In Indian culture, counting around 40 million widows, the loss of a husband is often a one-way ticket towards isolation, poverty and despair. Women are expelled from their home, repudiated by their families and unable to be financially independent. Considering widespread illiteracy, many feel constrained to live off begging.
For centuries, the traditional Hinduism refers to often distorted religious interpretations to render the marginalization of widows acceptable. They are conditioned to tolerate the daily violation of their dignity as a kind of atonement for an imagined “sin”, in other words the responsibility of their husband’s death.
In my portrait series, I try to visually translate the consequences, this outdated Hindu tradition has on the lives of the affected women.
You can view more of my work at my website here
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