Abstract
This chapter presents an enquiry into the scourge of menstrual untouchability, which still pervades a large section of Indian society. An attempt has been made to understand the underlying dynamics of the social evil of menstrual untouchability through anecdotal evidence gathered through unstructured theme-based interviews of respondents in Uttarakhand, India. Social norms and the pressure to abide by them have been found major reasons for propagation of menstrual untouchability. The practice of menstrual untouchability has been found to be much less rigidly observed in urban communities and single adult-women households. Isolation during menstrual periods and consequent respite from household chores has also been discovered as a reason for some women submitting themselves to this practice. All these insights have formed the basis for suggestions made to rid the society of evil of menstrual untouchability.
TopIntroduction
Article 17 of the Indian Constitution forbids the practice of untouchability and makes it a punishable offence (Kashyap, 2008 & Laxmikanth, 2004). Discrimination on the basis of birth was rampant in India since centuries and had divided the people along the caste lines. So, outlawing this social evil was perhaps seen as a necessary precondition to laying the foundation of a just and egalitarian Indian society. Special provisions were also made- including reservation in education and employment- to ameliorate the condition of those who had been at the receiving end of this evil custom all this while.
All these efforts bore fruit-albeit not as spectacularly as our founding fathers would have liked- and significant sections of the Indian society have now got rid of this inhumane practice. However, untouchability on the basis of gender- a comparatively less prevalent phenomena than that on the basis of birth, still no less inhumane- has never been targeted with the same zeal. Many sections of the Indian society, for instance, still treat menstruating women as untouchable labelling them to be impure (Garg & Anand, 2015).
It was the Sabarimala controversy that suddenly woke up the general society to the scourge of this discrimination faced by women because of their gender. Sabarimala is a temple complex located inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala. It is the seat of the revered Hindu deity Lord Ayyappa, who is believed to be a celibate by his devotees. As such, menstruating women, those in the age group of 10-50, are not allowed to enter the temple. This practice has been going on since time immemorial and has general sanction from the community, including from many of the women falling in this age group and therefore most affected by this discriminatory tradition. In 1991, a law suit was filed against this practice in Kerala High Court, which upheld the custom. However, in 2018, this ruling was overturned by a Supreme Court (SC) bench, comprising five judges including the then Chief Justice, with a 4-1 split decision. The bench declared restriction on entry of women in the 10-50 age group as unconstitutional and discriminatory. Hearing a review petition against this ruling, the SC has recently – in November 2019- referred the case to a larger bench for a more thorough examination.
Sabarimala is no exception however. Discrimination against menstruating women extends much beyond to social sphere also. In one such instance in February 2020, residents of a girls’ hostel- a part of an institute of higher learning- in Kutch (Gujarat) were allegedly forced to strip to prove that they were not menstruating.
Thus, discrimination against menstruating women- mostly in matters pertaining to religion but also in the social sphere - is a phenomenon rampant in India (Puri & Kapoor, 2006). In some communities, for instance, women, who have entered the age of menarche- the onset of menstrual periods- face a lot of humiliation at the hands of their own family members as well as the larger society. They are considered ‘impure’ during the 4-5 days of their menstrual periods (Garg & Anand, 2015) and are forbidden from even touching others. If, accidentally, they happen to touch someone, the person has to perform proper purification rituals like bathing or sprinkling cow urine- considered holy- on himself. This menstrual untouchability also manifests itself in various other ways.
Women are not allowed to go to temples, participate in religious functions or touch the deities- even in their own houses- during their menstrual periods. They are also forbidden from entering the kitchen or cooking food (Puri & Kapoor, 2006). They cannot even touch the utensils till the menstrual periods continue. In some places, they are even shunted out of the house for the duration of their menstrual periods and made to stay put in unhygienic conditions in the cowshed or a ramshackle shelter built specially for this purpose.
The authors of this article have made an attempt to understand this phenomenon of Menstrual Untouchability and its various aspects in detail. They have relied extensively on unstructured ‘theme-based’ in-depth interviews-supplemented by passive observations in some instances- as research tool for this purpose. The data has been collected primarily from Kumaon region in the Uttarakhand state. The ensuing paragraphs document their findings.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Attitude: Way of thinking and feeling towards a person, object or idea which oftentimes determines one’s behaviour towards these.
Tulsi: An aromatic plant considered holy in the Hindu religion.
Menarche: The first menstrual period experienced by a female. It is a signal of the female body having acquired the capacity to reproduce.
Menopause: Refers to the permanent cessation of menstrual periods in females around the age of 45-55 years. It also signals the loss of capacity to reproduce naturally.
Social Norms: Established rules -mostly unspoken- of conduct in a society which the individual members are expected to abide by. Individuals learn them by observing fellow members and follow them to obtain approval of the larger society.
Norm-Deviant Behaviour: Behaviour which violates the existing rules of conduct in the society and therefore may attract social sanction in form of humiliation, reprimand, boycott, etc.
Menstrual Untouchability: A form of discrimination, practised against menstruating women during their menstrual periods, which forbids them from having physical contact with anybody. It generally also entails physical isolation, bar on entering places of worship and kitchen and prohibition of engaging in sexual intercourse.
Conformity: Act of displaying obedience to the generally accepted rules of conduct of the group to which one belongs.
Menstruation: A naturally occurring biological phenomena in 10- 50 year old females which entails 3-7 days of intermittent vaginal bleeding; it repeats itself every 21-40 day and, hence, also referred to as ‘monthly’ or period.
Norm-Congruent Behaviour: Behaviour aligned with the existing rules of conduct in the larger society and therefore, likely to result in social approval.
Right to Equality: One of the six fundamental rights granted to the citizens by the Indian constitution. It entails equality before law, prohibits discrimination, prescribes equal treatment in matters of education and employment and outlaws the practice of untouchability.