The widow was often regarded as a symbol of misfortune and evil in patriarchal Hindu society, and seldom found in ancient and medieval Indian literature. She came into sudden prominence in the ninteenth century, receiving attention not only from social leaders and reformers but also from creative writers all over India. This book examines the theme of widowhood, over the last 150 years, in novels as different as Indira Goswami's 'Neelkanthi Braj'; Bankimchandra's ...
