Widowhood as a Socio-Cultural and Religious Construct: A Critical Study of Deepa Mehta’s Water

Abstract

This research paper examines widowhood as a social construct in Deepa Mehta’s Water (2005). The film has a 1930s colonial Indian setting, which criticizes the orthodox Hindu customs that ostracize widows, depicting them as burdens for society. This study critically examines the key issues: gender, religion, and patriarchy, to observe how widowhood is socially enforced. Thus, this paper focuses on the way Water tells us what/who is a widow and why/how one becomes a widow. The study attempts to answer how water portrays the construction of widowhood and what are the ways of constructing a widow? The research objectives of this study are to find out how Water portrays the construction of widowhood and to uncover the ways used to construct widowhood. A qualitative research methodology is used to analyze the elements of film, such as actors, narration, dialogue, symbols, etc., to meet the objectives of this paper. Employing feminist and sociological frameworks, the study argues that the film not only sensationalizes the predicament of widows but also offers a rebellious narrative that demands the deconstruction of old cultural norms. The paper fills a gap by addressing how widowhood is constructed through intersecting institutions of religion, patriarchy, and tradition. Findings of the study explain the procedure of constructing a widow, which is done on two levels: body and mind. Appearance, food, and shelter help in constructing the body, whereas naming, chanting of mantras, teachings (Pravachan) of Saananda (the priest), bhajan, and kirtan help construct the psychology of a widow. The implication of this study is that it will bring the issues associated with widowhood into visibility, and it will be an insight for the researchers interested in films and literature dealing with social, cultural, and religious issues.