A reflection on " Menstural Hygiene Day " marked on 28th may

                 
In few casual conversation with my friends about whether temple entry of mensturating women, or performing house chores by them or participating in mahamritunjay jaap should be allowed or not. In all these discussions, thoough I summarily advocate for  the dignity of an individual over anything else whether culture, tradition, or ritual practice. I always believe that culture , religion, social practices etc are reflection of our level of human development, so as we advance ,our socioculture practices  should too organically evolve at pace of  time and material and spiritual development. Earlier we were afraid of furry of nature,  so animism but now to much extent we have tamed it as per our comfort. In past we were amazed seeing what a "linga" and "yoni" can do to sustain our existence, so we worshiped and still we are worshiping to continue tradition. And, the very notion of purity like only non-menstural women should be allowed  to enter temple or any sacred place had some ground of ignorance and lack of material wherewithal to aptly prevent secretion of mensturating fluid which could have allegedly impure the site. The hyppcricy of bleeding goddess like in Kamakhya  temple or yoni puja raise doubt over any rationality of making period as ground to marginalize women. Do we have similar check to prevent men cladded in profusly night fallen clothe? Now , when a lot of material sophistication in terms of 'silicon cup' and 'sanitary pad' have come up to obscure any bloody stain which lowers down her confidence, is it still relevant to practice the mensturalized ostracization? We frown upon a lady stained with blood but hardly try to undetstand how much this cycle is as natural as our running nose in case of periodic cold when we dont have control on  our nostrial fluid. The very attached stigma with mensturation has spill over impact in terms of women's marginalization. People prevent menstural women from  touching pickle apprehending it may turn sour, doesnt this superstition will give way for witchcraft or similar omenous sobriquet to them? In jain community the lady is said to sleep on floor even in chilling cold during this period or to stay away without doing any work. So, the very need to augment the sex education's space becomes inevitable to promote a healthy sociocultural practice ensuring its just a natural call as we have 'n' number of liquid-air-solid secreting natural call. Every body is temple or like any worship place which must be seen in absolute term rather through old cultural lenses. We must practice objective,  scientific way for healthy menstural upkeep as in terms of using biodegradble sanitary napkin and easy purchase of it from store and a system of vending napkin as Kerala govt has mandated in secondary schools. On the similar line, the  effort of a delhi based   ngo "Goonj"founder and Raman Magasasy awardee Anshu Gupta should not go without mention. I met him during my college days when he came to address us in social conferenence held at Baba Amte's Anand Van. The story ,he told, was very poignant , heart touching-about a rural lady who used cow dung ashes to sustain menstural period instead of sanitary napkin or any cloth, it was a normal practice there. One unfateful day she used a torn  old hooked blouse for the same which became the reason of her tetanus inflicted death. Mr Gupta perhaps got inspiration from there to collect clothe to process these for low cost sanitary pad. We need more such social entreprenuership to amoeliorate life conditioning of poor folks by socil innovation. The  upcoming  Akshay Kumar starred movie"PAD MAN" should help bring more awareness regarding menstural mayhem to let people accept it easily giving "period period" a normal biological period.