Here is an article authored by Noshir H. Dadrawala. What a wonderful logical and concise
write-up on the subject matter which indeed is at the center of our religious rituals – well
done! All along, I've been thinking of the same reality that all other religions have the same
restrictions for women, regardless of the female population at large adhering to it or not, and
hence today's young Parsee females should refrain from their misconception that this
restriction only exists in Zoroastrianism. Yet, it's very interesting to note that when young
females who have been raised in North America as Christians, or Jews and even Hindus
have categorically declined that such menses rituals are a part of their own religion. The
only explanation that one can think of is that virtually all Gen Zs today are raised with no
true knowledge of such religious requirements of their own religion by their custodians and
that ultimately leads to ignorance on their part. This ignorance leads to ridiculing what
appears to be a valid ritual in all religions.
Peruse the following write-up that may enlighten you on what is an integral part of our
religion.
Have a nice read,
Jal Dastur
SHOULD PARSIS ABANDON ANCIENT CUSTOMS?
– By Noshir H. Dadrawala
Abraham Lincon once said, “Conservation is adherence to the old and tried against the new
and untried.”
Fortunately, Parsis over the ages, in one way or the other have always been a conservative
lot. It was perhaps this very virtue which led to the survival of the community through thick
and thin. Although an ancient universal custom, the menstrual period of a woman has been
of a firm religious observance in its best form among the Parsis.
Normally a Hindu woman in her “Periods” is supposed to refrain from all forms of
ceremonies, worship, rituals, cooking, etc. etc.
The Jews are believed to have borrowed the custom and belief from Iran. However,
according to the interdiction of Moses – the giver of Laws, a menstruating Jewish woman
must not go near rivers, wells, sea, fire or the kitchen. She must also keep away from grain
fields, furniture and cattle.
The Bedouin Arabs observed menstrual customs in as much the same way as the Jews, but
astonishingly even the illiterate Aborigins have been known to respect this observance,
although they are very much isolated from the rest of the society and in many ways an
uncivilized lot.
Pliny, Aristotle and other Greek writers too have dealt with this subject extensively. It is
rather unfortunate that now-a-days people have (more so Modem day Parsis) come to look
down upon this ancient traditional custom, as superstition.
The “Vendidad” (chapter. XVI para 2) mentions, “DASTANISTAN GHAL KUNISHAN,
SHAPIRAN PURYOOTKISHAN GHAL KART. PAVAN HAMBARGAN BA KUNISHAN
MEMON SHAN KARTWANAS BAEEN JAST WAD BAEEN AVOKAR WADOONAT PAVAN
KOLA KARI SHAYAT.” .
The above means that “the practice of seclusion during menses in a separate place has
been in vogue from times immemorial and that such a place should be an unfrequented part
of the house”.
“Vendidad” (Chapter. XV) states further, that the woman in a state of menses should keep
15 steps away from fire and water. Also she should keep 3 steps away from pious men. If
she even chances to glance at a person in prayer the latter must undergo fresh
preliminaries and renew his prayers all over again.
Lord Jesus Christ has been known to cry out “Who touched me? my glory is gone out of
me”! (Gospel of St. Luke) when a woman suffering from irregular menses touched him.
When such a woman’s TOUCH can drive the glory out of a Holy ‘Son of God’, what are we
Ordinary Mortals in Comparison?
Let us now set out to analyze why such customs of isolation, during menses are observed,
from the medical point of view, just in case the scriptural point of view was found
unappealing to some. Now-a-days no theory is accepted by modern Parsis unless and until
it carries the seal of Modern Science or Medicine. Under the circumstances all scriptural
and religious customs yet to be proved by modern science are, for all practical purpose,
shelved, until some scientists in the future proves them valid.
Fortunately for us, the 1st scientific trend of mind towards the elucidation of the truth of this
age old belief (Menstrual Customs) was shown in 1920 by Prof. B. Schick. Actually it was a
small incident in his laboratory which later led him to investigate a certain marked
phenomenon.
According to the story, the Professor once handed over to his maid a fresh bouquet of
flowers with instructions to place them in a vase. Strangely the flowers faded earlier than
usual. The maid explained in no uncertain terms that flowers handled by her during menses
withered very soon. This prompted the investigative professor to probe further into the
nature of a woman’s menstrual state.
Amazingly the Professor discovered a certain TOXIN in the red blood cells of the maid
when she was in a state of menses. The Toxin incidentally was absent in the plasma. To
experiment further the Professor now requested the maid to wear gloves and touch fresh
flowers. Surprisingly the gloves protected the flowers against menstrual influences and
needless to say the flowers did maintain freshness for the normal period. Perhaps now we
know why in Great Grandma’s days Parsi Women (and probably others too) wore gloves
during menses.
Prof. Schick was now confident that a certain amount of Toxin is normally excreted by the
skin (during menses) through the sweat and sebaceous glands, which has a TOXIC
influence on ALL LIVING THINGS WHEN TOUCHED. Further studies at the John Hopkins
University Laboratory (by Macht and Lobin) once again proved the existence of a Toxin in
various body fluids of a menstruating woman. The Toxin later came to be called “MENO
TOXIN”.
It was proved beyond doubt that Meno- Toxin produced an inhibitory effect on the growth of
roots and stems of living seedlings, yeast and in all cases, freshly cut flowers. Meno-Toxin
has also been known to distort the geotropic properties of young seedlings.
Now we know why the holy scriptures prohibited menstruating women from going near grain
fields, rivers, wells, kitchen, and members of family. The ancient ones knew all about the
Toxin influences of a woman in menses, and in view of the fact advised total seclusion
during the period, for the benefit of all concerned. On the ultra-physical level too, a
menstruating woman was known to drive the “virtue” out of holy men, and render
ceremonies, rituals, prayers ineffective.
It is indeed very unfortunate that Modern Society has begun to ridicule this custom and
poke fun at those intelligent ones who still adhere to this highly scientific custom.
No doubt Thoreau said “THINGS DO NOT CHANGE – ONLY WE CHANGE!”.
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