Vrindavan, the temple town near Mathura, dedicated to Lord Krishna, is also known for its Dharamshalas (charitable lodgings) and Bhajan Ashrams, offering shelter to the widows and destitute.
By Brajesh Kumar Singh
Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh), Aug.3 : Vrindavan, the temple town near Mathura, dedicated to Lord Krishna, is also known for its Dharamshalas (charitable lodgings) and Bhajan Ashrams, offering shelter to the widows and destitute.
Most of these women are widows or the abandoned mothers who are no more wanted by their families. A few of these women belong to well-off families but their children have left them here and shifted to other cities or for building a career in foreign.
There are thousands of women present in Vrindavan. But for the relatively young widows among them, it's a struggle to protect their modesty from being outraged by local freaks. It's a life full of curse.
Everyday, these women spend their mornings and evenings chanting hymns in the praise of Lord Krishna and His beloved Radha at various temples and Bhajan ashrams.
Also called "Sevadasis", these widows, especially those young and presentable among them, have to submit themselves to the owners of Dharmashalas and Ashrams, priests and at times donors. But they have no one to turn to for ultimate help.
Vandana Jain, the caretaker of one such Mahila Ashram, said:" Though I haven't witnessed anything happening myself, I have heard about such incidents a number of times. No woman has ever complained of harassment."
She said: "The young widows, however, do not like to go to temples and it may be probably due to the fear of being harassed there."It was not so much the influx of aged widows but that of young girls being brought here from West Bengal and other states by possible "trafficking agents" which still needs to be investigated thoroughly.
Chailabihari Upadhyay, the caretaker of Balaji Ashram, said: "I believe that such women are themselves characterless as no one can forcefully do anything with them. We feed them with food and money here. They come here, sing the hymns and spend their day." nd, the most elderly or poor among these widows, who cannot visit temples or afford a proper shelter, often spend their last days on the roadsides or in shelters provided by the State Government.
Majority of these women are social outcasts and have been living here for decades.
Living alone makes them vulnerable to every form of exploitation.
The owners and caretakers of the 'Bhajan Ashrams' do not accept such allegations.
A Vrindavan Nagar Palika survey enumerated 3,105 widows whereas the unofficial figure is estimated to be anywhere between 5,000 and 6,000.
These widows are supposed to receive a paltry sum of rupees 150 for a month (Rs.1,800 for a year).
Gauri Rai, a widow, said: "Nobody abuses us inside the Ashram but outside they are always asking. That's why we came the Ashram. We have left our family and home, husband and children. They question our character, but I think that even they can not help. Such an attitude is now a part of their nature."
There are women who pretend being happy.
Sunanda Haldar, another widow, said: "We sing hymns here and get pulses and rice everyday, besides other things that all the women get here. We do not demand much. What else can poor persons like us can ask for? We are satisfied and happy."
Over 50 per cent of these women depend on Bhajan Ashrams and begging for their livelihood. Some of the widows are too old to even cook for themselves. The only mattress they have is pieces of jute sacks.
Even after death, there is no institutional support for ornamenting them. Medical help depends on charity and is virtually non-existent.
ANI