Click here to read part 4. Personal experiences While I began exploring the origin behind menstrual practices and the understanding of it as per Ayurveda, I also began experimenting with my own menstrual cycle. I learnt about Mudras from the book “Mudras & health perspectives” written by Suman K. Chiplunkar, and got interested in the…

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Click here to read part 3. 7. Taking time off during menstruation In Dakshina Kannada (Karnataka state), we came across a woman who explained to us the relevance of the Tulu festival called Keddasa. This festival is celebrated in the month of January or February for 3 days. This is a celebration of the beginning…

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Click here to read part 2. 3. Avoiding sex during menstruation One of the cultural practices surrounding menstruation is the restriction on sexual activity. On one hand, the conversation in the west is shifting to talking about “period sex” as being more pleasurable due to the extra lubrication that blood offers and also because women…

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Click here to read Part 1. In this write-up, I have covered the following cultural practices around menstruation: Not attending religious functions, visiting the temple and not touching menstruating women Avoiding cooking and eating with others during menstruation Avoiding sex during menstruation Avoid swimming or washing the hair during menstruation Avoid eating certain types of…

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On the second year of the world menstrual hygiene day on May 28th, I write this blog. I write it, as I read articles, posters and materials dismissing cultural practices around menstruation; calling them Menstrual Taboos. I write it, as I read about organizations deciding for Indian women based on what they think are superstitious…

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This article was first published on https://mythrispeaks.wordpress.com/ on April 8, 2013. When I started the Menstrual Hygiene awareness initiative 3 years ago, I assumed the answer to menstrual hygiene was distributing Sanitary Napkins. So we got donors and napkins and gave them for free in rural government schools. And then, we ran out of donors.…

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