The north Indian town of Vrindavan has an ancient history and is a sacred place for many prominent religions, such as Hinduism and the Hare Krishna movement. The town is also home to thousands of widows, who traditionally spend their remaining years leading a life of religious dedication.
Living communally in ashram temples, they fill their time praying and chanting to Krishna in exchange for a bed and small amounts of rice and water. They also beg on the streets to eke out a living.
In recent years, traditions have been broken: NGOs and international fashion designers are training women in textile and other craft production, for which they are paid. The widows are provided with lessons in Bengali, English and Hindi literacy, as well as financial and healthcare support.
Widows, rejected as inauspicious and seen as a burden, are often sent to Vrindavan by their families. Living together with a sense of solidarity, they lead simple and poverty-stricken lives but with dignity and, for some, purpose.