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Women in India’s “City of Widows” once walked in the shadows, granted legal right to celebrate Holi Festival

The taboo-breaking celebration has now become a national phenomenon, attracting global attention. The festival takes place at the Gopinath Ji Temple every year for 15 days.

Priyanka Chandani
  • 12 months ago
  • March 29, 2024
4 min read
Arts & Culture
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Vrindavan, renowned as the town full of temples, is now also known as The City of Widows. | All photos courtesy of Priyanka Chandani Vrindavan, renowned as the town full of temples, is now also known as The City of Widows. | All photos courtesy of Priyanka Chandani
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VRINDAVAN, India ꟷ Widows in India often face a variety of atrocities after their husband’s die. Many endure destitution after their families abandon them, compelled to live lives of obscurity. Young or old, social customs may require them to shave their heads bald, walk barefoot, eat one meal a day, and sleep on the floor. Many customs prevent them from attending their children’s marriage ceremonies and prohibit them from participating in India’s most significant religious festivals – Holi and Diwali.

Today’s photo gallery comes from Priyanka Chandani. Priyanka is a multimedia journalist out of India and a Foreign Correspondent for Orato World Media.

In Vrindavan, for decades, widows draped in white sarees lived an isolated life away from mainstream society.

After the abolition of the horrendous practice of widows sacrificing themselves on their husband’s funeral pyres in 1829, Vrindavan, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, became a refugee for these widows.

Living in dire poverty, these women faced ostracism due to social stigma. Some consider their mere presence a bad omen.

Over 6,000 widows, mostly from Bengal, India, arrived, begging on the streets or lying on the staircases of the temples. Many squatted on the dirty sidewalks, begging for food.

It was only in 2012 after National Legal Authorities Charity filed Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that the Supreme Court of India issued a directive to render relief and sustenance to the widows.

In the City of Widows, women once banned from social life celebrate the Holi Festival

India questioned the work of agencies and the government. It was then that the darker side of their lives came to light. Several agencies including the central and state government exercised reformation for these widows. 

After decades of living in the shadows, the widows – some over 100 years old – finally began to participate in the Holi Festival. In Vrindavan, they organized the celebration, integration flowers and gulaal (colored powder).

More than 1,500 widows spread the colors everywhere and place flowers upon one another.

The taboo-breaking celebration has now become a national phenomenon, attracting global attention. The festival takes place at the Gopinath Ji Temple every year for 15 days. It is a sight to behold.

Today, new rules permit the widows to light diyas [colorful lamps lit during prayer and celebrations]. For years, they remained banned from this practice.

Photographers, journalists, researches, and scholars now flock to Vrindavan to see the widows as they celebrate Holi. Many travel great distances to witness the spectacle.

All photos courtesy of Priyanka Chandani.

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