Open Category: Photojournalism / Story (AMATEUR) - HONORABLE MENTION
Mothers - Widows of Vrindavan

Photo © Sascha Richter Le
Support this photographer - share this work on Facebook.
According to the census of 1991 there are 33 Million widows in India.
Most of them experience deprivations and discriminations on a daily basis, suffering from severe depressions because of the absence of emotional and social support and isolation.
Widows are socially stigmatized in being expected to wear white clothes, which is the color symbolizing death and their asexuality.
As a form of symbolic castration they shave their hair and remove all symbols of feminity. Thereby becoming subjugated to the society and men especially.
Traditional superstitions make them being regarded as inauspicious. That is why widows are banned from some religious ceremonies and weddings (sometimes even of their own children's wedding ceremony).
Widows access to resources end all to often with the demise of her husband. Most of them are not able to support themselves and become economically and socially dependent on their children, which often face problems in sharing their resources with the mother. The mother itself becomes a burden and in many cases gets abandoned.
Living in oppressive and sometimes hostile environments, they come to the holy cities like Vrindavan in order to devote themselves to Lord Krishna and find salvation (moksha) and peace.
But all too often reality paints a different picture. Being victims of rejection and discrimination they depend mainly on begging, singing devotional songs (bhajans) and charity.
Only few NGO's work hard to give them a live in dignity. through running ashrams where they are provided with at least one meal a day, tapped water and shelter, so they do not fall victim to exploitation on the streets.
This series is about the plight of the widows of Vrindavan and a statement against discrimination, deprivation and abandonment of these mothers.
In early 2015 I graduated from Humboldt University of Berlin, where I received my bachelor’s degree in Southeast Asia studies and Philosophy.
After graduating my focus turned solely on photography.
BACK TO GALLERY
According to the census of 1991 there are 33 Million widows in India.
Most of them experience deprivations and discriminations on a daily basis, suffering from severe depressions because of the absence of emotional and social support and isolation.
Widows are socially stigmatized in being expected to wear white clothes, which is the color symbolizing death and their asexuality.
As a form of symbolic castration they shave their hair and remove all symbols of feminity. Thereby becoming subjugated to the society and men especially.
Traditional superstitions make them being regarded as inauspicious. That is why widows are banned from some religious ceremonies and weddings (sometimes even of their own children's wedding ceremony).
Widows access to resources end all to often with the demise of her husband. Most of them are not able to support themselves and become economically and socially dependent on their children, which often face problems in sharing their resources with the mother. The mother itself becomes a burden and in many cases gets abandoned.
Living in oppressive and sometimes hostile environments, they come to the holy cities like Vrindavan in order to devote themselves to Lord Krishna and find salvation (moksha) and peace.
But all too often reality paints a different picture. Being victims of rejection and discrimination they depend mainly on begging, singing devotional songs (bhajans) and charity.
Only few NGO's work hard to give them a live in dignity. through running ashrams where they are provided with at least one meal a day, tapped water and shelter, so they do not fall victim to exploitation on the streets.
This series is about the plight of the widows of Vrindavan and a statement against discrimination, deprivation and abandonment of these mothers.
About author:
I was born in Berlin, Germany in 1987.In early 2015 I graduated from Humboldt University of Berlin, where I received my bachelor’s degree in Southeast Asia studies and Philosophy.
After graduating my focus turned solely on photography.
BACK TO GALLERY