“Life after him was just hell”: Young rural women’s lived experiences of widowhood in Rajasthan, India

Abstract

This phenomenological study was conducted in rural Rajasthan, India, to explore young widows’ lived experiences. On receipt of written informed consent, we interviewed 14 young widows. The data were analyzed in an idiographic style using the interpretive phenomenological approach. The perspective of loss and sociocultural contexts grounded the analysis. Six themes emerged corresponding to the women’s widowhood experiences: becoming a widow; entangled by customs; stigmatization; the impossible marriage; hope in widowhood; and economic deprivation. The results underline the predicaments of young widows, and these experiences are largely framed by the sociocultural and gender norms prevailing in rural communities. The study’s findings imply the need for strengthening social and legislative measures for young widows.