In Pictures: Vrindavan Widows’ First Holi Inside the Famous Temple

Vrindavan widows celebrate the Festival of Colours at Gopinath Temple for the first time.

Widows throw flower petals and colored powder during Holi celebrations at the Gopinath temple, Vrindavan. (Photo: AP)

Over a thousand widows celebrated Holi at an ancient Vrindavan temple on Monday, in a colourful departure from an age-old tradition that bars widows from celebrating Holi and other auspicious festivals.

Amid blowing of conch shells and showering of flower petals and dry colour powders, these widows participated in the Holi celebrations at the ancient Gopinath temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna.

They were joined by widows from Varanasi. There was palpable excitement as they smeared each other with Holi colours, as this was the first time they played Holi inside a temple in this town, holy to Hindus.

A number of Sanskrit students and scholars too joined in the Holi revelry along with the widows cast away by their families and living in the temple town for several decades.

Breaking the age-old tradition, over a thousand widows played Holi at a temple in Vrindavan. (Photo: AP)

Widows apply colour to each other during Holi celebrations. (Photo: AP) 

Bindeshwar Pathak – well-known social reformer and founder of Sulabh International who has waged a steady campaign against ostracised widows in the country – also joined in the celebrations.

The Sulabh International has been taking care of 1,500 widows in Varanasi and Vrindavan in light of the Supreme Court’s observations in 2012.

Widows throw colored powder and flower petals on Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International. (Photo: AP)

Widows throw flower petals during Holi celebrations at the Gopinath temple in Vrindavan. (Photo: AP)

A total of 1,200 kg ‘gulal’ and different coloured powders and 1,500 kg of rose and marigold petals were arranged for the special event.

Widows playing with gulal during the Holi celebrations. (Photo: AP)

Widows playing with flower petals and gulal. (Photo: AP) 

Holi celebrations in Vrindavan. (Photo: AP)

Widows daubed in colours dance as they take part in the Holi celebrations at a temple at Vrindavan. (Photo: Reuters)