In a welcome departure from tradition, around 800 widows sprinkled gulal (coloured powder), flowers and petals on each other to play Holi at their shelter homes in Vrindavan. So far, widows have played Holi only with Thakurji (lord Krishna).
“In an effort to bring widows into mainstream and help their social assimilation, we have organised several events to encourage them to participate in Holi celebrations at Vrindavan,” founder of NGO Sulabh International, Bindeshwar Pathak said. The NGO has been providing a number of facilities to the widows - stipends, food, healthcare and vocational training.
Though age-old social traditions bar widows from playing with colours, this year they broke the shackles of the past and sprinkled gulal on each other. As part of the celebrations, traditional Raas-leela dances and other programmes have been organised at the Ashrams.
Beginning on Sunday morning, the 100-year-old Meera Sahbhagini Ashram, an abode for 300-odd widows, began to throb with life. The ashram is one of the five Government-run centres for widows.