Perpetual Mourning: Widowhood in Rural IndiaWhile the more sensational forms of widowhood--particularly those of the child widow, the 'ascetic', and sati--have long captured the attention of Indians and foreigners, there is an alarming lack of concern for the quiet deprivations experienced by millions of widows in their everyday lives. Perpetual Mourning addresses this gap. Chen systematically examines the relationship between the ideals and the realities of widowhood in rural India. She shows how the ideological constructions of widowhood embedded in orthodox Hindu traditions and texts are manifested in customary practices and norms. Based on rich empirical data and interviews with over 500 widows from nine states, the book provides a complete picture of the day-to-day realities of widows in rural India and of the social and economic challenges widows pose to the social order. |
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Contents
The Ideal Hindu Woman | 19 |
The Sati | 41 |
The Remarried Widow | 76 |
Copyright | |
10 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
able adult allowed ancestral arrangement associated become Brahmin widow brothers caste cent ceremonies Chapter claim communities considered custom daughter death dependent died earn economic elderly father female force four given head Hindu households husband ideal in-laws India individual inherited joint labour land late less levirate live look male manage marriage married mother natal norms noted observe parents particularly period practice Rajasthan Rajput refer regions relatives religious remain remarriage remarry reported residence ritual rules rural sample sati seen separately sexual share social sons south India status suttee symbols Table Tamil Nadu term texts traditional upper-caste Uttar Pradesh village wage West Bengal whereas widowed mother widowhood widows widows live wife woman women young
References to this book
'Honour': Crimes, Paradigms, and Violence Against Women Lynn Welchman,Sara Hossain Limited preview - 2005 |
"Honour": Crimes, Paradigms, and Violence Against Women Lynn Welchman,Sara Hossain No preview available - 2005 |