All we have heard is that menstruating women should not enter temple and women are protesting against this, be it Sabrimala Temple, Shani Shignapur or Haji Ali.
We have heard about a temple where menstruating Goddess is worshipped, Kamakhya Temple in Assam. Odhisa is celebrating the female biological cycle during Raja (pronounced Ro-jo) festival.
This festival is mainly celebrated in Odia households to honour young girls, who are looked upon as the mothers of the next generation. During these days they are not allowed to perform any household activities and are given complete rest. There are special songs sung, composed specifically for this occasion. The houses are decorated with flowers and swings are set up, for the girls, who spends their time taking turns on swings.
The festival is a time when the earth, a mother figure, is believed to menstruate as a sign of fertility. This is a time when ploughing earth is forbidden as Mother Earth is given a rest. The first three days of the festival are named as Pahili Raja, Mithuna Sankranti and Bhu Daaha respectively. It is believed that the biological cycle of menstruation lasts for three days and on the fourth day, a ceremonial bath – known as Vasumati Snan – is conducted in honour of goddess Bhudevi.
“Everyone who thinks women are impure during their periods should see how Odisha celebrated Raja. Those who believe the menstrual blood to be impure should know that the same kept a life on for nine months inside the mother’s womb,” said social activist Manoj Jena.
We need more such festivals and not the mindset which restricts menstruating women from entering a temple