I should first tell sorry to all my mothers and sisters of
India for bringing up and discussing this sensible topic about ‘Women’. But it
became unavoidable to speak about it as some of themselves have been
questioning the custom of not allowing women into temples in Hindu traditions
during their menstrual period. If it helps to read the following lines without
any prejudice, I would like to confess that I am a kind of feminist who
believes women are backbone to any economy in the world. As I am also a
follower of Sanatan Dharma aka Hinduism I feel like I should answer this as
this Dharma justifies learning based on questioning and querying.
Let me start with the constitution of India which made this
country a unique democracy in the whole world. Is it supportable if someone wants
to change any feature of it without any logical reason and only based on their
emotions? Can anyone deny the rules and regulations set up in the constitution?
If anyone is breaking any rule given in constitution, does that mean he is
denying the very own idea of democracy? If an economy or a country has set of
rules which should be followed, is it wrong for a religion to have some set of
rules or customs or traditions? Every religion in this world has its own set of
customs. I agree to the point that rules which are outdated should be reformed
based on the changes in conditions of the society. Before questioning a custom
once if we logically think about why it has been implemented we can find
answers. Even thinking with common sense can answer us, so are the customs of
our Dharma. Now, the following are the points which sufficed my logic when I
thought with common sense or read about the above discussed custom in some
blogs. Women, during their menstrual period lose blood and become physically
weak more or less. Even their immune system will also be vulnerable at that
time. So, it would be better if they do not visit temples which would be
basically crowded and be prone to contaminated diseases. Most of the women
during our olden days are home keepers and so are the many middle class women
today. As they would be physically weak during those days they couldn’t do
daily household activities even. So, they are asked to stay out of the
household activities even though men find it difficult to manage them without
women (Feminist out of me states that men can’t survive without women). It is
not because otherwise a man would not get a chance to cook his own food being
vested with his wife’s cooking expertise. Temples are considered as the abode
of God and they are intended to maintain cleanly. A person male or female is
not allowed inside the temple if he/she doesn’t take a bath after having sleep.
A person male of female is not allowed inside the temple if he/she doesn’t take
a bath after using a restroom. Such is the cleanliness standards we maintain in
our traditions. It is confusing why the British had the notion that Indians are
unhygienic during their colonial rule. Such a notion exists now among many of
the westerners too regarding India. There are many sanity considerations before
entering a temple where God is believed to be residing. Being in a menstrual
cycle is just one of them and it is not rational. We have a custom too that
women should not be on fast during those days as they are physically weak. Not
only physical but mental conditions of women would be such that they can’t
concentrate on anything properly during those days. Remember, Sanatana Dharma
believes that a Woman is the owner of a house. Woman is the base of the world.
Our Dharma preaches us to treat any woman like our mother or sister. It is
because of the effect of western culture on some of Indian youth to have a
wrong approach towards women.
I have tried to answer all the women who are following the
traditions of Hinduism and are on a quest about this question. I hope I tried
to persuade their sentiments and emotions. While answering this, I have got my
own queries as well. There have been many customs in all the religions in
India. Why only Hindu customs are being questioned or attacked (in my feeling)?
Why are they questioning about sensible matters of our women? Are they trying
to raise our own women against us?
If this answer is not found satisfactory to all those so
called ‘sick’larists I would like to question you, why do you bother to enter
temples when you do not believe the god in first place?
