter-caste relationships.
The procedure, costing anywhere between ₹25,000 to ₹1 lakh, is typically done under local anesthesia and completed within a few days. Most clinics ensure complete confidentiality, as the subject remains heavily stigmatized.
Hymenoplasty involves reconstructing the hymen — a thin membrane inside the vaginal canal that is wrongly perceived as a marker of virginity. Medical experts have consistently pointed out that the hymen can tear from everyday activities like cycling, sports, or even due to congenital absence. Despite this, myths around virginity continue to dominate public perception, making the procedure a preferred option for many women trying to meet conservative expectations.
In recent years, the demand for this surgery in India has increased, echoing long-standing societal double standards that idealize female virginity while ignoring scientific facts. Many women undergo the procedure secretly, often using pseudonyms to protect their identity. Mental health professionals warn that women who choose this path frequently do so under emotional distress, guilt, or pressure to conform, rather than out of medical necessity. Pre-surgical counselling is often recommended to address the underlying psychological factors involved.
Globally, hymenoplasty has been condemned by organizations like the United Nations and the World Health Organization. They argue that the procedure reinforces gender-based discrimination and misrepresents a biological feature as a moral standard. While there is no centralized government data available, estimates suggest that between 3,500 and 4,500 such surgeries are performed annually in Maharashtra alone.
This growing, yet largely unspoken, trend highlights the deep-rooted challenges women face in reclaiming autonomy over their bodies in a society still influenced by archaic ideas of purity and virtue.
