Colours of freedom: Vrindavan widows play Holi, in Uttar Pradesh

From the archive record

Indian Hindu widows break 400years old tradition as they play with colours on occasion of Holi festival in Uttar Pradesh. Shunning age-old taboo, widows from Varanasi and Vrindavan played Holi on the premises of the 400-year-old. Clad in white saree, a large number of widows gathered at one of the oldest Krishna temples in the crowded Gopinath Bazaar in Vrindavan braving the morning chill and splashed colours on each other. A large numbers of widows from Varanasi also participated in the event organised by social activist Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of NGO Sulabh International. "Their participation in Holi symbolises a break from tradition which forbids a widow from wearing coloured saree, among many other things," Pathak said. 1,500 kg 'gulal' (coloured powder) and 1,500 kg of petals w