Introduction
The
experiences of Hindu widowhood in the Indian context constitute social
exclusion and marginalization of the woman who has lost her husband. The practice
which is the product of the intersection of Indian patriarchy with the Hindu
caste system aims at total obliteration of the widow and rendering her
invisible. The holy city of Vrindavan, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, is
also home to more than 10,000 widows and most of them are in destitute and
neglected state. The majority belong to the state of West Bengal.
The Life and Struggles of Widows of Vrindavan
NFHS- 2 collected data on four majority morbidity conditions of each member of the household asthma, tuberculosis, jaundice, and malaria. The prevalence of asthma and tuberculosis is found to be higher among widows than among the general population. 89% of women are illiterate. However, most women worked at one point or another as a house maid, agricultural laborers, and caretakers of children, which make them prone to financial instability and poor living conditions which make them vulnerable to TB, asthma, etc.
Lack
of infrastructure mainly running water in bathrooms and toilets and unhygienic
condition of toilets make them prone to very fatal diseases. Women living the
government-run homes undertake cooking in their rooms leading to fumes that may
be detrimental to their health. Widows have been considered inauspicious and
their participation in festivals and social ritual ceremonies such as welcome
of a new bride, wishing a happy and safe delivery to a pregnant woman, etc is
not encouraged. Customary ceremonies such as breaking bangles, tearing of
mangal sutra, wiping off the Sindhur and shaving off the head are also still
practiced which are barbaric. A widow cannot wear Kumkum nor she can wear nice
clothes and ornaments and must eat frugally.
The
widows belonging to the younger age group undergo harrowing experiences of
sexual harassment, exploitation, and assault. The police fail to protect them while
the attached social stigma prevents them from seeking help. The state makes
little or no attempt at rehabilitating the women while their family members rob
them of their inheritance and homes. The destitute woman of Vrindavan is
dependent on state and pilgrimage centers. 68% of them do not receive pensions
while 58% do not hold ration cards. Upon the death of the husband, reality of
the widow get worsen like they will rarely inherit his property, will be denied
the right to remarry, cast out and ostracized, prone to violence and abuse,
devoid of opportunities to access medical care, and often not even recognized
in poverty statistics
Conclusion
Following
measures to mitigate vulnerabilities should be undertaken to give the widows a
quality of life:
- The healthcare system for women needs to take into account their health problems and must be open and accessible without cumbersome formalities. Mobility is the third want of these women to independence therein they're able to go to bhajan ashrams, visit their family and lead a social life.
- Financial independence: Income generation emerged as a need for only very young widows. The younger women have a desire to earn a livelihood with dignity. The financial gain generation activities should be amid coaching and selling support. Mobile banking facilities for the women who are bedridden or not, physically, in a position to access their pension accounts should be provided.
- Enhanced involvement of NGOs and qualified personnel in the management of homes and institutions for women should be looked for.
- One window system of services to be initiated at Vrindavan wherever within the services provided by totally different departments area unit pooled and there's a mechanism for registration and tracing of the ladies who arrive at Vrindavan.
- The shelter is what the initial major would like from the ladies. A shelter that permits quality, comfort, and care without worrying of oppression and scope for exploitation is what they would like of the hour at Vrindavan. The problem of shelters might be self-addressed by gap maturity homes and night shelters and up the prevailing facilities and providing basic facilities like bathrooms, electricity and running water and support services of doctors, nurses.
- Appointment, service, and termination norms for the employees involved in the running of homes and care services for women should be encouraged.
- Need to upgrade counseling services. Counselling services are provided through the employment and placement of a counselor at the site however the currently employed person was found to be highly irregular.
Written by: ANAGHA S
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