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From stigma to strength - How India's widows are making history at Holi

India's widows suffer from exclusion and stigmatization. For decades, they have been fighting for more rights, with the help of NGOs. For the first time, widows are allowed to celebrate the festival of colors at the Gopinath Temple - a breakthrough. India is a country where ancient traditions are still alive. One of them is Holi - the festival of colors. But the country's widows are excluded from it. Most of them live in poverty, stigmatized as outcasts. In Vrindavan, things are different. Here, widows find refuge in the ashrams. At the Gopinath Temple, they are allowed to celebrate the festival of colors for the first time. Munni, Heema, and Chavi live in different widows' ashrams in Vrindavan. They all came to this holy city to find refuge from the humiliation and exclusion practiced by their families and their social environments.

English
  • Originally Aired April 17, 2026
  • Runtime 42 minutes
  • Network Deutsche Welle TV
  • Created October 10, 2026 by
    andresflower
  • Modified October 10, 2026 by
    andresflower