Traditions of India

In pictures: Music, colours and a celebration of faith at a widow ashram in Vrindavan

Devotees from Bengal journey to Vrindavan’s vidhwa ashrams every year to celebrate Holi

By Ritagnik Bhattacharya | Published 01.04.22, 08:43 PM

Vridavan, in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district, has long been known as the home of a few thousand widows who live in the city’s many ashrams. Most of them are estranged from family and many are from Bengal

All images by Ritagnik Bhattacharya

During Holi, many Bengali widows also travel to Vrindavan from different parts of Bengal, often in big groups. They seek the blessings of Lord Krishna who is supposed to have spent his childhood there

Several of the women who visit are followers of Vaishnavism, and travelling musicians. In Vrindavan, they celebrate their love and fondness for Krishna through musical dramas or ‘pala’ and ‘bhajans’ or ‘kirtans’ singing of the lord's antics and his relationships with Radha and Meera

Some of the ladies dress in costume for the ‘palas’ taking up the roles of the ‘gopis’ or of Radha herself. Oftentimes there are different ‘bhajans’ and ‘palas’ in the same courtyard, and one can hear of Meera’s devotion and Radha’s romance at the same time

Devotees attend morning and evening prayers and for many, resident and traveller alike, the journey to Vrindavan was and is driven by faith

A few of the elderly and long-term residents of the ashrams request donations or ask for alms from visitors. These are used in the care and maintenance of the facilities

Like with most forms of religious performances, there is intense emotion on display during the ‘palas’ and daily ‘kirtans’ as devotees transcend into an almost euphoric state when singing of their love for their lord

The personification of gods — Durga the daughter, Krishna the mischievous boy — means that faith often encompasses very human displays of emotion. In the ashrams, many older pilgrims clap, cry and rejoice at the separation and union of Radha, Meera, and Krishna

At the end of the day's celebrations, an idol of Krishna — often made of cloth — is passed around among the gathered devotees who wait for a chance to hold and affectionately caress Krishna

As the Holi celebrations draw to a close, the groups of travelling devotees return to their homes. Some of them might return the following year and the residents of the ashram look forward to meeting them again

Tags: Traditions of India Vrindavan Lord Krishna Holi Mathura photo gallery kirtan ashram