Deepa Mehta’s Water: A Critique on Hindu Widow System

Abstract

The present research in Deepa Mehta's Film Water aims to study the plight of Hindu widows in India. Widows are compelled to adopt the widow system as the system is regarded as a tradition of the society. The eight year old protagonist Chuyia is sent to a bidhuwa ashram in Benaras because of her widowhood. The exploitation of child in the grip of patriarchal culture of widowhood, and the denial of Chuyia to accept her widowhood is presented in the film. Kalyani, the second young widow in the ashram, revolts against such inhuman culture and decides to get married. But her decision is not accepted by the society. She is forced to act as a 'prostitute' in the house of bourgeois. Chuyia is also sexually exploited by bourgeois. Kalyani ends her miserable life of widowhood through her suicide by drowning into the sea. And the traumatised Chuyia is given under the care of Gandhi.