Maharashtra: Kolhapur village bans rites associated with widowhood, dist admin asks other villages to adopt resolution

Sarpanch Shrigonda Patil told indianexpress.com that the decision was taken as the village experienced a lot of untimely deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Young men as young as 25 years lost their lives and their wives were forced to observe customs associated with widowhood. The fate of these young widows and the social ostracization they had to bear made us take up the resolution,” he said.

Shrigonda Patil said Pramod Zhingade, the founder of Mahatma Phule Social Foundation, first mooted the idea of the resolution. “Every family has witnessed the pain of these girls, so this proposal was passed unanimously in the panchayat meeting,” he said, adding that while widow remarriage is not a taboo, most women with young children do not remarry and they suffer the most owing to the customs.

He said the rites of widowhood adds to the trauma of the woman who has just lost her husband. “As soon as the final rites are performed, the woman is forced to remove all signs of marriage. The process is heart-breaking…” Shrigonda Patil said.

The sarpanch said that widows in the rural hinterland are still forced to lead a life of seclusion and even her own relatives often shun her during social or religious functions. “This makes widows feel guilty for no fault of theirs,” he added.

Notably, the district administration has commended the village for taking up the resolution.

Welcoming the move, Minister of State for Home Satej Patil said, “Hervad village has made Kolhapur and the whole of Maharashtra proud through its heartening initiative. In the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, women have always been given the pride of place… The move is a befitting reply to those trying to polarise the masses and set a fake narrative in order to vitiate the atmosphere of the country. The initiative is also significant as it has come during the death centenary year of social reformer Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj.”

“I will ask the administration to encourage villagers in the district to take similar initiative and free our womenfolk from traditional shackles. There is a need to create awareness about this initiative not only in Kolhapur but across Maharashtra. I will take up the issue with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and urge him to discuss it in the ensuing cabinet meeting,” he added.

Kolhapur Zilla Parishad CEO Sanjay Chavan said, “The people of Hervad village have set a unique example. It is a progressive step and comes at a time when we are observing the death centenary year of social reformer Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj.”

Chavan said they will try to replicate the initiative taken by Hervad village across the district. “We will urge other villages to pass a similar resolution in a bid to free widowed women from age-old shackles. If there is unanimity among villagers, then it is possible to ban the custom. Hervad village has shown the way and we hope other villages will follow suit,” he said.

The zilla parishad administration Sunday issued a directive to officials in all the talukas to create awareness about the initiative in their respective jurisdictions. “Villagers should be urged to take the progressive step through positive leadership. If the progressive steps through people’s movement is implemented, it will be a true tribute to social reformer Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj,” the directive said.

Admitting that the execution of this noble idea at the ground level will not be easy, Shrigonda Patil said they would rope in anganwadi sevikas and Asha workers to spread awareness among women. “We have made our intent known and now it is for the people to accept it,” he said.