There are approximately 34 million widows in India. In the traditional view, they are physically alive but socially dead. A lot of them are not able to support themselves and become economically and socially dependent on their children, who often face problems in sharing their resources with their mothers. In many cases, the mother becomes a burden and is consequently abandoned. Unfortunately, these thoughts and practices prevail in the society even in the 21^st century. Living in oppressive environments, some widows come to the holy city of Vrindavan in order to devote themselves to Lord Krishna and find salvation and peace. Some arrive in Vrindavan willingly; some are forced to leave their homes. Here, they depend mainly on begging, singing devotional songs and charity. Few non-governmental organizations such as Maitri Home are taking measures to empower widows. These organizations run shelter homes for the widows.