Do you remember your first period? The very first time when you noticed that something was wrong down there. Well, we all can relate to that terrifying moment of our lives, certainly a turning moment in every woman’s life.
“Ja Vaha kone me jaake baith ja, aur kahi chhuna mat”, these were the words by my mother, when she got to know that her 12 year old daughter was ready for womanhood! What was yours?
As we all have gone through these Indian orthodox rituals, there are some rituals which actually celebrate the first bleed of daughters! Yes, you read it right, there are states across the country, who traditionally celebrate the occasion. Interesting right, let’s dive in!
Ritu Shuddi
It’s majorly in the southern part of the country where girls are celebrated. Karnataka celebrates the first menstruation cycle of their daughter. The girl is made to wear a “Half Saree ” signifying that their daughter is a woman now, and the other half of the saree is worn after being married. In older times girls were made aware of this natural process, so that they don’t face any difficulty further.
Tulonia Biya
A North Eastern ritual, majorly followed in Assam. The girl is asked to do nothing but sit in a room for the next 5 days of her periods and is instructed to watch the sun and stars. After her period gets over, she is then married to a Banana plant.
Manjal Niratu Visa
It’s in Tamil Nadu, where the girl’s uncle builds a hut out of Coconut, Mango and Neem leaves. The girl is made to bathe in the turmeric water and wears a silk saree. The ceremony ends with a ‘Punya Dhanan’, where at the end, the hut made by her uncle is then removed and the priest purifies the home.
Raja Prabha
Another North Eastern state which is into celebrating their daughter’s promotion to being a woman, is Odisha. The word Raja originated from the Sanskrit word Raj which means menstruation. It is believed that during these three days Mother Earth gets her periods. The girl is made to bathe on the 4th day of her period. This custom is also associated with another custom known as ‘Mithun Sankranti’ which is related to the first rain of the monsoon.
Although it is being celebrated in some parts of the country, menstruation is still a taboo across society.
Do you know any rituals that we missed out on?
Are these rituals making India open about menstruation, or are contributing to it being a taboo? Do let us know your thoughts on it.
