I was once not allowed to enter a temple cos I was menstruating and my hostel warden who knew said ‘no’. I stood there alone at the gates of the famous Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi when the rest of the girls walked in.
Talking of menstruation is a taboo so to say. Women call it chums, down-time, birthday today, aunty has walked in and, that time of the month what not! I have never heard or even told someone that I am menstruating, in those exact words. I think it’s a long word but still somewhere there is a hesitation to speak up. It’s normal to female body but we still hesitate.
So, what happens when a priest comes out in the open and says,
“These days there are machines that can scan bodies and check for weapons. There will be a day when a machine is invented to scan if it is the ‘right time’ for a woman to enter the temple. When that machine is invented, we will talk about letting women inside,”
For more context, know that Sabrimala Temple in Kerala, India does not allow women between the age group 10-50 years in the premises and this post is not a view on that. You can read more details on this BBC News article.
But it’s a bit more that just the news article.
It’s the idea that says women are impure when they are menstruating. The idea that they should not come anywhere near God cos He is pure and will get tainted in the presence of a woman who is on her periods. The point that menstruation is bad.
Happy To Bleed was launched as a response to this. It does not mean to say that bleeding is not painful but it’s to say that women bleed and that’s not something shameful. It is to say that bleeding doesn’t make them impure.
I am #HappyToBleed. Aren’t you?
I am blogging from A to Z during April and the theme I have chosen is set on women. I am also a minion on co-host Pam’s Unconventional Alliance along with Claire, Shalini and Rajlakshmi. Visit us, show us some love and don’t leave without sharing your thoughts.
happiness and food 
Hi Parul, when you took this theme up I some how knew this topic would feature as its relatively fresh in our minds and not too many upwardly mobile , modern women would have not heard of this campaign and the source of all that outcry.
I though have reservations about the campaign and its objectives.. I cant wear it as a tag up my sleeve.
but I am in the favour of being treated with dignity and as equals. And that should be true everywhere. at home , workplace and at the place of worship.
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I was happy to bleed when I did and happy not to bleed now that I don’t. I used the excuse of bleeding to get out of so many boring things… I often enjoyed being alone at home reading a book while the rest of the world was ‘enjoying’ sight seeing some temple or dancing at a wedding. Of course I’m happy now that women have won the right to visit temples any time they want but frankly why would you want to get shoved around after standing in long queues? If God is everywhere , can’t you pray in your own home ?
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Looking down on a woman for a perfectly natural occurrence is stupid, to say the least.
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Hi Parul, much has been said, debated and thrashed about this. All views are conflicting. This is a normal body function happening ever since creation, so why the taboo around it. Also most of the unfortunate debates have a political background to it. I am glad you took up this.
@KalaRavi16 from
Relax-N-Rave
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Used to be the same in Italy, not so long ago. Mestruating women were thought to be impure, and would not be allowed into churches.
Personally, I think it’s craziness. If God made everything in the world, especially men and women, and He made them the way they are, He sure decided women bleed once a month. So it’s His decision, right?
Something doesn’t add up to me.
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – Jazz Age Jazz
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Menstruation is just one of the thousands of stupid taboo that make up a woman’s world. Every person has a right to control a woman’s behavior and actions — not sure where and when it ends!
@Ankifreesoul from
No Agenda Just Life
Million Shades of Life
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I am for dignity for what we are and living with pride and grace and courage. No door should stop one. With menstruation however I have read varied things with this and since I am interested in ancient India and spirituality. Hassle is the significance behind a practice can get distorted and so misconstrued. Good post Parul. Also while on the topic, on a flippant note- adverts irk me which want us to wear white pants ONLY at this time and so use their product 😉
Sharing a related link.
http://sunilavigauthor.blogspot.com.au/2016/04/hiranyakashipu-letter-h-for-a-to-z.html
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It’s something so natural that people need to get over it. I read about the temple. But frankly I don’t care about rules… it’s the attitude that men and women have that irks me. Thankfully both at my home and my in laws, everyone’s pretty casual about it. But my Mom used to teach me all the do’s and don’ts mostly because others were’t that liberal and she didn’t want me to offend anyone else.
A Whimsical Medley
Twinkle Eyed Traveller
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I have never traveled outside my country and this is something I hadn’t heard before. I applaud you for stepping up to the plate so to speak on this topic.
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I have heard about this at school. Some of my friends weren’t even allowed to eat food with the rest of their family while they were on their period. I used to think they were joking about it, but after reading this, I’ll have to rethink. Thank you for sharing this, there are too many things that people need to know about us women! 🙂
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Great topic! There was a time when I used to be pretty militant about this because of the restrictions that were imposed upon us girls, due to this! I never agreed to follow them…and went right ahead and did everything that I wasn’t supposed to! I’ve always believed that it is downright humiliating for women to be singled out because of something as natural as bleeding. I won’t lie I did use the excuse of bleeding to get away from a lot of social functions too, so in a way, we got even.
