This paper is a meta-narrative of the lives of older widows in India. It further explores the impact of social media use via the smartphone has impacted their lives. Hindu widows have historically been ostracised, and are imposed an ascetic lifestyle. Much of this has a caste and class component; the socio-economic conditions for women have shown the linkages of inheritance and labour with widowhood. Even though there is now an emergence of active ageing in urban India--most of that a function of class and an outlook of a “global Indianness”--there is still a gap in the understanding of the lives of older widows, within this milieu. The experiences of older women in India, particularly widows, and their agency in redefining their identity, has been largely unexplored. For those who are using the smartphone and social media to connect to their family, and extend their social network beyond immediate familial and existing circles, Internet connectedness has enabled a sense of social support and connectivity, and even as escape from the circumstances in their lives—different from the widowed lives of women of previous generations. While the use of smartphones has significantly changed women’s access to new media in India, there is a gap in understanding internet usage amongst older women. Thus, through a meta-narrative of parsing through existing literature, this paper will argue for the need to look at the ways in which older women and particularly widows are making attempts at reclaiming their sense of agency over their lives, by going online.
