Purity of the Periods

"A packet of 'Moods'," I said. 'Moods' was the brand name of a condom advertised on TV. In a flash the shopkeeper gleaned my entire sexual history.

"One?"

"One packet."

"One packet contains just one. New to this place?"

"Yes, I am from... I named a town that was in another direction from my town."

"Please take my advice. Buy a dozen. In which case you need have to travel miles to buy this stuff every time you find the need for it."

"OK," I said. I have never felt so silly in my life. I paid and left hurriedly. I went into the nearest coffee shop. I needed to sit, and I needed a stimulant. I never could have imagined that such a simple task as purchasing condom can suck out so much energy. In my room I opened one packet, and after making the penis erect I rolled it on.

The next two days a distant aunt was visiting. The third day mother was at home. The next day I came early from college. I had lunch. After lunch mother left for a movie with two of her friends. No action drama or romance but a rerun of some old black and white mythological that all three seniors had first seen on its first run decades ago when they were maidens. I was in my room till two, and then went to my sister's room. She was as usual relining on her bed and reading.

"I want you to see my exam result," I said.

"What exam?"

"Terminal exam in which I have come second. Please note that I am in the leader board in my class at present."

"That's good. Show me the paper." She riffled through the papers. "You missed just one question. How many had all corrects?"

"Two. With your encouragement I hope to do better next time," I said. She smiled.

"That is guaranteed," she said.

"Thank you," I said and bent over her and kissed her on the forehead. Akka put her hand up and entwining her fingers into my hair pulled my head down and kissed me on the lips. I held her cheeks with both hands and kissed her. We bit each other's lips and then for the first time we played with our tongues. I lay by her side, and then I lay over her bearing my weight mostly on my elbows and knees. We were of course full clothed. We kissed and when I pressed her pelvis; she responded. It was a faint upward thrust but it sent a thrill through my spine. I boldly exposed her breasts and sucked her nipples. The time was ripe for me to make the next move. I rolled over to her side and placed a hand over her vulva and pressed. She did not object; rather she moved her pelvis this way and that. I was now certain that Akka was ready to go all the way. I pulled up her sari and skirt but not fully. She was not wearing her knickers. I surmised it was in anticipation of my visit; a thrilling thought. She lay placidly. I paused to gain courage, and in one bold move I exposed her vulva. But from where I lay by her side I could not see it. She now held my body and pulled me over herself.

"Have you a condom?" she asked.

"Yes," I said removing the packet from my pocket.

"Put on the condom," she said. I removed my shirt and dhoti and sat up and rolled the condom over my penis. I was now on top, my erect and clothed penis posed over my darling sister vulva. She did not spread her thighs. I did that. Akka now held my penis and inserted it into her vagina. I hardly had a glimpse of her vulva during all this. I pressed and it went in. The truth that I was having sex with my sister now flooded into my consciousness. I moved my pelvis up and down and Akka responded. And then I ejaculated. It came in spurts and during each spurt I pressed her vulva. Once she applied counter pressure, but for the rest she did not react. I lay on top for a while. Once again I was sobbing. It was weird the way I gave vent to emotions after every ejaculation. My sister held my head and kissed me all over my face.

"Don't weep darling," she said, "I need you as much as you need me."

"I have taken your virginity, Akka, is that not an inexcusable crime?"

"I do not think much of the value that we Indians place on virginity. I won't waste any tears on the loss of virginity. You told me that considering women unclean during their periods was a one of the tools men use to degrade women. Well, the great value amounting to sanctity that men grant to virginity in women is another of the tools." My sister was right. It is undoubtedly another ploy to enslave women.

"Come we'll wash." I quietly followed as she led me to the bathroom. It was then that I saw a smear of blood on her skirt. I pointed it out to her. She viewed it matter-of-factly.

"Now don't start another spell of sobbing," she said.

She pulled off the condom, threw it into the toilet bowl and flushed it. She then washed herself and me in what has become our ritual. We came back to the bed and lay hugging each other in silence. I must have snoozed for Akka woke me up and said that it was time I go back to my room and continue my sleep. When I woke late that evening I was a happy man.

The next day at my request Akka allowed me to examine her vulva. I lay face down between her legs with my head at her crotch. Now that I was seeing an adult vulva at close quarters I aver that it is one of the beautiful sights of nature. I said so.

"Why are women ashamed of their genitals?" I asked.

"Ashamed?"

"Yes, Akka, they are. They cover themselves as much out of modesty as shame. Is it because women think it is ugly?"

"May be there is something in what you say. But are you not going too far in describing it as one of the beauties of nature."