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Yes – yet another way of subjugating women. Women bring life into the world – we should be celebrated not stopped from entering public or religious buildings!! I had no knowledge of this campaign but women around the world need to know what happens in certain parts of it so we can give support to each other if we can – for the sake of our global daughters of tomorrow!! Parul, you have written an inspiring post and given me something to think about and reflect upon – thank you so much – you’ve enlivened my day 🙂
Pempi from England
A Stormy’s Sidekick
Special Teaching at Pempi’s Palace
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Wow how eye opening! Thanks for sharing.
x Joy (The Joyous Living)
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For me, I have nothing to do with visiting temples because I do not believe in it because the temples and rituals are all restrictive. I aspire for freedom, freedom to connect with God irrespective of restrictions which includes menstruation too. In my home, when I grew up there were not any restrictions but I got married into a ardently religious family and there I was not allowed to touch the ghee container (and that wasn’t even ghee for the puja) for spreading on the rotis. I used to be given a separate bowl with ghee in it to do the work. I couldn’t put my hand inside the pickle container too. On the flip side, I used to take the first 2 days completely off from the household work and would only devote time to read.
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Agree full on with you Anamika. I stopped going to a temple since more than a decade since I disagree with rituals though my Mom a believer. Freedom is what matters the most.
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Just last week I was subtly asked by a relative (male, that too) if I am on my periods before entering a temple. My reply, “I wouldn’t mind you coming in at the same time even if I were. You will still be fine”
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I just have a different take on this. As much as I think menstruation should not be something shameful and affect a woman’s self esteem, it is also a time when her body is rejuvenating itself by shedding the uterine lining. Not entering a temple when menstruating is like not entering a temple before you have taken a bath, brushed your teeth, not washed up your bum or have muddied yourself in a game of football or something. There is a certain decorum that needs to be maintained, that’s all. Try making pickle at home when you are menstruating, it would not last the entire year. Try plucking leaves from a curry leaves plant when you are menstruating, the plant’s growth would remain stunted. There certainly are some hormonal changes that the woman’s body undergoes during that time.
In my mother’s days women sat , slept, ate and did everything separately when they were menstruating. As we grew up, me and my sister grew found this extremely regressive, But when I think back today, it makes a lot of sense to take rest without the bother of household work during that period. As working women we try and accomplish way too many things. Hormonal fluctuations, stress, mood swings and irritability are probably a result of it all.
Unfortunately what was supposed to be empowering for women has taken a discriminatory angle due to male chaunivinists who enforced it upon women over the years. But honestly some of these beliefs were founded in good faith.
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A thought provoking post on hypocrisy in society. I read somewhere, it’s okay to forcibly enter a woman but not let her enter a temple. We still live in middle age and high time to shed out this hypocrisy.
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Considering menstruation as impure or taboo is ridiculous as it’s a normal healthy body function. I hope this initiative helps bust some myths about it!
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It’s a shame that in today’s era of scientific advancements normal physiological function of a female’s body is labelled as impure. It is part of being a woman ad if one is proud to be a woman she ought to be happy to be bleed.
There has been so much talk on this topic lately, but still our countrymen somehow find a way to maintain such ridiculous beliefs and shamefully put them to practice too.
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The bit that makes me laugh about this, is that the assuption that they would have to stop only women. Transgender men could also have this “risk” of bleeding everywhere and not making a holy place sacred.
Its stuff like this that still shocks me, that vagina owners are still discriminated against.
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You I used to think a lot earlier but lately I’ve just stopped. I do my puja, go to the temple if I wish to, and perform the rituals as they are, regardless of my period. I’ve stopped thinking about all of it. Initially, I used to feel guilty but later, I stopped. If we only will feel wrong about it, how will we ever convince others that it’s okay to do everything while on period and people need to take a break on it.
Happy to bleed seem to be a wonderful initiative and I’m glad you wrote about it 🙂
Cheers
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I’m done talking about this topic, seriously. Who is listening though?
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Ridiculous superstition. I never took it very seriously – would just go to the temple when I felt like, till a cousin or someone gave me quite a telling off. Even though I was only 17 I explained that it really doesn’t matter whether we’re menstruating or not. Today, wild horses wouldn’t drag me near a temple whether I’m down or not, because I’m so done with religion and it’s blinkered way of looking at life.
Glad you’ve written this post. We can only laugh at the fools who think this matters.
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I can write a long essay on this topic. Forget temples, the kind of treatment menstruating girls receive in our villages. I belong to such a family and have written many a posts on it. We have to go a long way before we get rid of these inherited myths and beliefs. Abhi Dilli door hai!
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