In Deepa Mehta’s Oscar-nominated film Water, we see a little girl who’s widowed after the death of her much older husband and sent to Varanasi to spend the rest of her life. In one of the scenes, she’s told that when a husband dies, the wife is also half dead. To that, the 8-year-old promptly points out that the wife is also half alive. And this small but significant moment captures the life of a widow in India.
There are over 40 million widows in India, most of whom end up abandoned by their families and banished from their homes. This is nearly 10% of India’s female population, and we have a long way to go before these women are given the respect and dignity they deserve.
The Fight For Survival
The first thing society takes away from a woman after being labelled as a widow is her identity. Her own family refuses to shelter her. Even if her family decides to provide shelter and a measly meal, she is often isolated in the corner of the house. Young or old, bereaved women are expected to give up their colorful clothing, part with their belongings, or even shave their hair.
Many widows find refuge in Varanasi, where they spend their days begging for alms and surviving on the kindness of tourists and strangers. These women are often older, with no savings, income or means to survive. Poverty, loneliness, ill health, lack of love and support and so much more – widows have the brave everything all on their own.
The Pandemic
The widows’ fight to survive increased tenfold during the pandemic. With no shelter or a place to call their own, they not only struggled to stay safe and protected from the deadly virus but also had to worry about their next meal. With lesser pilgrims and tourists because of the lockdowns, these widows have suffered a great deal.
“I have seen the corpses of the Matajis lying on the streets of Vrindavan with no one to give them a dignified cremation. Animals have been feeding on them or sweepers have been disposing them off in gunny bags. Many of them have gone days without food and live in severely dilapidated shelters.” – Dr. Laxmi Gautam, Founder, Kanak Dhara Foundation.
Dr. Laxmi Gautam is the founder of Kanak Dhara Foundation. This NGO works day and night to give a better life and a dignified end to hundreds of widows in Vrindavan who have no one in their life to take care of them.
Will Their Plight Ever Change?
Even with the government’s efforts to support the widows’ livelihood and rehabilitation, the gap is too high to reach out to aid and assist the projected 40 million widows in India. From healthcare to medical assistance, shelter to livelihood, education to rehabilitation, there is so much that needs to be done.
While the situation is grim, there seems to be hope. NGOs and volunteers are working relentlessly to help these women in unfortunate circumstances get back on their feet. From grocery kits and hygiene kits to sweaters and blankets, Donatekart, along with various NGOs across the country has been actively working to uplift the lives of these widows.
It’s 2022, and it’s time these women get to live a life away from pain and misery.
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You can support hundreds of helpless widows on Donatekart.
