Women and chums
Since time immemorial, women have been almost ‘outcasted’ during their chums (menstrual cycle/ monthly period).
Initially, it was started to give some rest to the ladies during this delicate period – also it is quite painful for many women and, in fact, it can be quite harmful for her uterus if she indulges in heavy duty household chores.
Now one may ask what I mean by ‘Heavy Duty’ household chores.
You see earlier, we did not get packeted stuff – flour and spices had to be powdered by the women of the house – you must have seen films or pictures of heavy spice and flour grinders. You must also understand that daughter-in-laws (DIL hereinafter) have mostly been seen as maid servants – the mother-in-law (MIL hereinafter) would immediately take to rest (if she is wicked – not all MILs are wicked though) and expect the DIL to do all the work – that would include mopping, cooking, grinding flour and spices etc. So, entire morning, the DIL would be engaged in such chores and at night – of course, she had to entertain His Highness – as a sex slave. Basically, the rest-period was almost nil for the poor ladies. In fact, if we still visit villages, the scenario is almost the same till date! And if the household also has cows and calves – then there is added duty for her – wash, clean the cow shed, prepare fodder etc.
Our male ancestors probably knew the female psychology pretty well – they knew that most MILs are out to take revenge and are frustrated – because they were made to work like a donkey in their youth – so they take it their responsibility and duty to repeat the same with her DIL too…..(PS. I am talking about the time-period when majority of women were illiterate and all that was marketed to them – by males of course – was that men are Gods and women are slaves born to serve and entertain them!)
Anyways, knowing the frustrated state of mind of most MILs – this rest-period-during-chums was devised by probably some compassionate men (of course there were and still are – many compassionate and kind men – eg. those who introduced girl child education, widow re-marriage etc.). But was it so easy to convince the MIL…. that DIL needs rest? Not really – and thus the religion factor was probably introduced – the fact that a woman is impure during periods and ewww…do not let her enter the kitchen, not to go to the temples and touch the idol of gods and also His Highness cannot be entertained at night because she is impure and untouchable etc. You see, even nowadays, with smartphones and free chat services, humans (at admin/ motivational level) are failing to drive good sense into the minds of majority of the population….and I am talking about the times when the literacy rate of India was probably below 3%….or less!
Now lets talk logically and sensibly folks!
An infant is considered as the very representative of God! Because an infant is totally innocent and actually the divine guardian angels are connected to him (through the fontanelle bone area/ limbic area on top of head that is very delicate to touch)! So when the ‘chumming’ mother is indispensable for the LIVE GOD – she is rocking her infant in her arms and breast feeding her/him – it becomes quite clear to us all that religion – that is based on ‘what God likes and dislikes’ – has not much role to play or interfere in this natural body function of a woman! Meaning? It is a myth that women cannot touch the idols of God during her chums.
So now, with packeted spices, flour etc, cooked food delivered at the doorstep – women can actually enter the kitchen and warm the milk or make tea and even cook. She need not jump around or participate in bungee jumping or climb trees – as the sanitary napkin advertisements promote – well, that’s another extreme – but she does not suddenly become an ‘untouchable’ during those 5 days of the month!
