Widows ...

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A Widow is a lady whose spouse died and Widower is a man in that situation. This is not a term confined to India only but has a global prevalence always governed by the prevalent social customs, traditions and practices when applied particularly talking about a lady In India, a widow on losing her spouse is bound by the rules and traditions that make her ineligible participate in the social gathering, social functions, domestic parties, wedding anniversaries and other functions. She is not supposed to have hair and should have a round head which will be covered with the other end of the worn saree. She is unfit to have her choices and colors. She is supposed to wear only white cotton saree. She loses the right of wearing a color dress, toe rings, nice ring, nose pin, anklets, earrings, finger rings and other ornaments, and unworthy to apply Turmeric to her feet and kumkum (bindi) on her face which she enjoyed previously before her wedding with great enthusiasm and interest. She is not supposed to use perfume or another cosmetic. Further, she can not use eyeliner or eyebrow pencil. The Cosmetic products of Lakme, Ole , and Ponds which were once her favorite will no longer be at her reach. She should get up early in the morning and should bath with cold water. She is not supposed to eat onions and other spicy wood. She should eat only sapless Upma and tasteless lies only during nights. She should rise early in the morning and prepare food for other residents in the house. She should not come in front of a person who is going out on some work. It will be considered a back luck if she violates this practice. She is not supposed to sleep on a Curl-On bed but on a bamboo mat spreading it on a floor. She will be given a separate Glass and small container (Chembu) which she uses for storing water and use keeping at her side during sleep. They are not supposed to enter into the temples and touch even the diety at home. They are prohibited from wearing Sandals even. Actually, there is a procedure that will be followed to make a lady widow after the death of her husband. It will be attended by many ladies who got husbands and they all gather around her and give her good makeup. Afterward, the priest comes and explains the things to follow after the demise of her husband. When he goes out all ladies remove her decorations one by one. A lady will break her bangles, a lady with strike off her kumkum/bindi, another lady will ask her to wear a white saree, another lady remove her flowers and throws them on ground, another lady removes her toe rings and nose rings etc..This is a horrible and undigestable event marked by weeps and sorrows. As explained already, this is not the situation restricted to only India, the widowhood is prevalent in some European countries also like England, France, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Italy, and Spain including Russia where Women were wearing only Black Dress showing their widowhood. This practice slowly changed. But, the orthodox Christian still wear life long black in the United States indicating their widowhood and showing their love and devotion to their deceased husbands.