‘Half dead survivor’ (A debate on ‘Chand’ special issue: 1923)

Abstract

This essay pertains to the plight of widows within Indian culture, as discussed by female intellectuals of a Hindi women’s magazine. Beginning with a survey of the prevailing condition of women in the early 20th century that was predominantly a continuation of the traditional social order with little changes, the essay situates this as the backdrop for the examination of widows’ position. This article sheds light on the various atrocities that were inflicted upon widows, who were subjected to a form of enslavement within their culture. In particular, this essay emphasizes the challenges that widows must had to overcome in order to reclaim their agency and dignity in the face of these oppressive circumstances. The present article posits that the struggle of widows is an issue of individual consciousness, and it aims to examine the everyday unease experienced by widows through a periodical lens. Throughout the 20th century, widows were considered an element of extreme dislike and a dependent community, rendering them an unsuspicious part of Indian society. The paper investigates into the anxiety and uneasiness experienced by widows with regard to their religious-cultural associates, practices, and the secluded pain they endure, which reinforces women’s identities as social threats. Furthermore, the article examines the criticism leveled by conservative groups at the editor of the journal “Chand”1 for advocating widow remarriage after introducing a special issue on widows.

Keywords

• widows conversion
• sati practice
• child marriage
• widow remarriage
• women intellectuals
• community consciousness