Vrindavan besides being a city of temples attract not only thousands of devout pilgrims but also those who wish to be residents of the abode seeking emancipation and attainment of ultimate goal of life. Many seek this as a place to rekindle their spiritual understanding. Many more seek to stay here in the last days of their lives and to attain His spiritual abode on passing. At the time of their passing away they wish to be blessed by the dust from the abode of Lord Krishna which is non-different and as worshipable as the Lord Himself.
In this quest, many widows who largely hail from Bengal and Orissa come to Vrindavan to leave their mortal coil in the blessed land of Radha and Krishna. Some come to the land to escape from the ill treatment they received from their own kin as being a burden in old age. Social stigma attached to widowhood in some of the families also force them to leave their homes and hearth and come to Vrindavan. These widows come to Vrindavan under varied circumstances be that as it may, but all these widow mothers come seeking Lord Krishna’s shelter in His abode. It is estimated that population of widows in Vrindavan could be around 15000 to 20000. Most of these widow mothers are forced to beg for their morsel of food, or take up simple chores to feed for themselves. The social stigma attached to widowhood and the concomitant social exploitation or suffering are on the decline even though it would be wrong to say that they are non-existent, thanks mainly due to many social reforms and education. The economic problems of widows across India more specifically those who come to the places of pilgrimage in the hope of passing their last days in a holy place are severe and persist to a large extent even now, in spite of efforts from the government and from the social sector in general.
One of the major necessity for these widows is to get a wholesome nutritious meal. Hare Krishna Movement Vrindavan seeks to bring in a specific intervention of feeding these widow mothers a wholesome nutritious lunch. Lunch has been traditionally the main daily meal of the day in India from the days of yore. The widow mothers are engaged predominantly in worship and visit of temples during the morning thus a fulfilling lunch is one of their fundamental needs. A fulfilling lunch will not only energize the body but also act as a means of spiritual upliftment. The lunch gives them the strength to carry on with their spiritual duties of doing bhajans, kirtanas and visiting temples throughout the day. Thus, acting as a key enabler in the fag end of their lives. Hare Krishna movement has been serving these meals to widows in various parts of Vrindavan since 2010.
Currently Hare Krishna Movement Vrindavan is serving lunch for widow mothers in 4 locations.
| Name of the Ashram | Location / Address |
| Maitree Ghar, Vrindavan | Parikrama Marg, Chaitanya Kuti, Pani Ghat, Vrindavan |
| Maa Dham | Gopal Garh, Vrindavan |
| Mahila Sadan | Chaitanya Vihar Phase – II, Vrindavan |
| Maitree Ghar, Radha Kund | Radha Nagar Colony, Parikrama Marg, Radha Kund. |
These ashrams are providing very nice support system for the residence and care of the widow mothers. Whereas, Hare Krishna Movement Vrindavan provides for the nutrition of these mothers. Maitree Ghar partly supports the feeding for the widows at their place.