Mathura (UP), March 2 Dressed in white sarees and defying the orthodox traditions that prohibit them from participating in the festival of colors, widows in Vrindavan celebrated Holi at the historic Gopinath temple here on Monday.
More than 200 widows from five ashrams chanted "Jai Bansi wale ki," danced to the tunes of 'Rasiya' sung in the temple, and splashed over 1,000 kg of flowers and 700 kg of 'gulal' on each other during the celebrations, Executive convenor of Sulabh International, Nitya Pathak, said.
"The entire temple complex was filled with devotion, with women eagerly participating in Holi," Pathak said.
"Over the years, we have seen a gradual increase in the number of widows participating in these events, who have embraced the change," Pathak said.
In Indian society, widows were once considered inauspicious and were prohibited from celebrating or participating in any festivals and social functions, she said, and added that many came to Vrindavan after being forced to leave their homes and live in destitution.
She added that in 2012, taking note of the plight of widows living in Vrindavan, the Supreme Court had directed Sulabh International (an NGO) to take care of them.