there is no difference between religious people who

place restrictions on all women, and those who place

restrictions only on menstruating (unclean) women. I
think that both views portray women quite negatively:
women are seen as more separated from God and the
spiritual world than men are. Women are viewed as
less perfect/holy than men because they are more
strongly tied to their bodies (menstruation, sexual
impurity/sex, pregnancy, childbirth, being a mother).
Because women are seen as so strongly tied to their
bodies (and therefore to the physical
earth), Christianity and other religions have tended to
see this as a barrier that prevents women from fully
entering the spiritual and holy realm.
I see God as genderless (equally male & female)
because he created both women and men in his
image. I dont see why God would make a woman in his
image, make her menstruate for a sixth of every
month, and then reject her in any way during that time
because she was suddenly religiously unclean. It
reminds me of Gloria Steinems comment, if men
could menstruate menstruation would become an
enviable, boast-worthy, masculine event. I think that
if men could menstruate, menstruation would no
longer be considered something unclean that kept
certain people at a greater distance from God.
Rich Culture of India: Menstruation is Impurity. Shame!
In India, to certify the purity of a woman, is pretty much a
confusing factor. She is always baffled and riddled, often chided
on her chastity.

Through age old customs of traditional India, certain values and
norms of society have still trickled down in urban homes today.
Be it a Marwari family, Gujarathi or Sindhi. One particular
norm is still followed today, be it when it comes to God or coming
close to family members.



When a woman goes through the natural phase of 5 days of
menstruation, she is considered 'impure'. She is incapable of
sitting in a puja, unable to pray before god, cannot touch the feet
of elders, or even go a poles' distance close to them. Why this
unjust traditional value? Is it not the most natural system that
God has bestowed upon a woman to make her fertile in the first
place? Infact, the way I perceive it, when she is menstruating, it is
the purest sign of a womans' fertility. It is her sole strength, that
she is capable of giving birth only because she ovulates regularly,
isn't that proof that she is fertile, i.e. pure?

When a woman is pregnant, there are godh-bharai ceremonies
performed when she is in her 7th month of pregnancy. It is a puja
performed to mark her purity before birth, the auspicious
moment celebrated that the stars are in favor of a healthy birth of
a healthy child, and the family gets an heir through her. Then
why is she cast away from pujas and ceremonies when she is
menstruating? Forget that, why cannot she even touch her elders
or in some cases, even her husband? I feel it is nothing but a rude
system of culture in our country. It is nothing to be proud of.
Practicing it is even worse because your are seeding thoughts of
narrow-mindedness in youths of your household.

When I was menstruating during Ganesh Chaturthi 2 years back,
I still stood before God and prayed simply because I love him.
What happened? Nothing. The world didn't combust, there was
no earthquake, there was nothing negative in that moment either.
My work continued well, I continued living as usual. God didn't
even complain! He was happy enough I guess.

So why this tradition? Abolish it. Stop this negativism against
women. Stop this belief that something bad will happen if a
menstruating woman touches your feet or sits next to you when
you are old, or if she performs a puja the puja will be ruined and
bad luck will approach the family.

Sure, I like to believe in magic, and that there is some power in
the entity called God. But I don't believe God likes it when his
dear daughters are chided and remarked for something he
naturally gave them, the ability to ovulate and remain fertile to be
able to give birth.

It is a shame that the natural occurrence of fertility is looked
down upon when she is menstruating, but glorified and protected
with mahurats of pujas, raksha kavachs and kaala dhaagas when
she is pregnant.


There is a Goddess Temple in Guwhati called Kamakhya. I t houses
a bas-relief figurine of Lajja Gauri which celebrates the festival of
'menstruation' which takes place near the summer solstice. The
temple is thronged by devotees. I f this isn't the highest form of
devotion of purity, then why are women in households treated as
impure? Our culture is still immature, still underdeveloped in logic
and human values.

Change your thought perception. I t might help uplift the value of
women in our society and households.
Posted by Saloni Chavda at 2:10 AM