The Widows of Varanasi, Rituals In India, 101 India

Some parts of Indian society consider widows to be inauspicious. When a woman becomes a widow, many families just abandon them at old age homes or shelters, sometimes on the pretext of sightseeing in Varanasi. Most of the women living in this home for widows were married off at very young ages, some as young as 11. Widow remarriage is still frowned upon in many parts of the country, as it is against some people s religion. Following the traditions with which they were brought up, none of these women chose t