India is known for its incredibility in terms of varied lifestyle, hundreds of languages, colorful diversity, multiple religions and high level of hypocrisy. Yes, you got that right. Hypocrisy! I love my country to the core but there are certain things when my inner voice says, ‘Why India?’ People say ‘Husband should be equally treated as Lord Shiva’ (Pati Parmeshwar), many women follow it, they lug the pain but would not utter a word. People also say “Goddess are the Divine Source of Energy”, they should be worshiped with all respect and faith. So, while men, despite of them drinking, being arrogant, non-caring and ruthless are worshiped by women, here is a question for both, men and women of India, “Do you respect your women?”

You worship goddesses in temples and deny a woman entering the temple while she is going through her periods, a gift she has received naturally or biologically, a gift to be a mother? Wouldn’t it be a shame, a hypocrisy when you Worship a Goddess whom you believe bleeds every month in the temple, while you put up a hoarding at the entrance: “Women in period should not enter the temple premises”. I laugh out louder here with the amalgamation of pain that why can’t Indians see the logic?

Kamakhya Temple situated high on the Nilachal Hills of Guwahati in Assam is a Goddess Temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peeth’s of Goddess Sati. The Shakti Peeth’s are known for their high level of energy, people say any pooja or ritual conducted at these temples comes with undoubted good results. Considered as one of the pilgrimage destination for Indians, Kamakhya temple stands out unique with its Menstruating Goddess!

The legend says that, Sati, once fought with her husband, the Lord Shiva to attend her father’s great yagna. Her Father, the king Daksha did not invite Mahadev and insulted him. Sati could not bear the insult of Lord of the Lords Shiva, her husband and jumped into the fire and killed herself. Result of this, Shiva went ferocious with rage. He placed Sati’s dead body on his shoulder and did Tandava or dance of destruction. To distract and calm Shiva, Lord Vishnu cut sati’s body into 51 pieces with his sudarshan chakra, which fell into various spots of India. As Sati’s womb and vagina fell here in Guwahati, it is known as a shakti peeth.

Some people believe that the romantic moments of Shiva and Sati occurred at this location, kama means ‘lovemaking’ in Sanskrit and hence Kamakhya Devi.

During the month of Ashadh (June), the Devi Bleeds and at this time, the river Brahmaputra flowing near the temple turns red. The temple remains closed for three days and on the 4th day the holy water is distributed to the devotees. The Chengannur Bhagavathy Temple in Kerala also has similar beliefs.

I wonder what makes the river water turn red, possibility of people thinking that the priest pour vermilion into the waters stands fair here; however it is life risking step to utter a single word against people’s religious beliefs in India.

If we consider symbolically, menstruation is the symbol of a woman’s  power to give birth. So, the Kamakhya temple celebrates this ‘shakti’ within every woman. Is there any ancient scripture Goddess denying women’s entry while she is on her period? If you can celebrate deity’s period, why not allow women in period celebrate the same or you give them respect? Why do people keep their hands on their ears and start whispering when talking about menstruation? First, if a woman menstruates you seclude her for days and secondly, if she doesn’t you call her barren and seclude her though? What exactly is the mentality of major part of Indians, is the question that remains unanswered!