This article explores the continued relevance of menstrual pollution among the Vattima, a Tamil Brahmin sub-caste. Even as they are part of the Tamil Brahmin diaspora, the Vattima Brahmins, a small, close-knit community, are in active contact with ancestral villages in the Kaveri delta region. Based on data gathered from Vattima in India and in USA, this article looks at the discourse surrounding menstruation and seclusion practices across generations. It highlights the ways in which changes in Vattima marriage practices, women’s access to education as well as migration to, and employment in, urban areas, have contributed to significant changes in attitudes to menstrual pollution. Observing menstrual pollution, however, is seen as crucial in sustaining notions of Brahmin-hood within their homes and among other Brahmins. This is made possible by constantly rede-fining the space and time that should be kept pollution-free.
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