From Celebration to Stigma: The Dual Facets of Menstruation in Indian Society

Pratima Sahu

From Celebration to Stigma: The Dual Facets of Menstruation in Indian Society

Author(s)	Dr. Pratima Sahu
Country	India
Abstract	This paper examines the dual positioning of menstruation in Indian society, where it appears simultaneously as a source of stigma and as a culturally sanctioned marker of fertility and womanhood. Although menstruation is a biological process, its meanings are socially constructed and vary across regions, communities, and religious traditions. In India, menstrual practices range from restrictive customs rooted in notions of ritual purity to elaborate puberty ceremonies and fertility festivals that publicly acknowledge a girl’s transition into adulthood. This coexistence of celebration and restriction reflects broader social hierarchies and gender norms that shape women’s everyday experiences. The study is based on a thematic review of interdisciplinary literature drawn from gender studies, anthropology, sociology, public health, and religious scholarship. Through an intersectional analytical lens, the paper examines how caste, class, ethnicity, and religion interact to influence menstrual beliefs, access to hygiene resources, mobility, participation in public life, and bodily autonomy. Rather than presenting menstruation as either uniformly oppressive or uniformly celebratory, the analysis demonstrates that menstrual experiences are socially differentiated and structured by power relations. The paper further discusses how regional rituals such as puberty ceremonies in southern India, Tuloni Biya in Assam, and Raja Parba in Odisha coexist with practices of seclusion, dietary restriction, and temple exclusion. These contrasting patterns illustrate how menstrual meanings are embedded within social institutions and religious interpretations. By situating these practices within broader debates on gender, embodiment, and social hierarchy, the paper contributes to ongoing academic discussions on menstrual politics in South Asia. The study concludes by arguing that menstrual health interventions must take cultural contexts into account while addressing inequalities related to education, sanitation, and access to menstrual products. A balanced engagement with both cultural traditions and material conditions is necessary for addressing stigma and ensuring dignity for menstruating individuals.
Keywords	Menstruation in India, Menstrual Stigma, Puberty Rituals, Ritual Purity and Pollution, Intersectionality, Caste and Gender, Social Stratification, Menstrual Health Management, Religion and Embodiment, Bodily Autonomy, Gendered Regulation, Regional Variation.
Field	Sociology
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 1, January-February 2026
Published On	2026-02-21

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From Celebration to Stigma: The Dual Facets of Menstruation in Indian Society

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