The (im)purity of having your period...I just don't get it

With apologies and all due respect to the OP and the gravity of her situation... Rose, your headbath comment above cracked me up. When we extrapolate the reasoning to another situation (one which does not favor the male), then the ludicrousness of it all is revealed.

Gauri, are you trying to get me into trouble after I've taken such care to word my post delicately?

Maybe my survival mechanism is more foolish hope than optimism, if you take a look at the state of the world...

 

All these were with a reason why it was forced on us. Earlier days woman had to do heavy work and it was physically difficult for us to do. Keeping us away from not touching anything was just a way to give rest to the body. Since science is too difficult to digest religion came in to picture.

Head bath on the 4 th day ( It was oil bath ) is to cool the body down.

 

I simbly fail to understand how is shedding the lining affecting one' s ability to light a lamp . :bonk

 

Common guys. Give a break. She belongs to priest family (Iyer). They do strict regime of rituals that needs to be performed daily to the 'deities' with utmost care. They may live in America, working in Wall street. But, if men in their family follow certain daily rituals, then it has to be followed by the wife, also. She walked into their family, knowing what to expect.

Rhina -got a good question. If you don't agree with it, why did you agree to marry this guy, especially if you are born/brought up in US.

 

I am one of those, don't mess with God, kind. :hide:

I was hidden/lived in my neighbor's house for a week (5 days are considered impure) when my dad was doing daily pooja for 'ayyappan' for 40 days, pilgrimage to see ayyappan Temple -- Popular in Southern India. If it was my mom's turn, dad will not come home for 7-days and stayed with his head priest. (Don't ask me, what the head priest will do, he was an old guy).

I suffered my share of indignity (humiliation?) in my younger days.

 

its personal belief. do what your mind and heart says and believe

 

Yeah, totally agree!! After listening to my IL's list of rules during periods, we have just resorted to plain lying... Don't have periods, ever if they come... (it helps that their visits are for less than four weeks) ...Even if I do, I will simply go to temple, cook, whatever ...IL's just assume that I finish my periods before they come....They do know that I do not follow anything when they are not around, but they have just accepted that "what I do not see, doesn't affect me". As long as I am OK when they are around.


DH, of course, is in cahoots with me... it solves a lot of problems for him too, than facing my wrath or listening to his parents' rules...

In the first week after my wedding, when my MIL asked me not to touch the bed, DH put a mat for me on the floor, said OK, locked the door, and happily invited me to the bed behind closed doors !! And that set the tone for the lying, and hiding ....I figured that is how the situation is going to be dealt with....

It is not exactly the ideal situation that I would have liked to be in, but much better than the alternative. Whatever sins I am accumulating due to above behavior is mine alone....:bonk

Everyone is happy, happy ! IL's always see a PURE me !!

 

Use these 3 days as the opportunity to chill and have time just for yourself.