A young reader of Parsi Times recently expressed concern as to why a woman in her menses is considered ‘unclean’ and is required to abstain from visiting places of religious worship? She wondered whether this was another custom our Parsi forebears adopted in India, and whether it reflected gender discrimination within the community. To begin with, Parsis are not alone in observing religious customs around a woman’s monthly cycle. Many religions and cultures follow traditions that restrict certain social and religious activities during menses across communities.

Across cultures, religious views on menstruation have shaped customs and conduct for centuries. Certain Christian denominations, including the Eastern Orthodox and some Oriental Orthodox churches, traditionally advise women to refrain from receiving Holy Communion during their menstrual period. In Islam, menstruating women are exempt from daily prayers and fasting, and are not permitted to undertake pilgrimages during this time. Once the cycle ends, a ritual purification bath known as Ghusl is required before resuming religious duties.

Ancient Hindu texts also reflect symbolic interpretations. The Rig Veda contains a myth associated with Indra, king of the Devas, who slays Vritra, the demon of drought, with a thunderbolt. Later scriptures such as the Dharmashastras reinterpret this act as brahminicide, suggesting that the resulting guilt manifests as menstruation, which women are said to bear collectively.

Jain philosophy takes a more physiological view, acknowledging that menstruation can cause fatigue, discomfort and emotional strain. Women are therefore encouraged to rest and refrain from religious or household duties for four days. Traditional Chinese belief systems similarly restrict menstruating women from engaging in sacred rituals, touching idols or making offerings. Historically, some temples even limited women’s entry altogether, reflecting long-standing cultural attitudes toward purity and ritual practice.

Menstruation is a natural biological process and traditional menstrual customs, such as social segregation was perhaps intended for rest and recuperation for women. In the past, when women were required to fetch water, get firewood, grind grain, cook different meals for children and the elderly, clean the home and look after the needs of a large family, isolation provided a much-needed break from daily chores. During this period, she had to do nothing but rest. One could say that approximately after every three weeks of hard labour at home, women were given about a week’s holiday from all household duties.

Interestingly, even in modern times, several countries have introduced ‘menstrual leave policies’ in order to improve workplace flexibility and to address severe menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) which many women undergo. In 2023, Spain was the first European country to pass a law for paid leave, allowing three to five days per month for those with debilitating pain. Indonesia provides two days of paid leave per month.

Closer to home, in November 2025, Karnataka became the first Indian state to introduce a mandatory paid menstrual leave policy (one day every month) for both public and private sectors. While aimed at improving workplace equity and health, the policy unfortunately has faced challenges in the Karnataka High Court due to concerns over its imposition via executive order.

Zoroastrian Menstrual Customs

Contrary to popular belief Parsis did not pick up menstrual customs of religious and social segregation from India. The entire sixteenth Pargarad or chapter of the Vendidad is focused on the topic of menstruation. Various other Pahlavi texts also deal with this subject in detail. According to the Rivayat (letters exchanged between the Zoroastrian community in India and their co-religionists in Iran from the 15^th to 18^th century) even the Zoroastrian community of Sharifabad in Yazd, Iran considered menstruating women as binamaz (prohibited from praying). The binamaz was required to wear old, plain clothes and remove all adornments upon the onset of periods as soon as her period would begin. She would be served simple meals in metal plates and was required to wear special gloves. The Rivayat also mention that she shouldn’t go near flowing waters or even raindrops. Among Parsis in India, menstruating women always wore a separate Sadra and separate kasti which would be set aside for this period and were allowed to recite only the Yatha ahu vairyo and Ashem vohu prayers.

In Zoroastrianism, all bodily discharges are regarded as a violation of the wholeness of the person and therefore regarded as an affliction of evil, rendering the individual as ritually unclean. Even a male priest with a bleeding wound is not allowed to perform religious rituals.

Menstruation is the shedding of the uterine lining (endometrium), which includes blood, tissue, and mucus that build up in preparation for a potential pregnancy. Viewed objectively, a woman during her menses is seen to be in an altered state of being. Blood is ‘life-giving’. However, once blood leaves the body of a person, male or female, it is considered a significant source of potential contamination and a biohazard. This is because blood can carry bloodborne pathogens and infectious microorganisms and according to Zoroastrian doctrine, any form of contamination is an affliction of evil.

The ‘Menotoxin Theory’, was a 1920 scientific concept which proposed that menstruating women secrete a specific toxin capable of wilting flowers and spoiling food, particularly pickles and preserves. The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics claimed that the blood serum, blood corpuscles, saliva, sweat, milk and other secretions of menstruating women contain a toxic substance or menotoxin, characterized by specific pharmacological and chemical reactions. Menotoxin had inhibitory effect on the growth of roots and stems of whole living seedlings and had an impairing effect on cut flowers. However, later this theory was debunked.

Menstruation is a natural biological process that does not affect, contaminate or cause food (like pickles) to spoil. The only way food spoils is through improper handling (bacteria transfer) or, in the case of pickles, improper sealing. It is not connected to hormonal changes or blood. Organizations like UNICEF have worked hard to dispel this taboo, encouraging women to ignore such restrictions and enjoy pickles during their periods without guilt.

To conclude, menstruating women are not ‘unclean.’ Rather they are in a state of altered, intense, or highly absorbent energy. During menstruation, a woman’s body is believed to be in a vacuum or void state, which makes her highly receptive to, and a sponge for, energies in her environment. According to Ayurveda and yoga, the energy flow (Prana) during this period moves downwards (Apana Vayu). This is a natural cleansing process. Because the woman’s energy during menses is so absorbent and downward-flowing, traditional practices suggest that she stay away from high-energy spiritual spaces (like consecrated temples) or high-energy activities for her own benefit and that of those sacred spaces.