Hindu widows are shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition -- and because they're seen as a financial drain on their families.

They cannot remarry. They must not wear jewelry. They are forced to shave their heads and typically wear white. Even their shadows are considered bad luck.






http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/07/05/damon.india.widows/#cnnSTCText

ouch

When the British took over in the mid-eighteenth century, we had to abolish suttee, a widely spread practice of widows throwing themselves on their husband's funeral pyre's. The killing of sisters and young girls was also quite a popular tradition, as was thugee, a state sponsored regime of highway murder.

Read some work on Sleeman, who had to abolish these cruel practices.

It's amazing this watered-down form of female neglect and judgement has continued to exist. But then that's the marvel of culture. It's vastly different to all parts of the world. Should one, western dominated view reign supreme?

Sort of related (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Rajkot_woman_stages_semi-nude_protest_against_dowry_demand/articleshow/2176007.cms):RAJKOT: Conservative Rajkot went into convulsions on Wednesday when alleged mental and physical abuse by her husband's family drove a 22-year-old woman to strip to her underwear and walk through the city in protest.

Pooja Chauhan said she had taken to this unique protest after being constantly harassed for not bringing dowry and bearing a girl-child.

The effect was immediate. The police arrested her husband Pratapsinh Chauhan, parents-in-law and neighbours Veji Bharwad and Vinu Dalit on Wednesday, after she threatened to scale up her protest and march nude to the police commissioner's office if she did not get justice. Note the baseball bat she brought along. I like her attitude, though I suspect ultimately things won't go well for her.