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A quiet yet powerful social transformation is sweeping across rural Maharashtra, as over 7,000 villages have officially declared the abolition of discriminatory customs traditionally imposed upon widows. According to PTI reports, more than 7,683 villages - out of the state's 27,000 gram panchayats - have passed resolutions in gram sabhas eliminating rituals that rob widows of dignity and reinforce social exclusion.
The movement gained traction in 2022 when Herwad, a village in Kolhapur district, became the first in the country to legally prohibit such customs. According to PTI, the village passed a resolution on 4 May 2022, banning practices such as the removal of the mangalsutra, toe rings, the wiping of sindoor (vermillion), and the breaking of bangles following the death of a woman's husband.
Since then, several villages have followed Herwad's example, integrating widows into public celebrations such as Ganesh Chaturthi, haldi-kumkum rituals, and Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremonies - platforms from which they were traditionally excluded.
Pramod Zinjade, a social activist who has been championing this campaign, told PTI that these resolutions aim to uphold a widow's right to live with dignity. Herwad's former sarpanch Surgonda Patil noted that while enforcement is ongoing, the widespread awareness has significantly reduced the occurrence of these customs. "Earlier, we would visit homes where deaths occurred to check if these customs were followed. But now, people are more aware," he said.
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Vaishali Patil, a Herwad resident widowed 12 years ago, said there has been a noticeable shift in attitudes. "Widows are being treated with respect. But convincing elders in families is still a challenge. Change takes time," she told PTI.
Other villages such as Kadoli in Nagpur district have seen early efforts. Former sarpanch Pranjal Wagh shared that she began including widows in haldi-kumkum programmes during her tenure between 2017 and 2022. "Despite objections, I invited them and gave them gifts," she said. However, she admitted that the resolution passed in Kadoli is not always strictly observed.
In Nashik district, Musalgaon's sarpanch Anil Shirsat told PTI that the village avoids such regressive customs and even allocates part of the panchayat's funds towards aiding widows. "We use 15 per cent of the funds to support five widows annually. We're planning to pass a formal resolution in the next gram sabha to further empower them," he said, adding that widows would be integrated into self-help groups for financial inclusion.
Likewise, in Dhondvir Nagar, gram panchayat member Sanjay Pawar said the village ensures widows receive pensions and are supported through housing schemes. "We try to resolve their issues through the gram panchayat," he stated.
Social activist Lalit Babar, who works across Kolhapur, Sangli and Solapur districts, said 76 panchayats in Sangola have pledged to abandon discriminatory customs. According to PTI, Babar and his team involve block officers and ICDS workers to monitor households when a man dies, ensuring the widow is not coerced into following these rituals.
"No grieving woman willingly participates in such customs. When we inform families that these are banned, most comply - though 10 to 20 per cent still resist," Babar explained.
A draft law has already been submitted to the state government to formalise the ban on these practices, but Babar believes legislation alone won't bring about change. "We need consistent awareness. ASHA and anganwadi workers can play a crucial role in driving this reform," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
