This widow announces to tie nuptial knot

LUCKNOW: Taking up cudgels against the social stigma attached to widows, a woman, who lost her husband in the Kedarnath tragedy, has decided to tie the knot again to send across a message that widowhood is not the end of life.

Her marriage will be solemnised at Gopinath temple in Vrindavan (Mathura) on Monday after which she will move to Tilwada, in Uttarakhand, with her husband, who is a driver by profession.

The marriage will be attended by over 500 widows from different ashrams in Vrindavan, who have decided to treat it as a part of Diwali celebrations.

“Every woman has the right to

› Her marriage before the community is not just an act of courage but a learning that women’s life does not end if a woman is left alone due to some reason. This is the only message that widows want to give to the society. BINDESHWAR PATHAK, founder of Sulabh International

live her life as per her wish. If a widow wants to remarry, no one should stop her. This will be a great Diwali for us,” said Manu Ghosh, 90, a widow living at an ashram in Vrindavan.

After losing her husband in one of the worst natural disasters in the country -- in Kedarnath in June 2013 -- Vinita Devi (23), remained confined to her in-laws house in Devlidhanigram in Rudraprayag district for two months. Vinita, who has a three-year-old son and a one-and-half-year old daughter, later left for her native village Kamodi in the same district.

“As my mother was ill, I returned to my home but soon realised how difficult life is for a widow,” said Vinita.

“I started living with a man, Rakesh Kumar, a year later. We got our marriage registered in the court but we did not get social acceptance,” she added.

Resistance from the society, however, gave her courage. She then decided to tie the nuptial knot with Rakesh following all religious and social customs. “My mother will attend the marriage for sure. I hope all my relatives come,” said Vinita, who did the shopping for her marriage on Saturday.

“Her marriage before the community is not just an act of courage but a learning that women’s life does not end if a woman is left alone due to some reason,” said Bindeshwar Pathak, founder of Sulabh International, which works for the welfare of widows in the country. Sulabh International is organising the marriage.

“Vinita is educated till class 8 and is not employed as of now. We will try to provide her some vocational training so that she can contribute financially to her family and develop confidence,” Pathak said.