Noble Words : The complex situation of widowhood!

In many society, widows were often seen as inauspicious and faced social isolation and hardship. The life get too complex after her husband. May be this was the reason that Sati system was in place in Indian Society. Sati system, the now-banned Hindu practice of a widow immolating herself on her husband's funeral pyre, was prevalent due to a complex interplay of religious beliefs, social customs, and power dynamics. Rather than livingba widow life, the custom forced them to die. This is what highlighted in following Sanskrit lines :

अपि बन्धुतया नारी बहुपुत्रा गुणैर्युता|

शोच्या भवति सा नारी पतिहीना तपस्विनी ||

Api bandhutayaa naari bahuputraa gunairyutaa.
shochyaa bhavati saa naaree patiheenaa tapasvani.

Api = even.
Bandhutayaa = bandhu + tayaa.
Bandhu = relatives.
Tayaa = having.
Naari = a woman.
Bahuputraa = having many sons.
Gunairyutaa = gunaih + yutaa.
Gunaih = virtues.
Yutaa = possessing, having.
Shochyaa = deplorable, miserable.
Bhavati = becomes.
Saa = that.
Patiheena = without a husband.
Tapasvini = ascetic, a poor wretched woman.

i.e. Even if a woman may be having many relatives and sons, and she may have many virtues, her condition in the society becomes miserable and deplorable like a wretched poor ascetic, if she becomes a widow (without a husband).

The death of a spouse brings intense grief, often accompanied by feelings of loneliness and isolation. This can be exacerbated by the loss of companionship and the routine of sharing life with a partner. In our society due to the downfall of the Joint Family system, old persons especially widows are not treated in a dignified manner and even their sons and relatives abandon them.

Widowhood presents a multitude of challenges that can make life incredibly difficult. The combination of grief, loneliness, practical difficulties, and social factors can create a complex and painful experience for widows. At many instances, they were seen as a prey. Rather than supporting and helping, society is more interested in exploiting. This is why, widow life is considered as curse life.

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