Mathura (UP) | Clad in white sarees and leaving behind the orthodox traditions that forbid them from participating in the festival of colours, widows in Vrindavan celebrated Holi at the historic Gopinath temple here on Monday.

More than 200 widows from five ashrams chanted "Bansi waale ki jai", danced on the tunes of 'Rasiya' sung in the temple and splashed more than 1,000 kg of flowers and 700 kg of 'gulaal' on each other in the celebrations, Executive convenor Sulabh International Nitya Pathak said.

"The entire temple compound was soaked in devotion with excitement among women to play Holi," Pathak said.

"Over the years, we have seen a gradual rise in the number of participating widows, who have embraced the change and started participating in these events," Pathak said.

In Indian society, widows were once considered inauspicious and were debarred from celebrating or participating in any festivals and social functions, she said, and added that many came to Vrindavan after being driven out of their homes, and were forced to live a life in destitution.

She added in 2012, taking note of the pathetic condition of widows living in Vrindavan, the Supreme Court had asked Sulabh International (an NGO) to look after them.