00:21When their husbands die, many Indian women almost cease to exist.
00:33The white sari of mourning becomes the only garment they can wear, and for as long as
00:37they live, going to parties or other social functions will be forbidden.
00:42In some Indian states, people think widows bring bad luck and drive them out of their
00:47homes.
00:52Many women in white come here to Vridhavan, a holy place for believers in Krishna.
00:57Several dozen ashrams in the town have become shelters for homeless widows.
01:12There was a time in India when Sati was widespread, a self-immolation ritual in which, when a man
01:18was cremated, his widow was forced to burn with him.
01:21Sati wasn't seen as a tragedy, but as spiritual sacrifice.
01:25A woman who died in the flames didn't just get to atone for her own sins, but for those
01:30of her whole family as well.
01:32So relatives made sure that there was no escape.
01:35They stood by the pyre with long poles to ensure that the doomed women could not run away.
01:47The cruel ritual was banned in the 19th century, but Hindus still believed a husband's death
01:53to be divine punishment for the widow's sins, and so she became invisible.
02:23Lakshmi Gautam is one of very few people who pay any attention at all to the widows.
02:27She has several women in the direst of need, living in her house at any one time.
02:58In India, girls are often married off early.
03:00And in many cases, no one gives a thought to what they may or may not feel for their husbands
03:06to be.
03:07Accountant Krishna listens to widow's stories.
03:10He's only recently started working at this ashram for these lonely widows.
03:25Takur is a widow who spent 70 of her 95 years living at an ashram.
03:31There was a time when she loved going to market and cooking, but now she has no one to feed.
03:41Angorbala dreams of visiting her son in Calcutta, but she can't afford the trip.
03:50A widow's day in an ashram is always the same.
03:53It starts and ends with prayer, and five times a day the women sing in praise of Krishna.
04:03When the prayer of somebody is accepted by the God, then the God sends somebody to fulfill
04:12his or her dreams.
04:15So maybe now Lord Krishna has accepted the prayers of these widows, and he has sent me
04:25here.
04:32Patak Bindeshwar is one of the few who is trying to change the world.
04:36About 50 years ago he started a sanitary business installing thousands of portable toilets all
04:41over the country.
04:42Sanitary facilities in India are usually serviced by untouchables, the lowest caste or class.
04:48But he is a Brahmin, the highest.
04:51Over 50 years though he has succeeded in changing many people's attitudes to his company employees.
04:59So after Satsi, when I started, we were talking, and today we are talking in the world.
05:06So toilets was a subject of taboo, culture taboo in this country.
05:10Now just see, I am so happy, so happy, that everybody is talking about toilets.
05:17Even the Climester of India, Shendran Modiji, he has taken on the highest, or the Gandhi,
05:22he is the person who has taken sanitation, cleanliness and toilets for the core of his heart.
05:32And this problem of widowhood is not of untouchability, but mere untouchables.
05:38The moment husband dies, she becomes untouchable.
05:42I want to change an attitude of the behaviour of the Indian people who are the good ones.
05:47Why is that suffering? But why not do change?
05:50Why is it suffering? Why is it suffering? Why is it suffering? Why not to change?
06:32The shunning of widows is not common practice in all of India's states.
06:36It's prevalent only in the poorest regions.
06:39Without a man to support her, a woman is simply a burden on her family.
06:44Not long ago, a widow could never have imagined going back to her home in the state of West
06:48Bengal on the Bangladeshi border.
06:51Before their husbands passed away, these women used to be neighbors.
06:56Now they're traveling together to see their children.
06:59Patak bought the tickets they needed for the trip to Calcutta.
07:05Both of these women say they left their houses voluntarily.
07:09But then, few mothers would admit to being shunned by their own children.
07:13Not somebody will throw out from the house, but they will treat them the way they will
07:20live the house.
07:21They were being tortured in such a way, not good food, no good clothing, for sleeping no
07:28good room to sleep, no good clothing.
07:31So, they have to torture in such a way, the person will decide, better to leave this house.
07:46After a year apart, they had almost become strangers to their own children, who apparently had little
07:52people to sing.
08:24Everything is changing in this country.
08:27So that way, this is a very good experiment, a good successful experiment.
08:32The Jews used to beg for the food.
08:37So I decided to give them one thousand in the beginning, the first month.
08:42And from the second month, they started paying two thousand rupees for food.
08:54Then I thought what they will do the whole day.
08:59So I appointed teachers to teach them English, Hindi and Bangalore language because they are Bengalis mostly.
09:08Also, I thought why not help them to learn some works.
09:13It's a vocational training.
09:36When they left the house, nobody came to ask them, how are you?
09:41Not a single word of any love or affection.
09:45So when I came, they thought I am filling the gap.
09:48Let's go.
09:49They are a good person.
09:54Let's go.
10:03Let's go.
10:14Patak Bendeshwar began to organize social evenings for the widows.
10:18Two years ago he threw their first party for the spring holly festival.
10:22The women covered each other with flower petals and colored powder, and for the first time
10:27in years, their pale, mourning costumes were again colorful.
10:37So that way we have done such a way that their life has changed, a new life, except husbands.
10:48They have got everything.
10:50So that way it has changed the total life of the widows, of the dava.
10:55But this is just the beginning of the business.
10:59Attitudes to widows have started to change everywhere.
11:03Thousands of women in white live in Vridavan and now, at last, they are being noticed.
11:14Two days ago a young widow came to an ashram.
11:17She is an orphan and after her husband died, she chose to leave her in-laws house, though
11:22she says no one forced her to.
11:26Lakshmi Gautam often helps widows, and now she has decided to support this young girl
11:31as well, and has taken her into her home.
11:36Life for this and many other Indian women will never again be as it was for thousands of Vridavan's
11:41widows.
11:41In the past, the white sari of mourning is being consigned to the past.
11:47Because, yes, traditionally it is dying, but you will not find, the stray cases are there,
11:53not totally died, but you will not find a high percentage, maybe 5% cases maybe, or 10%,
12:02but 90% it is dying.
12:05So, the practice is dying.
12:08So, the practice is dying.
12:29not quite of a simple service, but due to your grieving.
12:32When you appear to be warned, you will not find the์์ at the place you will not Aloha,
12:51have ever been there.
12:52You
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