Le Monde - A Poetic Travail » Guwahati http://www.lemonicks.com/Travel Everywhere I go, I find a poet has already been there before me. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:30:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Menstruating Goddess http://www.lemonicks.com/Travel/2009/03/02/menstruating-goddess/ http://www.lemonicks.com/Travel/2009/03/02/menstruating-goddess/#comments Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:21:43 +0000 Cuckoo http://www.lemonicks.com/Travel/2009/03/02/menstruating-goddess/ Well, I have been talking about menstruation blues and taboos in Indian culture on my other blog and how those rituals are still very much in practice in many families. You can read about it here in English and here in Hindi.

Talking of menstruation, did you know Gods (oops Goddesses) also have it ? Damn ! I never knew that ! Cuckoo, you must be a naive for not knowing. Wake up !

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Kamakhya Temple: Courtesy Shibu

It seems there is a temple near Gauhati, Assam named Kamakhya temple whose Goddess Kamakhya (mother Earth) also goes through the turmoils of menstruation and the temple remains closed for three days in a year. The Kamakhya Temple in Assam is one of the most venerated Shakti shrines in India.

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It is believed that once in every year, the spring waters at Kamakhya turn red and the temple remains closed. It is believed to be inauspicious to till the ground or to plant seeds during this period.

A unique festival observed here is the Ambubasi fertility festival. The festival opens with great festivity on the fourth day.

Hmmm… It is called double standards. My only grudge… For us every month and for her just once a year ? Bad, bad. Whom do I complain now ?

Courtesy : Mosaic

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