ABSTRACT
Ascetic values play a vital part in the ethics and religious practice of the Jain community in Western India. According to the pilgrims, there are three essential conditions for a successful pilgrimage: temporary wandering; strict observance of a vegetarian diet; and the observance of sexual abstinence. Furthermore, in Jainism the fundamental restrictions of pilgrimage, namely vegetarianism and celibacy, are closely interconnected. According to this concept, eating meat corresponds with sexual aggression and demand. In spite of being acquainted with the literature on the concepts and norms of menstruation as based on the Jain doctrine, the author was surprised to see how ever-present they were in the daily life of author female friends and acquaintances in Palitana. According to these concepts the monthly bleeding is considered deeply polluting in all ritual respects.
