The image of a widow in India is that of a sad, white clad woman mostly considered a non-entity in her own household. This image is propagated further by Bollywood. The widow in India does have a lot of archaic rules she is required to follow such as plain clothes of one colour chosen by their community, nothing bright of course, and nothing pretty or shiny. Basically the widow is required to stop enjoying the rest of her life because her husband passed away. She is to remain in the background, not eat food that is rich in protein or nutrients, and is expected to keep away from auspicious occasions and festivals such as Diwali or Holi.
These rules are barbaric and finally this year in Vrindavan, these repressive and regressive ‘traditional’ practices got a well deserved pass.
An unexpected scene to behold
The ancient Gopinath temple in Vridavan saw a very unusual spectacle this year during the festival of dhulendi, the festival of colour subsequent to Holi. At the temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, over one thousand widows celebrated the festival with uncharacteristic zeal. The plain and colourless garb of the widow was lit up with coloured powder and festooned with flower petals in an overdue departure from the norm.
The organisation called Sulabh International led by founder and social reformer Bindeshwar Pathak was behind this event. The organisation has been looking after the welfare of about 1500 widows for several years now. 1500 kg of flower petals and 1200 kg of gulal and other coloured powders were organised for the event, in which Sanskrit scholars and some widows from Varanasi also participated.
Why it is so significant
This event was a departure from tradition; one that has been in place for over four hundred years. The event was meant to bring into the mainstream, those women who have been ostracised by society. The choice of venue was significant too; the event was organised at a famous temple to help it gain social acceptance.
Vrindavan is sometimes referred to as the city of widows because of the high numbers of widowed women who are required to move here after losing their husbands. An estimated fifteen to twenty thousand widows live here in penury. They sing bhajans and live off meager doles of rice and monetary charity which they are usually forced to supplement with begging. Many of these women have no one to depend upon; some have been cast out of their homes by their own families. They typically live in homes run by voluntary organisations and NGOs in Vrindavan.
This holi was not just about celebrating a festival by women forced to live on the fringes of society – it was about breaking the shackles placed on them by society for centuries. It was a day when this small corner of India decided to catch up with the rest of the world, the 21st century, and with humanity.
Author – Reena Daruwalla
