Menstrual Rituals in Assam: A Cross Cultural Study

The main objective of this book is to understand the rituals associated with menstruation in the context of Assam. It would like to highlight the various notions of purity and pollution associated with a natural process. An attempt will be made to understand women’s perspective of the entire issue and how they treat the rituals. Both regionally and religiously there are variations in the context of restrictions on women. In India; there are many regions where various rituals are conducted to celebrate the menarche (the first menstrual period). In Assam if a girl undergoes menstruation she undergoes a ritual called ‘Tulani Biya’. This is a practice where women are dressed like a bride and are married off to a banana plant. She is secluded from the society and are required to follow many rituals. Indeed this is a celebration like marriage itself but this is actually a measure to bring out the essentialism associated with womanhood.