What mythology says about: Why women were chosen to get their periods every month - Menstruation related myths in India

In India, the topic of Menstruation has always been considered taboo, which has always been surrounded by different myths that exclude women from many aspects of socio-cultural life. Today in this article, we will tell you a mythological story about how women got their periods, a curse that women had to face due to a crime committed by someone else. So let's know about it in detail.

According to this myth, Once Brahaspati who was the guru of the Devas became quite furious with Indradev. Taking advantage of the situation, the asuras attacked Devloka, due to which Indradev had to run away by leaving behind his throne and kingdom. Protecting himself from the asuras, he reached out to Lord Brahma and sought help to please his guru Brahaspati and regain his kingdom. Then Lord Brahma told him that he should serve a sage, if the sage is pleased with his offering then he will get his kingdom back. According to Brahma's advice, Indradev found a sage and got engaged in his service day and night, but he was unaware that the mother of that sage was an asura, so the sage had a special place in his heart for the asuras. 

Whatever was offered to the sage by Indra was being given by the sage to the asuras instead of the Devas, disrupting all of Indra's service. But when Indra came to know about this, he became very angry and in a fit of rage, he killed the sage. But now Indra did not even realize that by doing this, such as killing a brahmin, he had committed an even bigger crime. This sin started chasing him like a demon and somehow he could able to hide himself inside a flower and kept praying to Lord Vishnu for a year. After hearing his prayers, Lord Vishnu saved Indra but gave him a suggestion for deliverance from the sin he had committed. For this, he had to divide the burden of his crime to the trees, water, earth, and women. However, he was meant to curse them all at once and was also give a blessing in return.

1. First, the trees took 1/4th of his sin, in return, Indra blessed them with an auspicious blessing, according to which, the trees could regrow or regain their life as per their own desire.

2. On giving water 1/4th of his sin, Indra empowered it to sanctify other things, hence water or Jal is used in the worship of Hindus, following customs and traditions, by believing it to be sacred. 

3. Indra gave the third part of his sin to the Earth and blessed it with the power to heal.

4. Now it was the turn for the women to take 1/4th of his sin, according to this legend, every month menstruation cycle or periods occurs in women as a result of this curse. In return, Indra gave the blessing, saying that women would be able to enjoy more sexual pleasure than men for longer. During this time, they bear the burden of a crime committed by someone else and are also told to abstain from their God. Maybe this is the reason why since ancient times women were forbidden to visit the temple during their menstruation cycle.