No Holi for two years; Vrindavan widows finally have their 'Rang Barse' moment

FP Staff • March 17, 2022, 13:33:15 IST

Thousands of widows played Holi with colours and flowers at the Gopinath Temple in Vrindavan with much gusto after having to put celebrations on pause for two years owing to the COVID-19 pandemic

A large number of widows from various shelter homes gathered at the Gopinath Temple in Vrindavan on Tuesday to celebrate Holi, giving a toss to orthodox traditions that forbid them from taking part in the festival of colours. AFP

The celebration at the historic temple, which first began in 2013, was kept in abeyance for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to officials. AFP

“It was unbelievable for the widows in the Indian society to break the age-old tradition,” said Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of NGO Sulabh International who initiated efforts to mobilise widows of Vrindavan to celebrate Holi. AFP

In recent years, Vrindavan’s Holi celebrations have become memorable occasions for thousands of widows who earlier faced humiliation and were not allowed to be part of any auspicious occasion. AFP

The Holi celebration began with much fanfare amid song and dance performances. The widows, who wear only white sarees, smeared colours on each other to celebrate the festival, breaking away from years of social stigma attached to women who have lost their husband. AFP

The widows splashed colour and threw flower petals at each other. They danced and chanted Krishna bhajans and Holi songs, shared sweets with each other and enjoyed food. AFP