AFP, published on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 20:14.

Celebrations of Holi, the annual festival of colors for the arrival of spring, kicked off in India, freed for the first time in three years from the burden of the coronavirus and in full swing on Tuesday in Vrindavan, known as the “city of widows”. in ‘Uttar Pradesh (North).

This pilgrimage city dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna celebrates Holi with the traditional glow of flower petals and colorful pigments.

About 2,000 widows live there. Their ultra-conservative families, mostly poor, pushed them away after their husbands died.

The idea that widows participated in any celebration was still considered bad a decade ago.

This year, they could enjoy the celebrations again.

“We are disheartened that we have not been able to celebrate Holi because of the coronavirus for the past two years,” Shakuntala Davi, a 72-year-old widow, told AFP.

“We are very happy now that there is no more lockdown, no coronavirus, we are all enjoying Holi. I have no words to describe (the joy),” he added.

Holi, which marks the end of winter and the victory of good over evil, is celebrated with street parties, water fights, music, bursts of brightly colored pigments, and all manner of ancient rituals.

Shakuntala Davi and a hundred other widows danced, sang Hindu hymns and sprinkled color pigment and flower petals at the city’s Gopinath Temple.

“I am very happy to celebrate Holi today. So many people came. It was total happiness,” Tulasi Rani, another widow, told AFP.

Holi celebrations, attended by millions of people every year, will culminate on Friday, the holiday for the event, across the country.