"No, I am not," I said firmly, and proceeded to kiss the labia major, and then the labia minor, and then the hood of the clitoris, and then after exposing the clitoris, the clitoris itself. And then I licked, and she responded by spreading her legs and lifting her feet up in the air. We speeded up, and then when I licked in gentle swipes she had an orgasm for the first time. She pulled me up. I inserted. When I ejaculation she had one more orgasm. Once again I was unable to control an urge to weep.

We had it whenever chance offered and that became very infrequent because the season for religious discourses was now over. The idyll ended suddenly. I received orders for two months practical training in Surat, a thousand miles to the North, and had to leave in two days.

I reviewed my attitude towards my sister. What stood out was that in spite of all that had happened in these three weeks there was no change in our sister brother relationship. Even when we were having sex she was very much my elder sister. She continued to chide me when needed, and continued to put in a word on my behalf when father or mother were after me for something I did or did not do. I continued to pray that she would get a good man soon and be happily married. I am not any more bothered that I have taken her virginity. I am sure that her future husband was not likely to be one who has not had sexual experience. I strongly believe that Indian men wanting virgins as brides while they pride themselves in having had premarital sex is an attitude that has to go. I have promised myself that on the night of my marriage I will not be searching the sheets for blood smear.

When on the morning after I got the order for my training Akka saw me she smiled enigmatically, and she pointed to her hips. I could see the bulge of the cord. She was having her periods. I was excited. For the first time after I 'knew' her she was menstruating. The rest of the morning the very sight of her made me hard. I stripped her in my mind's eye, and with that cord and the gauze bit in front she looked gorgeous. But will I get a chance to see her that way for real? Not that day anyway for mother was at home. But the next day she was attending a marriage in a neighbouring town. I hardly slept that night.

4

I will never forget this day in this life or any of my future lives. I came home early. I was to take a bus to Chennai en route to Surat early next morning. I had some packing to do. I let myself in using my spare key. I changed, and took the familiar path to sister's room. She was as usual reading, a magazine this time.

"Packing done," she said.

"Partly," I said.

"Mother has got many eats that she thinks you need," she said. I told her than I have packed all that stuff.

I sat on the space between her and the edge of the bed. She did not make room for me as she always did.

"Not today, Rohan," she said.

"Why, do you feel unclean?" I asked.

"I try not to after you impassioned speech, but old habits linger."

"Then today it the day to wipe the slate clean." I said, and kissed her on the forehead, and when I tried to kiss on the lips she turned away, but I followed her and we kissed, first just a peck, and then we hugged and kissed with our usual passion. I undid the blouse hooks. She held my hand, but did not prevent me from removing the hooks one by one and expose the bra. I gently tried to turn her. At first she resisted, but then she turned. I undid the clasp and turned her round. I pulled the bra cups away to expose her breasts.

"Please Akka, remove your blouse and bra. I have never seen you bare bodied," I said. She seemed to consider my request. Then she removed her blouse and then her bra. It was a lovely sight. Her beast appeared larger. They were warmer too. The areolar bulges were even more prominent, and the nipples turgid. I held the breast nearest me softly with two hands and brought my lips to the nipple. I touched the tip with the tip of my tongue. I could feel my sister shiver. Yes, the nipple had heightened sensitivity during the periods. I applied my open mouth to cover the whole of the areola, and then I puckered my lips, sucked, and slowly withdrew. My lips ran over the smooth areola and then my lips grasped the nipple. I teased the captive nipple with my tongue tip, and as I was doing that I plucked the nipple and realised it. The whole body of my sister shuddered, and she made a clicking noise of one enjoying the sensation. I repeated again and again, and then she held my head and brought it to the other breast. She was now wriggling her pelvis. I took the hint. My hand went to her sari pleats; I untucked it.

"Don't," she said but so softly that I knew she meant 'yes'. Hitherto I always lifted her sari and skirt but today I undid the skirt tape and pulled them down. But to remove it she had to lift her pelvis up. I tugged, she said 'don't' and did not budge. I tugged again, she said 'don't' again and stayed put, and when I tugged again she lifted up her pelvis and in one move I pulled off her sari and skirt. For the first time, but for that glorious piece of gauze, Akka was fully naked in my presence. The bit of cloth that covered her nakedness was no more than an inch and a half wide, and as I had imagined she had secured it with safety pins. I stood in front of her. It was a magnificent sight.

"Don't Rohan, you are shaming me," she said coquettishly. I went forward and placed my hands on her knees and then gradually worked up to her thighs and then up and up to the groins.

