Deepa Mehta’s one of three trilogy movies, Water , has depicted several aspects of the Hindu religion that sparked controversy since its production in the 1930s. Set during colonial India, the feature film focuses on widows required by the Hindu law to live in the ashram for the rest of their lives. From the opening scene, Chuyia`s father asks her if she remembers her marriage. In her response, she affirmed that she does not remember her dead husband. As a widow, Chuyia has no idea of the isolation and solitude that will befall her as per the Hindu traditional law. Chuyia protests when she is left under the company of an old woman, Madhumati, and separated from the rest of her family. Water exposes the challenges that widows have to bear in the Hindu religion, which is still controversial to date. Several Hindu fundamentalists have come forward to protest how the movie goes against the Hindu culture and religion. This paper will discuss the film Water and how it relates to religion and theology.
In the Hindu religion, the Manusmriti is respected and provides guidelines, laws, and obligations that should be followed. The ancient text is an authoritative Hindu code associated with Manu, the first lawgiver and man. According to Joseph et al. (2019, 205), most religions worldwide do not speak about equality among men and women but instead depict that they are all God`s creations. However, the authors are critical of the Hindu tradition, citing that it has openly oppressed and discriminated against women in society. For instance, the Manusmriti text holds that a woman is one-half of her husband when he is alive, but that half becomes dead when the husband dies. Therefore, once she becomes a widow, she is left with only a handful of choices. One, the widow can decide to die with the husband and be buried together during his funeral. Two, the widow can remarry the husband`s brother if present. Lastly, the widow can choose to live the rest of her life in isolation.
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Water depicts the inequalities that Indian religions have demonstrated over the years. Since the missionaries introduced religion to Asian and African continents, men have been the predominant recipients and transmitters of religious messages. On the other hand, women have remained passive as religious practitioners, impacting their attitude and beliefs around the Hindu religion. In its modest approach, the writing and directing of Water achieved to create awareness of the oppression and how Indian women interpret religious beliefs that have defined their position and socio-cultural contexts within the Hindu community. As the country uses religion as a political tool to control the masses, women bear the burden and consequences of this oppression. For instance, when Chuhyia arrives at the ashram, her head is shaved, and she is forced to live among other widows present in the institution. She spends most of her time around other widows whose lives have been confined to the ashram.
As Chuhyia adapts to her new place, she is not pleased with her situation. The widows spend most days singing religious hymns and beg for money on the streets. A commonly held belief during pre-colonial India was that any interaction with a widow would result in pollution, and any person who did that would need to undergo a purification ritual to cleanse them (Priyadarshini & Pande 2021, 159). As such, most people avoided them on the streets. Arguably, the film depicts the overarching framework that encompasses the Hindu religion and the patriarchy that defines the role of women in the social sphere. Water showcases how most controversies on religion revolve around gender inequality and violence against women. Many activists on religious beliefs and practices have protested against exclusivity and oppression. However, since religion is deeply rooted in political and social structures, challenging oppression and exclusivity remain a distant success.
While Chuhyia tries to find ways to understand her new role and lifestyle, she meets Shakuntula, a devout Hindu woman who takes care of her. Additionally, she meets Kalyani, another widow who has been forced into prostitution by Madhumati, the head of the ashram. Kalyani is the only widow whose hair has not been shaved. Other widows shun her due to her long hair. Through prostitution, Kalyani brings in an income that allows the institution to remain afloat. Her clients constitute rich Hindu men, most of whom are married. The movie vividly demonstrates how religion uplifts men while downplaying women`s roles and rights. The belief that men are superior and any actions, including sleeping with prostitutes despite being married, are culturally right defines the intricacies that surround religion and theology. According to Joseph et al. (2019, 206), the Manusmriti and other religious doctrines in India never valued women and their contribution to society. The authors further noted that most theologists believe that religion and culture play a significant role in the politics of gender representation.
