A widow should be long suffering until death, self-

restrained and chaste.

A virtuous wife who remains chaste when her
husband has died goes to heaven.
A woman who is unfaithful to her husband is
reborn in the womb of a jackal.

The Laws of Manu
Chapter 5 verse 156-161
Dharamshastras (Sacred Hindu texts)

According to 2001 census 6.9%
of women in India are widows
Every fourth household
in India has a widow
45 million women are widows
Allows widow to remarry
Raja Ramohan Roys was
the first who advocated
widows remarriage, and
followed by Ishwar
Chandra Vidyasagar
Hindu
Widows
Remarriage
Act of 1856
Narayan, Gandhis follower
willingly wants to marry
Kalyani out of love and to
uphold widows right
However, many men did
not dare to marry widows
back then
Liberal
men
marrying
the
widows
In the movie, it is run and managed
by Madhumati, 80 years old (a
widow)
The widows have no choice but stay
in there or else they will not have
any other shelter
However, the ashram is misused as
a supplier of prostitutes to support
their lives
Establishment
of Ashram

Established by father Paul Mike and Sister
Flora
Sought out overlooked women (widows and
abandoned women) after the tsunami in
2004
Kalangarai
Funded by Volkart Foundation
Carries out a programme of helping young
widows in the rural areas of Malur, district
Kolar, Karnataka in skills development and
income generation activities.
JanaVikas
Provides widows with food, nutritional
supplements, clothing, blankets, health
care and skills training.
Maitri
Varanasi is one of Indias holiest cities
They have 23 widows now
Focuses on various income-generating
projects and have opened a small shop for
selling some of their products
Asha Bavan
inVaranasi
Vrindavan is one of Indias most
sacred cities
Widows have a room and are
feeded.
Women live in the comfort of
companionship and care, learning
skills that help them gain economic
independence and confidence.
Amar Bhari
Ashram
inVrindavan
To amend and codify the law relating to
intestate or unwilled succession
Hindu woman's limited estate is abolished
by the Act.
Hindu
Succession
Act 1969
Sponsored by State Government
Eligible widows are those whose annual
income does not exceed Rs.24,000
Rs. 20,000 given in the form of a National
Saving Certificate
Incentive to
Widows
Remarriage
Sponsored by both Central and State
government
The age of the widows should be between
45-64 years and should be Below the
Poverty Line
Amount of pension : Rs.200 /month
Indira Gandhi
National
Widow
Pension
Scheme
Sponsored by Central government
Eligible for women whose income doesnt
exceed Rs. 900 /month
Shall receive Rs. 350 until she gets
remarried and financially independent
afterwards
Assistance to
Needy
Widows
Scheme