"Don't," she said, but I could see her spreading her thighs ever so slightly. I planted myself with my knees in the space between her legs. There was no mistaking my intentions. I was confident about what I had in my mind to do. I was clean; I had to be for blood is a good medium for bacteria. I had no cough, no sinusitis, and no caries in the teeth, and I was frequently using antiseptic mouthwashes for the past two days. I was not taking any chances with my sister's health. I undid the safety pin and drew back the gauze. It was blood stained on the inside. I unhooked the elastic round the groin and removed it altogether. My sister was lying in front totally naked. Her vulva was shining from a recent shave. The labia major seemed redder from increased blood flow, and the leaves of the labia minor were leaves still, but thicker leaves. The clitoral hood swollen, and when I spread out the inner leaves a turgid clitoris peeped out. Every part felt warmer too. There was blood staining as was to be expected.

"Don't," she said aloud, but she was spreading her thighs. I went forward and using the fingers of both hands I parted the inner leaves to bring the clitoris forwards. I kissed the clitoris. She shuddered and made the clicking noise with which I was now familiar. I now licked the clitoris.

"Don't," she said, but this time she spread fully with thighs almost touching the mattress and feet in the air. Now I did what I have been dreaming about for some years. I licked the outer surface of her vulva clean of all the blood staining it. I did it systematically in the manner I have seen cats lick milk off bowls. My tongue was long and pointed. I could have gone into the vagina too but I did not because it was unsafe for my Akka. That task over I applied myself to the clitoris. There is no doubt that the clitoris and labia minora are extremely sensitive during the periods. I am convinced too that not taking advantage of it to let women enjoy the enhanced pleasure during their periods is a sin. Both of us were as high as it was possible to go. Her vibrations increased in frequency and intensity, and when I slowed down and swiped she exploded in massive orgasms that made her scream.

"Come up quickly," she ordered. I was on top of her and she inserted. I was not using condom. On the second day of periods when the bleeding is still active the chances of pregnancy are mathematically remote. She did not ask, and in the state she was in she would not have bothered to ask even if she had noticed it. Her first coincided with mine, and then she had one, and then again, and then again. We lay exhausted.

"Come we'll wash," she said finally. This time I was not sobbing. I washed, and then I washed her this time using soap, and then I wiped her, and then I took a bit fresh gauze and refastened the elastic cord and pinned the gauze before and behind.

"Come out when I call," I said. I stood out and when I gave the call she walked out naked but for the tiny cover over her vulva. I will never forget the sight of her body, tall and splendidly shaped, with those large and shapely breasts, moving across the floor in graceful steps towards me. It was more than I could bear. I ran forwards and embraced her and we kissed as we have never kissed before.

Some may feel queasy or more when they read this episode. To them I have to say that this is one more instance of man's double standards where it concerns women. The men who feel nauseated are the very ones who desire oral sex, and are disappointed if the woman does not swallow the whole lot. They are the ones that fantasise about the Japanese game of bukkake. Again many may view with scepticism my experience that the hormonal and other changes during menstruation enhance the pleasures of women in every aspect of the sex act. Please withhold comments till you try it. I ask for nothing more.

I left early next morning. It was six weeks before I came home again. It was to attend my sister's wedding. The young man who was marrying her was on a month's leave from the U.S. He was in a hurry to get back with his wife. They left two days after the wedding. To honour my sister I worked hard and came out with such high marks in the examinations that I got a very good job. I enjoyed my bachelor life with moderation. My sister came home after five years with her year old daughter. The Almighty had answered my mother's prayers for Akka was a picture of contentment. Her visit was to attend my marriage.

5

I live in Chennai. My wife, though from a liberal and educated middleclass family, had ingrained in her all the notions of female inferiority. It took a lot of persuasion to make her accept that women are not unclean during their periods. It took more work to convince her that sex during menstruation is not only permissible but also desirable from the woman's point of view. I was confident that if only she would allow me to apply my lips to her turgid areola and nipple on the second day of her menstruation she was sure to become an ardent enthusiast of sex during periods. Finally one day I got the green light. With great hesitation she presented her breast to me. I cupped her areola with my lips and applied gentle suction as I withdrew my head slowly, drawing my lips across the areola till my lips were gripping the nipple. I teased her captive nipple with my tongue, and as I was doing that I plucked the nipple as I released it. She made a sound that was between a click and a moan. She held my head as if fearing that I may leave off. We worked on both breasts till she, needing more, was pushing my head towards her pelvis. I stripped her naked and settling between her thighs I cat licked her clean, and then I licked her clitoris. She had a massive orgasm, then she loudly demanded that I insert, and then she got her first in rhythm with my ejaculation, and then she had several more. We lay in a huddle exhausted. This became a monthly routine, and our sex life is stronger than ever before.

I am back home after a hard day in office. Rita runs forward and hugs me.

"Darling bad news and good news," she says.

"Tell me the good news first."

"No, the bad news first. For 24 hours you stay away from me."

"The good news?"

"You know it," she says and hugs me tighter.