{
  "id": 1268405,
  "title": "‘Brother Modi’: Vrindavan Widows Handcraft 1,100 Rakhis For PM",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/brother-modi-vrindavan-widows-handcraft-1-100-rakhis-for-pm",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-16T12:02:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/brother-modi-vrindavan-widows-handcraft-1100-rakhis-for-pm"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Vrindavan's elderly widows are crafting 1,100 special rakhis for Prime Minister Narendra Modi this Raksha Bandhan, honoring him as their brother. Decorated with Modi's photographs, these handcrafted threads have been created by women residing in various ashrams in the temple town. At the historic Gopinath Temple on Sunday, the widows gathered to celebrate Raksha Bandhan and prepare the rakhis, organized by Sulabh International. This event marked a shift from the historical image of Vrindavan's widows, who were previously expected to live in seclusion and be excluded from celebrations. Singing Krishna bhajans and dancing, the women joined Nitya Pathak, Sulabh International's executive convenor, in decorating the rakhis. Pathak, who joined the festivities, noted that the women send rakhis and sweets to Modi annually, treating him as their sibling. Five women will travel to Delhi this year to personally deliver baskets of sweets and rakhis to Modi on Raksha Bandhan. For them, the festival is an opportunity to celebrate together and express their affection for the prime minister, whom they affectionately call \"brother Modi.\"",
  "summary": "Mathura: Hundreds of elderly widows living in Vrindavan ashrams are preparing 1,100 special rakhis for Prime Minister Narendra Modi this Raksha Bandhan, continuing a tradition in which they regard him as their brother. The rakhis, decorated with colourful photographs of Modi, have been designed and handcrafted by the women living in various ashrams in the temple town. On Sunday, the widows…",
  "key_points": [
    "1,100 rakhis crafted by Vrindavan widows for PM Modi",
    "Decorated with Modi's photographs and handmade by elderly women",
    "Five widows to personally deliver gifts to Modi in Delhi"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}