THE CURIOUS CASE OF CASTE AND MENSTRUATION
“Pollution may be temporary or permanent, voluntary or involuntary and may fall on any member of the society. The first and the later menstruations as well as delivery are periods of specifically female pollution (even though women’s impurities may spread to others) of the involuntary type.”
The aforementioned line of thought and belief, as noted by Gabriella Eichinger Ferro-Luzzi in her work ‘Anthropos’, was reflective of the menstrual scene in Tamil Nadu back in the 1970s. At the time of a woman’s “impurity”, she was reduced down to an untouchable who was prohibited from being in contact with other persons as well as their objects. In fear of being possessed by evil spirits and the harm which was believed to be inflicted on men if they set their eyes on a menstruating woman, the need for temporary segregation of the menstruators took a seat above the need for menstrual health and hygiene. Such was the fantastical apprehension regarding vaginal blood that the menstruating women were considered to be the lowest of the untouchables, also known as ‘Candala’.
As comical and unreal the stated facts may read, one cannot negate the gravity of the same backwardness which still persists in today’s society. Not just the unscientific notions of the presence of “evil spirits”, but the very existence of casteism has allowed the Indian mindset to wander as far as considering a woman untouchable during her periods.
Allocating the menstruator a small corner in the house or, in most cases as seen in the rural areas, an outhouse, was and still is a common practice. With no proper menstrual products at their disposal, women are often left to use plain cloth or sand and mud to deal with their flow. This, undoubtedly, makes women prone to several uterine infections and diseases. Lack of proper nutrition and the required hygiene is what makes menstruation an incredibly uncomfortable and hurtful period for most women in India.
Menstruation is a biological and a very fundamental aspect of the existence of the human race. However, the man-made notion of caste segregation, ironically, occupies a more important role in the functioning of our country.
The percentage of internet users in India, as per Digital 2020: India, is reported to be 50%. With a little over 650 million internet users in the country as of January 2020, about 29% are active users of social media. When the statistics are further delved into, one notices the stark contrast between the 29% of female internet users to that of 71% of male internet users. This directs us to the evident fact that talks about menstrual health management (MHM) and menstrual health education on social media percolates very little into the society- with the vast majority still unaware of it.
This particular parity can be attributed to the class distinction, which has been enhanced severely due to the existence of castes. If compared to India a few decades back, the situation related to caste distinction and discrimination in the present times is relatively less if not the same. Now, instead of deliberate distinction, it is more of a subconscious institution which exists where only the urban and semi-urban people get access to such awareness programs and are made part of conversations. Though useful in advocating correct information and debunking common social stigma, the main problem still remains untouched.
The urban population, even if not completely aware, has access to clean sanitary products whereas the rural population lacks both. The system of India is such that the difference between the cities and the villages, regarding any aspect, is too vast to be bridged anytime soon. Starting from the lack of education and the existing dogmas surrounding menstruation, it is only given that MHM should be taking a backseat in the list of problems that require an immediate solution.
While most Indian women face common problems like chauvinism, alienation due to menstruation, general subjugation and the 12% GST on sanitary napkins- the average, city-dwelling, upper caste women are still more fortunate than the vast majority that includes both lower caste men and women. Owing to India’s inefficient waste management methods, used sanitary products always end up in the common dumping grounds or ‘dhapas’ where unequipped sanitary workers (mostly men) need to scavenge and segregate the wastes as much as possible. Similarly, in most cases, the cleaners who work in the public sector or corporations, end up using their bare hands to discard the menstrual wastes and these women, by and large, belong to the lower castes.
Irrespective of religion and the existence of castes, class segregation also leads to the same outcome. The upper-class families, in the earlier days, would do all in their power to keep the “pollution” at bay by distancing the menstruator as much as possible. The woman, who would be using, perhaps, pieces of her old sarees as the absorbents, would then end up giving the same used cloth to be washed by ‘dhobis’ - who majorly belong to the “lower cleaning class”.
As stated by Gopal Guru in his work “Archaeology of Untouchability” (2009),
“Just imagine what would happen to the touchable, if the untouchable were to refuse to become the dumping ground for somebody’s moral dirt or refuse to illuminate the touchable. It perhaps would lead to the moral decomposition or atrophy of the touchables’ body or they would get crushed under the accumulated weight of these impurities. (Thank god, there has been an untouchable around to carry this burden!)”
The above mock-statement was written in reference to a tradition which is still followed in Andhra Pradesh; the stained clothes worn by an upper-caste girl at the onset of her active menstrual cycle is usually given to the Chakali (lower caste) women. This serves as a primary example of how the upper-caste wanted to keep themselves ‘pure’ by directing the ‘impure’ towards the lower-castes.
The depths of the situation can be well understood through the number of girls in semi-rural and rural India who drop out of schools at the onset of their menstruation. About 23 million girls drop out every year with the highest percentage being in Uttar Pradesh (66%). This is primarily due to the lack of privacy and restrictions imposed on girls, and it is also dependent on the type of absorbents used. In cities, however, cases of school drop-outs because of menstruation is almost nil, but has about 40% of students who remain absent during the days of their periods.
The absolute ridiculousness of casteism and the discrimination done based on man-made demarcations can only help in the regression of our country and the upliftment of the elite. Belittling people based solely on their surnames, with no concrete reason or logic behind it, explains and solidifies the general backwardness of Indians. If a person is still stuck up on the high-ground on the basis of their caste, little can be expected when it comes to the awareness of a natural, biological bodily process like menstruation.
Change in the system starts with the most fundamental unit in society. With respect to menstruation, one needs to focus on doing their part- in unlearning the various myths and helping menstruators around them- including people of all castes, creed, colour, as well as menstruating trans-men and non-binary persons. The need to concentrate on the upliftment of the collective is because ‘personal’ ceases to exist the moment a problem begins to concern more than one.
Article by Sukanya Chaudhury
