Superstitions Around Periods that are Still Haunting Women in India
Every day, many girls around the world experience their first menstrual cycle. A period is a natural and healthy part of a woman’s reproductive health. While some cultures celebrate this beautiful journey, others insist on ostracising and marginalising the gender as they don’t view it natural and perfectly healthy fertility cycle.
The manifestation of the menstrual taboo is a phenomenon rooted in a Hindu mythological text - Rig Veda. The scripture claims there existed an evil being called Vritra, who withheld water from people and was called the demon of droughts. Now, Indra, the king of gods, kills the demon with a thunderbolt, releasing water to the people and ensuring future prosperity. Indra is consumed with the guilt of killing Vritra because the demon was a learned Brahmin. So, he went to the womenkind and asked them to take his guilt upon themselves via a regular cycle of repentance - aka menstruation. In the process of washing away Indra’s sins with their blood every month, the ability to menstruate was symbolised as a sort of eternal punishment that women were forced to accept.
Statistically speaking, 88 percent of Indian girls and women rely on unhealthy and ill-equipped homemade hacks such as old rags, hay, sand, and ash during their period. More than 30 percent of girls in north India drop out of school when they start menstruating, another report suggests.
Here’s a look at baseless and frankly, dehumanising practices and superstitions associated with menstruation.
Don’t enter the kitchen
A rather common practice in rural as well as some urban communities – women are prohibited from entering the kitchen and cooking food. They are often left at the mercy of the family members to bring them food. Most rural women face nutritional deficiency as a result. This cruel practice is rooted in a belief shared by numerous cultures that females are unclean during their menses.
Menstruating women can’t be touched
Another discriminatory practice, this is the perpetuation of the whole unclean image of a woman on her period. Families and communities need to accept that menstruation is not a negative thing and is a natural hormonal cycle.
Do not wash your hair
The myth states that women should wash their hair for at least the first two days of her period, probably stemming from the time when baths had to be taken outside in streams, where it would get inconvenient to bathe while bleeding. But in today’s age, it is just one of those illogical practices.
Stay out of the household for three days
In rural regions, many women and girls spend their periods in an animal shed or a separate shed built outside their homes. This practice of isolation is known as chhaupadi. Chhaupadi comes from a belief that menstruating women are unclean and that they bring bad luck to a community. The isolation can have negative psychological effects on women and as well as exposes them to extreme cold, animal attacks, and sexual violence.
Do not visit the temple
The underlying basis for this belief is that menstruating women are *impure* and should stay away from pious places and activities. Women are not allowed to attend any religious functions and even asked to stay confined to their rooms if possible.
Do not use tampons
This one is a real conundrum. Use of tampons is usually associated with the possibility of affecting the hymen. Not realising that the hymen could break even with sports or other activities, and the presence of a hymen is not a measure of virginity.
Do not go near Tulsi plant or water any plant
Tulsi plant is considered to be holy and hence girls during their periods are not allowed to touch it. In some communities, they cannot even walk around any plant during this time. According to the myth, the plant dies if you do so.
Don’t touch or eat sour food
To this day, women are not allowed to touch curd, milk or pickle as it is believed that they will go bad. In rural areas, they are not even allowed to walk through agricultural fields in fear that the crops will wilt or die.
Period blood is evil/magical
There's a belief prevalent in several regions that women often throw their ‘used’ rag/pad at a road crossing to cast evil eyes/magic on others. Anybody who steps over this thrown rag/pad is said to become the victim of evil eye/magic.
(Edited by Kanishk)
