Goverdhan/Vrindavan, March 11 (IANS): For the first time, about a 1,000 widows of Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh will this year play Holi with colours at an ashram, Meera Sahabhagini Sadan, Friday.

The event is being held at the initiative of Sulabh International which has launched several projects to draw these widows, mostly abandoned or cast away by their families, into the mainstream of society.

These widows will play Holi with colours and gulal unlike last year when they threw flower petals on one another.

"Vrindavan Holi is an effort to free widows from the shackles of age-old tradition. The widows will also participate in cultural programmes," Sulabh International founder Bindeshwar Pathak told IANS.

Sulabh is also organising a traditional dance programme "Raas-Leela" and other events March 14.

Sulabh came to the rescue of these widows ollowing Supreme Court's observation in August 2012, as they were living in a pitiable condition and begging on the streets of Vrindavan or at Goverdhan or in Mathura city.

The NGO started taking care of them in five government-run shelters. Besides giving them a monthly stipend, Sulabh is arranging for their food and healthcare and giving them vocational training and basic education to help them live a dignified life.