Archive · 16 Aug 2026
'Brother Modi': Vrindavan Widows Handcraft 1,100 Rakhis for PM
Raksha Bandhan is a happy festival in India where sisters tie a special bracelet, called a rakhi, on their brothers' wrists to show love.
In a town called Vrindavan, many grandmothers live together in homes called ashrams.
Long ago, widows in this town were expected to stay quiet and away from celebrations.
Now, these grandmothers celebrate Raksha Bandhan together every year.
This year they made 1,100 rakhis by hand, decorating them with pictures of India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
They call him 'brother Modi' and send him rakhis and sweets every year.
Five of them will travel to Delhi to give their gifts to him in person.
The grandmothers sang songs about Krishna and danced at an old temple to prepare the gifts.
They say the festival is a wonderful time for them to celebrate together.
Hundreds of elderly widows living in Vrindavan ashrams handcrafted 1,100 special rakhis for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Raksha Bandhan.
The rakhis are decorated with colourful photographs of Modi, whom the women address as 'brother Modi.'
The widows gathered at the historic Gopinath Temple in Vrindavan to celebrate Raksha Bandhan and prepare the rakhis, in an event organized by Sulabh International.
The celebration marked a departure from the traditional secluded and austere lives long expected of widows in Vrindavan.
Five widows will travel to Delhi this year to personally present baskets of sweets and rakhis to Prime Minister Modi on Raksha Bandhan.
- Who
- Elderly widows living in Vrindavan ashrams, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Sulabh International, which organized the event.
- What
- The widows handcrafted 1,100 rakhis decorated with photographs of Modi to send to him for Raksha Bandhan.
- When
- On Sunday, during the Raksha Bandhan celebration this year.
- Where
- Gopinath Temple in Vrindavan (Mathura), with five widows set to travel to Delhi to personally meet the prime minister.
- Why
- To express their affection for Modi, whom the widows regard and address as their 'brother.'
- Rakhis prepared
- 1,100
- Recipient
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi
- Occasion
- Raksha Bandhan
- Event venue
- Gopinath Temple, Vrindavan
- Organizer
- Sulabh International
- Widows travelling to Delhi
- 5
- Rakhi decoration
- Colourful photographs of Modi