Vrindavan Widows

by Padmaja Iyengar-Paddy

Wed at nine, widowed at nineteen
Has this “woman” any life seen..?
Her family just dumps her in Vrindavan
Or throws her out to land in Vrindavan...

Abused and neglected by kin,
Treated worse than a dust bin,
She leads a colourless, wretched life.
Her fault - she is a husbandless wife!

Clad in white and often a head shaved
She’s the epitome of every penny saved,
Her life is spent in the “fast” lane;
Thought of a square meal – insane!

No one cares for her menial existence
She is often on a perennial penance
For a husband long gone and dead –
Not perhaps, even shared a bed!

Yes, these Indian women do exist -
At Vrindavan they actually subsist
On some charity and some dole
Leading a life without any goal...

When she comes or goes,
No one ever really knows.
She is perhaps just a statistic
In India’s great body politic...

29-Apr-2013

More By : Padmaja Iyengar-Paddy

Views: 1512 Comments: 2

Comments on this Poem

Yes indeed Kulbir, we need to awaken...

Padmaja Iyengar
01-May-2013 22:09 PM

Man needs to awaken!
India needs to awaken!

Kulbir
01-May-2013 19:42 PM