In today’s world, what is it like to be a woman? Fear, fights, sexism? No. Being a woman is a beautiful feeling and blossoming into a woman or transitioning to womanhood is one of the most beautiful phases of a girl’s life. Although, most people call it puberty, for a girl the transition to womanhood starts from Menarche, which is quite a roller coaster ride.
Imagine being a mere 12-year-old girl who is suddenly being subject to psychological, societal, and physical pangs of being a woman. Imagine differentiating between female hygiene products or being judged because of selecting a period menstrual cup.
Menarche is just the beginning. It is a step towards womanhood, but the ladder continues for the next 30-35 years till menopause. Ranging from being subjected to the so-called progressive rules of a nuclear family, and understanding the societal norms about menstruation to know what are the ills of sanitary pads and how to clean a menstrual cup after use, menstrual education, and being aware of the social constructs related to menstruation isn’t easy.
Do you know how differently menarche is looked upon throughout the country? Read on to find out!
In the Konkan and several eastern cultures, the menstruating girl is isolated in a room till the 4th day of bleeding. In these 4 days, she isn’t allowed to touch anyone or roam freely until she is given a bath. What’s staggering is that her utensils are also separated from the rest of the family and there are many rituals that she has to follow.
Different South Indian states also follow the same ritual. A huge celebration is commemorated at the end of the menarche. The ceremony marks the blossoming of a girl into womanhood, and it is called “Ashirvada” in Karnataka and “Manjal Neerattu Vizha” in Tamil Nadu. While some festivals are celebrated at the end of menarche, some mark the onset of bleeding.
The girl is not allowed in the kitchen or temple. In some South Indian cultures, the girl has to sleep on the floor till the 5th day, and on the 5th day, she is considered to be a manifestation of the Goddess. The menstruating girl sits in the Puja with a doll, which symbolically epitomizes her end of childhood. While in Andhra Pradesh, the girl is decorated like a bride and a lavish party is thrown for the coming of age which follows with a feast.
Assam has a similar festival called Tuloni Biya, where the girl is isolated for 7 days. On the 7th day, she is dressed up as a bride and married to a banana plant. North India has no such celebration, but there are many cruel societal norms that the girl has to follow.
What has changed?
Undoubtedly the search engines are still flooded with searches about how to clean a menstrual cup, how to use a period menstrual cup, or how to deal with cramps, but a lot has changed. We don’t deny that even at today’s date there is a lack of menstrual awareness in society, but a vast proportion of people are trying to keep the rudimentary period norms at bay.