Research paper No 1950
Written by London swaminathan
Date: 23 June 2015
Uploaded in London at 19-19
Seclusion of women during the time of their menstruation is stressed in the Hindu Dharmasastras (law books) and Puranas (Mythology). Though we see some restrictions in other cultures, Hindus are very strict about it. But we don’t read about it in early Vedic texts. Probably they might have left it out because it was already known.
The Grhyasutras give the following conditions:
1.A student ( of Vedic Studies) must not see a woman during her monthly period time.
2.He must be careful not to come across a menstruating woman.
3.The Vedas must not be recited in front of a woman who is in her monthly impurity.
4.Those who have retired from family should not see a menstruating woman.
5.A student must not talk or play with girls in their menses.
Even within the family, the above restrictions are followed with their own sisters or mother or close relatives. For married couple sex was banned for four days. A woman is allowed to resume her normal work only after a ritual bath. In Brahmin families they follow it strictly. In Nepal, Hindus follow these restrictions.
Though the Smrtis are very open about this subject, no one talks about it in public because they see it as a taboo subject.
Like Hindus Jewish women also take a ritual bath after seven days. In some Christian sects, they follow certain restrictions.
Hindus never allow them to touch the plants, particularly holy plants Tulsi, Bilva etc during this period. They believe the negative energy in the body or the impurity will spoil the plants. South Indian Brahmins had separate room for such women. Now the city life has changed everything. But yet they don’t participate in any religious events and they don’t go to temples or even the prayer rooms in their own houses.
It is a known that fact that women get irritated easily during that period. But no scientific study has been done about “negative energy” etc. Though several Hindu religious institutions follow strict rules regarding admitting menstrual women to participate in their events, saints like Sathya Sai Baba did not insist such rules. Saint Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism also, condemned restrictions on menstruating women.
When a girl comes of age it is celebrated in most of the Hindu castes.
Dictionary of Symbolism give the following information:
“In the classical theory of procreation, menstrual blood is one of the two components (along with sperm) from which new life comes about. Yet it is considered “impure” by many peoples and charged with negative power, so that menstruating women are often separated from the community. In Judaism, a woman is obliged to take a ritual bath known as ‘mikveh’ seven days after the conclusion of her monthly menstruation. For a minimum of 12 days, a woman is not permitted to have sexual relations with her husband.”
Manu Smrti
Manu deals with the menstrual women in several chapters: 3-239; 4-40/41, 57, 208; 5-66, 85, 108; 11- 88, 174.
All these rules were applied for the three castes of twice born people: Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas.
He says,
If anyone has touched a menstruating woman he can be cleaned by a bath.
A river is cleaned by its current, a woman whose mind has been corrupted is cleaned by her menstrual blood and priests are cleaned by renunciation.
A Vedic graduate should not have sex with a menstruating woman, he should not even lie down in the same bed with her. If he does it he loses his wisdom, brilliant energy, strength, vision and long life. He should not carry on a conversation with a menstruating woman.
A priest should not eat food touched by a menstruating woman.
A menstruating woman should not watch a priest eating.
All the above rules insist that one should not approach a woman in her periods. Probably it gives more safety and security for a woman in that condition.
(Somewhere I have read that even ancient Greeks had strange beliefs about menstruating women such as they should not look at a mirror etc. Tribes around the world have strange beliefs about women in periods).
Even Draupadi was menstruating while she was dragged by Dussasana to the court of Duryodhana. She was wearing one piece of cloth following the custom of the day.
Pictures are taken from magazines and face book;thanks.
Tamil and Vedas 
You must be logged in to post a comment.