Tiger Widows of Sundarbans

Abstract

The documentary brings out the woes and the struggles of the tiger widows of Sundarbans in the state of West Bengal in India. The lack of alternative sources of livelihood in the region, people are left with no other option but to depend on the mangrove forest to earn their living. Due to an increasing deforestation, the mangrove forest is shrinking. As a result, the Royal Bengal tigers often come out from the core forest leading to tiger attacks on the fishermen, honey collectors and others who depend on the forest to earn their living, resulting in their deaths. The documentary also brings out the indifference of the state towards the tiger victims. Often, these tiger killings are not registered as such on the death certificates. The tiger widows are thus denied any kind of assistance from the state. After the loss of their husbands, the economic burden and the emotional distress that they undergo lead to PTSD among the tiger widows. The documentary also talks about an overall lack of health infrastructure in the villages surrounding the Sundarbans region.