Vrindavan widows send ‘rakhis’ to PM - Hindustan Times
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Vrindavan widows send ‘rakhis’ to PM

Aug 20, 2021 11:59 PM IST

Prior to the pandemic, on behalf of thousands of widows, four or five widows used to visit Delhi to present baskets of ‘rakhis’ and sweets to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Agra Widows of Vrindavan sent hundreds of ‘rakhis’ to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday for the coming Rakshabandhan festival. Before the outbreak of Covid--19, these widows used to visit the Prime Minister on Rakshabandhan but like last year, once again they are going to miss this opportunity due to the pandemic.

Widows in Vrindavan with the ‘rakhis’ which they made and later sent to PM Narendra Modi. (HT photo)
Widows in Vrindavan with the ‘rakhis’ which they made and later sent to PM Narendra Modi. (HT photo)

“Though the widows are again missing a personal meeting with the Prime Minister on Rakshabandhan day, they have prepared 251 special rakhis with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and similar number of special Vrindavan themed cotton masks,” informed Vinita Verma, vice president of Sulabh Hope Foundation.

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The ‘rakhis’ were prepared by a group of aged widows living in Maa Sarda and Radha Tila Ashrams in Vrindavan.

She said well-known social reformer and founder of Sulabh Movement Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak had started organising all important Hindu festivals and rituals for widows living in Vrindavan to break the social stigmas surrounding them.

Prior to the pandemic, on behalf of thousands of widows, four or five widows used to visit Delhi to present baskets of ‘rakhis’ and sweets to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said.

“The ongoing corona crisis disheartened these widows but it didn’t shatter their spirit so they started preparing rakhis and special Vrindavan themed masks for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Some of the rakhis contain photos of the Prime Minister with face in mask,” she said.

Usha Dasi, 77, who had personally tied rakhi on the wrist of Prime Minister Modi in the past, was dejected as she was spending her days inside her ashram for the past five months .

But she was happy that her rakhis and masks were sent to the PM.

“I have personally designed special masks carrying messages like ‘Stay Safe’ and ‘Atamnirbhar Bharat’ and ‘rakhis’ with image of the PM wearing a mask”, said Usha.

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