“Amma, blood’s pouring down. I am scared. Am I ill?” exclaimed Krantika. “No beta. This calls for a huge celebration and is a part of growing up” quoted her mother. This is how Krantika was comforted on receiving her first periods. This special custom called "Thirandukalyanam " marks a ceremonial step in a young girl’s life especially within the Nair where the girl is celebrated publicly for four to five days indicating her transition, into womanhood.
How is this celebrated? The girl is separated from the male members of her family for 3-4 days while using designated utensils following a strict diet of vegetables and fruits along with jaggery. The culmination of this event is usually followed with a ritual bath taken by the girl at a temple pond followed by the girl dressing up as a bride. During this ceremony, she is presented with various gifts ranging from sarees to jewelries. The ritual is very similar to the Haldi ceremony followed in Hindu families; just without the Haldi and more with flowers.
However, Kerala and other parts of Southern India have seen a decline in this practice considering families prefer to keep menstruation rituals private rather than hold public celebrations for it. Some consider this shift as a step towards modernity that normalizes menstruation and celebrates femininity. However, others criticize the custom for linking menstruation, with marriage and fertility reinforcing gender stereotypes and perpetuating taboos related to impurity during periods.
While many feel that the practice does break stereotypes in terms of “Not making periods a taboo” by celebrating it on a larger scale, others feel that it is practice which reinforces gender stereotypes. Which side are you on?
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