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{{Short description|2018 book by Kota Neelima}}
{{Infobox book
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| name = Widows of Vidarbha: Making of Shadows
| image = File:Widows_of_Vidarbha,_Making_of_Shadows,_by_Kota_Neelima,_2018_book_cover.jpg
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| alt = 2018 book cover, depicting a black silhouette face of a woman wearing a white with grey trim head covering and a grey shoulder covering, against a red background, as well as the book title and author name.
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| author = [[Kota Neelima]]
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| country = India
| language = English
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| publisher = [[Oxford University Press]]
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| pub_date = 2018
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| isbn = 9780199484676
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| website = {{URL|http://www.kotaneelima.com/}}
}}
'''''Widows of Vidarbha: Making of Shadows''''' is a non-fiction book by [[Kota Neelima]] published in 2018 by [[Oxford University Press]]. The book chronicles the lives of 16 widows of farmers in India after their [[Farmers' suicides in India|husbands died from suicide]], and the experiences of the women afterwards.

==Synopsis==
Based on interviews with 16 widows from the Yavatmal and Amravati districts of [[Vidarbha]], the book explores the impact of farming crises in 2001-2004 and 2012-13 in 18 anecdotes<ref name="Varandani 2019" /> from the viewpoint of women whose [[Farmers' suicides in India|farmer husbands died by suicide]],<ref name="Sharma 2018">{{cite news |last1=Sharma |first1=Suridhi |title=Struggles in the Shadows |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sunday-chronicle/shelf-life/060518/struggles-in-the-shadows.html |access-date=19 September 2021 |work=[[Deccan Chronicle]] |date=May 6, 2018}}</ref> including how they managed to support their families.<ref name="Banerjee 2018">{{cite news |last1=Banerjee |first1=Poulomi |title=India's invisible widows: It's time for a separate kind of feminism in rural India |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/india-s-invisible-widows-it-s-time-for-a-separate-kind-of-feminism-in-rural-india/story-bxf68b9E6RhClcGxFkWcyL.html |access-date=19 September 2021 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=January 27, 2018}}</ref>

==Reception==
In a review for the ''[[Hindustan Times]]'', Manjula Narayan writes, "The writing is taut, often ironic, and devoid of unnecessary adjectives and stylistic flourishes. Instead, the author allows the women to speak, putting down the nuances of each of their stories, almost editing herself out. The result is a book that's filled with stark pain, one that's almost unbearably honest."<ref name="Narayan 2018">{{cite news |last1=Narayan |first1=Manjula |title=Review: Widows of Vidarbha by Kota Neelima |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/review-widows-of-vidarbha-by-kota-neelima/story-TSxMikncXssEvcJ6dc22zN.html |access-date=18 September 2021 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=April 27, 2018}}</ref> In a review for ''[[Business Line|The Hindu Business Line]]'', TV Jayan writes, "Each chapter in this book is a real story of gritty women who made all sincere efforts to bring up their children and provide them with education to the extent possible despite all odds in life and limitations imposed on them by the society."<ref name="Jayan 2018">{{cite news|last=Jayan |first=TV |title=Unseen victims of farm distress|url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/books/kota-neelima-book-review-widows-of-vidarbha-making-of-shadows/article23349489.ece|newspaper=[[Business Line|The Hindu Business Line]]|date=March 25, 2018|access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref>

A review published in ''[[Firstpost]]'' states, "Neelima's book focuses on the voices of the widows of these farmers who are otherwise ignored, shunned and subjugated by their families and the government. It's a deeply relevant contextualisation of the women who never make it to the narrative."<ref>{{cite news |last1=The Ladies Finger |title=Widows of Vidarbha highlights the lesser-known perseverance of the wives of farmers who commit suicide |url=https://www.firstpost.com/living/widows-of-vidarbha-highlights-the-lesser-known-perseverance-of-the-wives-of-farmers-who-commit-suicide-4367853.html |access-date=19 September 2021 |work=[[Firstpost]] |date=February 26, 2018}}</ref> In a review for ''Feminism in India'', Devanshi Varandani writes, "The 18 anecdotes in the book, in a subtle yet effective way, discusses 4 key topics: Identity crisis in the patriarchal society; the urgency of providing quality education to the young generation as an incumbent on the government. Next, the book stresses on the transition in the dreams and hopes of the family members after the demise of farmers. Lastly, the approach of the state and politics."<ref name="Varandani 2019">{{cite news |last1=Varandani |first1=Devanshi |title=Book Review: Widows Of Vidarbha – Making Of Shadows By Kota Neelima |url=https://feminisminindia.com/2019/06/11/widows-of-vidarbha-kota-neelima-review/ |access-date=19 September 2021 |work=Feminism in India |date=June 11, 2019}}</ref> Aekta Kapoor writes in ''eShe'', "The widows in Neelima’s book have learnt to protest in quiet ways, and avoid confrontation so as not to disturb the patriarchy. Theirs is a silent, subversive fight to get their due."<ref name="Kapoor 2018">{{cite news |last1=Kapoor |first1=Aekta |title=It's Near Impossible to Write the Woman's Whole Truth, Says Kota Neelima |url=https://eshe.in/2018/02/12/kota-neelima-widows-of-vidarbha/ |access-date=19 September 2021 |work=eShe |date=February 12, 2018}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/i-miss-him-so-much-the-collateral-damage-of-farmer-suicides-in-vidarbha/41152/ 'I miss him so much': The collateral damage of farmer suicides in Vidarbha] (book excerpt, ''[[ThePrint]]'', March 12, 2018)
* [https://thewire.in/books/hope-and-other-temporary-things-the-story-of-a-widow-in-vidarbha Hope and Other Temporary Things: The Story of a Widow in Vidarbha] (book excerpt, ''[[The Wire (India)|The Wire]]'', March 17, 2018)

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2018 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian books]]
[[Category:Books about politics of India]]
[[Category:Books about human rights]]
[[Category:Books about suicide]]
[[Category:Books about survival skills]]
[[Category:Books about poverty]]
[[Category:Books about families]]
[[Category:Widowhood in India]]

Widows of Vidarbha - Revision history

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