Why Does the Mother-in-law Occupy Such a Huge Mindspace in the Indian Psyche?
By Aruti Nayar

NO where in the world does the relationship between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law occupies so much mindspace as it does in India. This is because in India, unlike other places, it is a highly contentious, volatile and nuanced relationship. This trunk relationship occupies a lot of social space and its ripple-down effect colours many intertwined lives. Perhaps, it was because of the fact that a woman's place was confined to the four walls of the house that she had to define herself within that limited sphere. She, therefore, appropriated whatever was in "her territory".