Orphaned owners – the real state of elderly widows in Kerala

As the title indicates the narration here centered on the two mutually repellant states of social life – ‘orphan’ and ‘owner’ and how they weave together and co-existed among a vulnerable group in our society. This vulnerable group is none other than the elderly widows and it is the bereavement and dependency pulled them in to such a plight. Here the study covers some basic facts of the life of elderly widows in Kerala ranging from demographic factors to their occupational history, sources and extent of income, economic dependency, etc. and enquire about whether they really enjoys the privilege as the head of the family or not. It also covers certain humanitarian issues confronted by them within and outside their families.