Beyond festivals, many women observe weekly fasts (Monday for Lord Shiva, Thursday for the local deity, or Saturday for Saturn). This is not just deprivation; it is a disciplined lifestyle management tool used to assert mental control and bodily autonomy.
Historically, in many parts of rural India, women were exiled to the cowshed during periods (the Chaupadi practice in Nepal and parts of India). Today, thanks to activists and affordable sanitary pads (NGOs like Goonj), the discourse has shifted. The Bollywood film Pad Man turned the taboo into a business opportunity. However, the cultural anxiety around touching pickles or entering temples during periods persists. The modern woman navigates this by rebelling silently—she enters the temple anyway, believing that spirituality has no gender. Beyond festivals, many women observe weekly fasts (Monday