What Hindu puberty ceremony in South India marks a girl’s first menstruation?

The Hindu puberty ceremony in South India marking a girl’s first menstruation is called Ritu Kala Samskara.

Ritu Kala Samskara is a South Indian rite of passage associated with menarche, or a girl’s first menstrual period. The name refers broadly to entering the season or stage of menstruation. Families may hold a ceremonial bath, dress the girl in special clothing, invite relatives, and offer food and gifts.

The ceremony is particularly associated with communities in parts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala, although customs and names vary. Some families treat it as a religious observance, while others emphasize its social and family dimensions.

It is not the same as the Hindu upanayana, which traditionally initiates a student into Vedic study and was listed separately from puberty celebrations. Modern families may also modify or omit the ceremony because attitudes toward menstrual privacy and gender roles are changing.