Thread by @nkgrock

1. This High court judgment is problematic at so many levels, and clearly illustrates how divorced are our legal system from religion, culture, & philosophy, in short divorced from Dharma of this country.
opindia.com/2021/03/gujara… #menstruation

2. First, it presumes that the scientific paradigm alone is authentic knowledge and the rest- the religio-cultural knowledge- are branded as superstitions & myths. This itself is problematic as it cancels the rich religious & cultural knowledge traditions of India.

3. Second, judgment falsely equates distinct notions of menstruation prevalent in different religions into a homogenous category of 'ritual impurity' as if all religions perceive purity-impurity in same way. I have shown in my book #MenstruationAcrossCultures how this is not so.

4. Third, it brands the emotional impact of all menstruation practices on women as adverse & negative without taking into account how Hindu menstruation practices when transmitted in a proper way leads to positivity and imparts sacredness in practicing women.

5. My extensive study on menstruation practices in different religions & cultures across the world shows how menstruation practices as well as the underlying philosophy are diverse in different religions and cannot be bracketed into any single homogenous view.

6. The book further shows how Hinduism posits menstruation as a positive, purificatory, and sacred process, and its association of Ashaucha-ritual impurity is not a moral judgement nor does it degrade women- amazon.in/Sabarimala-Con… #menstruation

Cc @pranasutra