Indepth Interview of the Status of Widows in Rural Areas of Pondicherry

INTRODUCTION: In India, National Family Health Survey: (NFHS 2) data has given an estimate that there are more than 33 million widows comprising of 8% of the total female population.1 The widows are surrounded by cultural and social practices that seldom she can come out from them. OBJECTIVES: To determine the social, cultural deprivation faced by them after widowhood and to describe their attitudes towards widow’s remarriage. RESULTS: Widows opined that younger widows without children can remarry. Widows said their relatives treated them badly and were blamed for the death of the husbands. The widows felt shocked and angered towards the last rites. Majority of widows did not have bank account. Majority of the older widows opined that getting rice for food itself was difficult, but for the younger widows educating their children was difficult to be met. Widows who had attained widowhood after 50 years opined that they expected the government to supply rice. Younger widows emphasized the government should give some loan for their survival. CONCLUSION: Majority of the widows were socially and culturally deprived.