Throughout the movie, Shakuntala is critical to the director`s motive for questioning Hindu beliefs and religious traditions against womanhood. As a devoted woman, Shakuntala places all her faith in the Hindu religion. She believes that by following all the rules and obligations mandated by the Manusmriti text, she will receive salvation. As a strong believer, Shakuntala trusts the religious process and is keen to observe the rules set by the doctrine. However, her interaction with Chuhyia leads her to question some of the religion`s beliefs about womanhood. In her encounter with the priest Sadananda, Shakuntala learns that new laws allow for widows to remarry, although most religious doctrines ignored this law as they did not serve their purpose. In previous societies, religion was used to propel the rich’s agenda. The same situation is still being exploited today by most religions and cultures. Mehta’s film does not shy away from demonstrating the injustices of religion and politics that surround it.
In line with today`s religious and cultural beliefs, widows in India still undergo discrimination and prejudice. According to Joseph et al. (2019, 205), widowhood in India is a cultural problem that objectifies women, and in other cases, the widows are accused of causing death to their husbands. Although most Hindu traditions are not practiced today, conservative Hindu traditions still force widows into cutting their hair and living the rest of their lives in mourning. As with Shakuntala, most widows follow these deeply rooted religious traditions without questioning their true meaning. Joseph et al. (2019, 205) further note that these traditions deprive the widows of their sexuality and feminism. Across the Indian religion and culture, widows are viewed by family members as a burden and a threat to other marriages. By depriving them of their sexual desires, the culture deems them as “stagnant water.”
In her film, Mehta demonstrates how going against traditions and religion can incur consequences. While Chuhyia remains optimistic about returning to her family, Kalyani meets a law student, Narayan, and falls in love. As a well-educated young man, Narayan develops a liberal mind and questions the hypocrisy that encompasses the Hindu religion (Mazid 2018, 4814). From Narayan`s perspective, these religious traditions have become meaningless and deprive people of their right to a better life. Widowhood from the context of the Hindu tradition is challenging, and isolating women can lead to depression. Water is a perfect example where those in power make decisions that benefit them or their desires. Despite their love story, Kalyani was denied the chance to marry a person she desired. When Narayan proposed to her, she declined the offer knowing that it was not acceptable in the ashram. Additionally, Narayan’s father plays a role in her decline, and eventually, Kalyani commits suicide
Water is an excellent example of a rhetoric film criticizing traditional cultures and religious beliefs that discriminate against one section of society. In any religion, women are vital in building a home and taking care of the family. To their husbands, women are one-half of them, and when they become widows, they should be allowed to fulfill their heart’s desires. Thakkar (2017, 3) asserts that modern Hinduism can project better reforms that shun away colonial traditions. With religion taking center stage in politics, economic, and social spheres, there is a need to promote equality and eliminate practices deemed inappropriate in this modern age. Mehta’s film exposes religious injustices that oppress women and other vulnerable groups in many societies. The film`s critique of the Hindu religion and the Manusmriti text is a fundamental step towards giving those denied happiness by the same religion they abide by a beacon of hope.
References
Joseph, Roy Vettikuzhiyil, Emanuel Gerrit Singgih, and Abdul Wahid. "A Comparative Discourse on The Status of Indian Women in The Light of The Quran and Manusmriti." In 1st Annual Internatioal Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities (AICOSH 2019) . Atlantis Press.
Mazid, Imran. "Between Violence and Exclusion: Cinematic Representation of Gender Politics in Antarmahal and Water." In International Journal of Communication 12: 19.
Priyadarshini, Urvija, and Rekha Pande. "Exploring the Politics of Widowhood in Vrindavan: An Analysis of Life Narratives of Vrindavan Widows." In Advances in Applied Sociology 11(4): 158-176.
Thakkar, Chirayu. "Transposing tirtha: Understanding religious reforms and locative piety in early modern Hinduism." In International Journal of Dharma Studies 5(1): 1-20.
