Vrindavan: The widows of Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh are celebrating Christmas this year, for the first time in their lives.
At the 100-year-old Meerasahabhagini Ashram in Vrindavan, hundreds of widows revelled in Christmas celebrations in the city known as the place where Lord Krishna frolicked in his childhood.
On Sunday, the widows of the city's ashrams joined in carol singing and danced around beautifully decorated Christmas trees.
Many of the widows, aged between 70 and 80 years, now live a dignified life thanks to the efforts of non-governmental organisation Sulabh International.
Like little children, the widows Sunday gleefully wore the red Santa Claus caps, and lit candles they had made themselves. The Christmas tree was decked up with flags and festoons.
Some of the widows were dressed to look like Santa Claus, and many of them wore costumes they had stitched themselves, over the last few days.
The widows have been getting vocational training, and among the skills they have picked up are candle-making and stitching.
"This is true empowerment," Sulabh International chairman Bindeshwari Pathak told IANS.
Manu Ghosh, 80, wore a Santa cap as she decorated the Christmas tree and grabbed chocolates like a child. She danced with many others like her, celebrating this festival for the first time in her life.
"I have been seeing children celebrating this festival, but have never before celebrated it myself. This was a great experience, celebrating Christmas with widows," said 72-year-old Anjana Gwaswami.
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