The festival of colours is celebrated with great pomp and show by not only Hindu communities but by Non-Hindus too. The zeal of the festival can be seen all over India and in some other Asian countries as well. Vrindavan in India is a great option if you want to see and enjoy the finest Holi.

Vrindavan or Braj Bhoomi is the well-known place where Hindu deity Krishna spent his childhood playing with his beloved Radha and other Gopis. There is a story behind this colourful festival associated with Krishna and Radha. Lord Krishna was of dark complexion and Radha was very fair. So, he was always jealous of her and complained his mother Yashoda about this injustice of nature making him black and Radha fair. To pacify him, the doting mother asked him to apply colour on Radha’s face in a playful way and change her colour complexion like himself. Krishna did the same. This prank gained popularity and mass acceptance. It evolved as a tradition and later the festival of Holi.

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The festival of colours is here again. So far, you have been celebrating it with your near and dear ones. This year, make your Holi extraordinary special. Celebrating it in a unique way bringing smiles on faces of widows abandoned by their families and living in the temple town of Vrindavan for decades. You will experience gigantic satisfaction – guaranteed.

Vrindavan is known as the ‘abode of widows’ that shelters them. Breaking the age-old Indian traditions where the widows were barred from participating in Holi festivities, the widows of Pagal baba Widow Ashram at Braj started to play Holi with colours and flowers, singing and dancing in the name of Krishna. Although it started only two years ago, many students, scholars, social reformers, widows from Varanasi and tourists across the world joined them with full zest. With the effort of NGO Sulabh International, it has now become a grand four-day-long celebration where about thousands kilos of gulal and flower petals of rose and marigold are arranged for the event. The celebration takes place few days before Holi and is a great tourist attraction.

What to wait for? Do check the dates and make a visit there this time. Encourage your family and friends too to accompany you and spread happiness among destitute. You may take gifts and sweets along. Contribute your bit to serve a social cause. This kind of celebration truly depicts the victory of good over evil that is the real essence of the festival. Happy Holi to all!