Diwali: Many widows, in their 90s, took part in the 'green Diwali' at Vrindavan
For the first time the widows of Vrindavan on Sunday celebrated 'green Diwali' at the Gopinath temple. They lit colourful earthen lamps and made intricate Rangolis. Many of them sang traditional hymns as part of the 'green Diwali' celebrations.
Many of the widows, in their 90s, took part in the non-polluting festivities at the 400-year-old temple.
"With an aim to bring a ray of happiness in their twilight years, we have come up with this unique idea to organise the festival of lights, especially for the widows," said Bindeshwar Pathak, a social worker associated with the non-profit group, which takes care of around 900 widows in Vrindavan.
The pollution-free Diwali celebrations come in the backdrop of the Supreme Court's reference to the hazardous air pollution levels in the National Capital Region during and immediately after Diwali last year.
This is the sixth year in a row that the event is being organised by the Mr Pathak's non-profit group, which also organises Holi, Raksha Bandhan and Durga Puja for the widows.
(With inputs from ANI & PTI)