<p>Breaking the shackles of tradition, at least a thousand widows leading an inconspicuous life in this Mathura town will celebrate Diwali this year.<br /><br /></p>.<p>To kindle happiness in their twilight years, Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak has come up with the idea of organising the festival of lights for these widows, locally called as 'matas'.<br /><br />Earlier this year, these women celebrated Holi and then Durga Puja by flying to Kolkata.<br /><br />Among them several women had lost their husbands at an early age and were left by their families.<br /><br />In 2012, a panel, appointed by the Supreme Court to look into the condition of the widows told the court that they are "highly vulnerable" groups, living in "pathetic" conditions.<br /><br />For the first time, the Diwali celebrations would take place at a century-old widow shelter Meerasahabhagni Ashram Vrindavan on October 31 onwards till November 3.<br />Thousands of earthen pots have been arranged and being painted by the widows themselves for celebrations.<br /><br />Probably for the first time they would be going to lit the candles and earthen pots on Diwali. They are also making all the preparations for the Diwali-special cultural programme.<br /><br />"Sulabh will continue with its nationwide campaign for welfare of widows," Pathak said, while explaining the idea behind organising such rituals.<br /><br />He said that he intended to draft a bill and hand it over to Parliament to improve the plight of widows abandoned by their families.<br /><br />He urged all political parties to support his proposed bill drafted by him.<br /><br />"I strongly feel time has come for the government to enact a law for the welfare, protection and maintenance of widows so that their living conditions and general existence are improved," Pathak said.</p>
<p>Breaking the shackles of tradition, at least a thousand widows leading an inconspicuous life in this Mathura town will celebrate Diwali this year.<br /><br /></p>.<p>To kindle happiness in their twilight years, Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak has come up with the idea of organising the festival of lights for these widows, locally called as 'matas'.<br /><br />Earlier this year, these women celebrated Holi and then Durga Puja by flying to Kolkata.<br /><br />Among them several women had lost their husbands at an early age and were left by their families.<br /><br />In 2012, a panel, appointed by the Supreme Court to look into the condition of the widows told the court that they are "highly vulnerable" groups, living in "pathetic" conditions.<br /><br />For the first time, the Diwali celebrations would take place at a century-old widow shelter Meerasahabhagni Ashram Vrindavan on October 31 onwards till November 3.<br />Thousands of earthen pots have been arranged and being painted by the widows themselves for celebrations.<br /><br />Probably for the first time they would be going to lit the candles and earthen pots on Diwali. They are also making all the preparations for the Diwali-special cultural programme.<br /><br />"Sulabh will continue with its nationwide campaign for welfare of widows," Pathak said, while explaining the idea behind organising such rituals.<br /><br />He said that he intended to draft a bill and hand it over to Parliament to improve the plight of widows abandoned by their families.<br /><br />He urged all political parties to support his proposed bill drafted by him.<br /><br />"I strongly feel time has come for the government to enact a law for the welfare, protection and maintenance of widows so that their living conditions and general existence are improved," Pathak said.</p>