Irked over the “outsider” remark of actor-turned politician Hema Malini, widows of Vrindawan would complain to Mamata Didi in Kolkata where they would be going to celebrate Durga Puja this year almost after four decades.
Widows living in five ashrams in the holy town of Vrindavan are excited to go to their native place after several decades.
The widows are likely to call on Governor Kesri Nath Tripathi at Raj Bhawan and are hoping to meet Chief Minister Mamta ‘Didi’ where they might look for an opportunity to ventilate their grievance over Hema Malini’s statement that the widows from Bengal and Bihar should go back to their respective states to avail government relief and shelter and not crowd Vrindavan and Mathura to earn their livelihood.
Kanak lata Devi, 90, will land on the soil of her forefathers after 40 years to enjoy the festivities at Kolkata. She is excited to see the iconic Howrah Bride and is looking forward to enjoy a tram ride during the week-long trip to the City of Joy. Apart from visiting Puja Pandals, these widows plan to visit famous Kali Bari besides visiting Victoria Memorial and Chowringhee – Kolkata’s business hub.
Five old widows will fly to Kolkata on September 25 while 50 other widows will reach Howarh by train from New Delhi on September 23.Much controversy was generated by the comments made by Hema Malini, BJP MP from Mathura, that widows from Bengal and Bihar should not crowd Vrindavan.
After the Supreme Court expressed anguish over appalling conditions in which the widows lived uncared in Vrindavan, NGO Sulabh International takes care of around 1,000 widows living in various ashrams. Sulabh is finalising plans for their journey to Kolkata. This batch of widows, most of them in their 80s, will visit Kolkata for the first first time to participate in Durga Puja. Around 50 widows had attended puja celebration last time.
“Their trip to Kolkata is an effort to bring some joy and sense of belongingness to their lives. They are going back to the land of their ancestors,” says Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of Sulabh International. “It is not just a Puja tour for them. They will go back to their roots. It is a journey down memory lane,” said Dr Pathak, a noted social reformer.
They will visit ‘Kumar Toli’ to see for themselves how life is breathed into clay idols of Goddess Durga of world repute.
