Last year in october 2021 , after two years celebrations of NAVRATRI for 9 days – was fearless and in full swing . Post covid it was first festival celebrated with lots of enthusiasm . In my Avenue people took initiative to celebrate it for 9 days with full traditions and rituals. Everyday someone took different duties , I could not as I was menstruating and Mostly women who were not taking initiative around were having or expecting to be bleeding in a while. But still only women were allowed to pull out all duties around for deity. I am from always, surprised that why this restriction of not going to temple or participate in holy things is there on women when they are bleeding ? Not just in Hindu tradition but also in other customs it’s the same.
But why do humans menstruate, when most animals don’t? When you shake the tree of life, you find that only a handful of mammals aside from us – primates, a small number of bat species, and the elephant shrew – have opted for the monthly bleed . Science says As a woman, your period is your body’s way of releasing tissue that it no longer need. Every month, your body prepares for pregnancy. The lining of your uterus gets thicker as preparation for nurturing a fertilized egg. An egg is released and is ready to be fertilized and settle in the lining of your uterus. If the egg is not fertilized, your body no longer needs the thicker lining of the uterus, so it starts to break down and is eventually expelled, along with some blood, from your vagina. This is your period, and once it’s over, the process starts all over again.
According to religious beliefs, the reason behind this is considered to be the curse given by Indra lets unveil why Indra cursed women? Mythological story behind this according to Bhagavat purana is – Asuras attacked Heaven and Devraj Indra had to leave his seat and run away. Lord Brahma advised him to serve a famous saint named “BRAHMGYANI”. Indra did that unaware of this truth that mother of Brahmgyani is an Asura Herself. Brahmgyani had a separate place for asuras in his mind and hence he was offering all the Havan material of Indradev to the asuras in place of the gods. When Indra came to know the truth he killed Brahmgyani whose mother cursed INDRA for BRAHM HATHYA & followed him as demon to kill him.
Indra Dev hid in a flower and for a million years and meditated on Lord Vishnu and after that God suggested Indra a remedy to get rid of this sin. Lord Vishnu said to divide his curse of his sin in 4parts among tree, earth, water and woman.” Indra convinced the four for this by bribing them with a boon altogether.
- So tree got quarter curse and also the boon that they can be alive on their own whenever they want.
- On taking a quarter of the sin, water got a boon that it would be able to clean anything.
- Earth got a boon that all its injuries would be filled automatically.
- And, woman got a boon that she would be able to enjoy motherhood but for this she would also have to face the torture of menstruation every month. It is said that since then, women are taking the sin of brahmacharya curse to Indra as a menstrual period.
The science or fiction whatever attached to menstruation pains but women bodies are designed to bear so much pain which a normal men cannot even imagine. We keep going with a smile on our faces to let everyone know how strong we are whereas sometimes we are not. It’s the zeal inside our mind which never lets us leave the race as we are build on the quote “Pain is physical and suffering is mental.