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Hundreds of widowed women threw coloured powders in the air, danced and played Holi – in the holy city of Vrindavan on Monday.

A few years ago this joyful celebration was forbidden to widowed women.

But over the last three years a little bit of colour and joy has returned to their lives.

Aid group Sulabh International has been organising regular Holi celebrations in Vrindavan since 2013.

The group was asked to oversee the lives of the widows of the city by India’s Supreme Court after news reports of the widows being forced to beg for food and forced into prostitution.