How You Can Support Phuleshwari
It takes $250 a month to sponsor Phuleshwari fully. Together we can give her the security she needs to continue her seva in Radha Kunda.
Items to be sponsored monthly
Selection can be made within the donation box.
HOUSING - $50.00
UTILITIES - $30.00
MEALS - $25.00
HEALTH & MEDICAL - $25.00
CLOTHING - $30.00
PERSONAL ITEMS - $25.00
SEVA SUPPLIES - $15.00
STIPEND - $50.00
TOTAL -$250
Sponsor Phuleshvari,
a widow of Radha Kunda
Sponsoring a widow gives her employment with meaningful engagement. It also offers her housing and medical care and, most importantly, gives her a family, community, and purpose again.
MAKE A LASTING IMPACT
Meet Phuleshwari.
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Her Journey.
Born into a small village family in Siliguri, West Bengal, Phuleshwari’s life has been marked by resilience and unwavering faith. At the tender age of 12, she was married by her family to a man more than twice her age, with the hopes that she would at least survive when they could not afford an education for her. Poverty overshadowed her youth as she worked tirelessly alongside her husband in rice paddy fields and trainyards, struggling to make ends meet. Despite their hard labor, food was scarce, and malnutrition plagued their family.
When she was just 40 years old, tragedy struck. Her husband passed away from paralysis, leaving her alone and unsupported. Life became increasingly harsh as her remaining family treated her with cruelty after the death of her husband, forcing her to leave her home behind.
With no one to turn to, Phuleshwari found solace and purpose in Vrindavan, the sacred land of Radha and Krishna. Dedicating herself to spiritual pursuits, she has become a vital part of the Radha Kunda community. Today, she serves others with love and devotion, ensuring that no widow goes without a meal and that the sacred waters of Radha Kunda remain a source of beauty and inspiration.
Your sponsorship helps sustain Phuleshwari’s incredible service, allowing her to continue uplifting her community and preserving these sacred spaces.
A Day in the Life of Phuleshwari
A Widow of Radha Kunda
A Day in the Life.
When I first met Phuleshwari, her presence was both commanding and warm. She greeted me with a hearty chuckle, her strong hands rolling out chapattis on a simple mat spread on the ground. Beside her, a small stove crackled, where she flipped each chapatti with expert precision, watching them puff perfectly before tossing them into a metal container already filled with hundreds more.
Using the traditional techniques of her native West Bengal, Phuleshwari prepared these chapattis with incredible ease. Alongside two other widowed women from the RadhaSeva community, she cooked over 800 chapattis every morning to feed 200 women who would soon arrive for their daily meals—four chapattis each. The air outside carried a mix of charcoal smoke, temple incense, and the foggy stillness of early morning. Soft chatter filled the courtyard as other women prepared dhalma, beans, and vegetables, all cooked with the spices and care of their heritage.
Phuleshwari radiates a quiet strength—graceful yet sturdy, gentle yet resolute. There’s a no-nonsense affection in her demeanor, a motherly quality that draws others to her. For over a decade, she has been part of RadhaSeva, and this gentle, rhythmic life has become her sanctuary.
Yet her path to Radha Kunda was anything but easy.
When Phuleshwari first arrived in Radha Kunda, life was harsh and uncertain. She lived in overcrowded widows' ashrams—dirty, chaotic, and lacking basic care. The food she was given was unsatisfying, and her spirit longed for peace, stability, and a sense of belonging.
When she heard about RadhaSeva, where widows cooked for the community and supported one another, she felt a glimmer of hope. A place where she could use her love of cooking, find a stable income, and join a caring community felt like a blessing. When she was finally able to move into the RadhaSeva ashram, it was like stepping into a new life.
Here, Phuleshwari found a quiet, personal room—a place she could call her own. For someone used to austerity and hardship, the simple comforts of RadhaSeva felt like luxury. She was grateful for the ability to cook meals suited to her health while continuing to serve the broader community through her cooking.
A Life Transformed.
Phuleshwari’s mornings begin with devotional service. After preparing hundreds of chapattis alongside her fellow widows, she takes time for her personal spiritual practices. She chants her daily japa, her mantra meditation, while circumambulating the holy places of Radha Kunda. With a few other women, she visits the sacred kundas and temples, offering personal prayers at each site.
Later in the morning, she helps distribute meals to the women who arrive for their prasadam, after the food has been offered to Radha Madan Mohan, the temple deities. Back in her personal room, she lovingly cares for her own deities, offering them simple yet heartfelt prayers and offerings.
Her afternoons are often spent tending to the sacred Radha Kunda and Shyama Kunda, ensuring these holy pools remain clean and beautiful. With a gentle devotion, she works alongside other women, honoring these sacred waters with her care.
Evenings bring a time of reflection and song. Phuleshwari joins the kirtans, singing for the deities with a quiet joy, before retiring to her room for prayer and rest.
To see Phuleshwari today is to witness a life redeemed. Once scorned and overlooked, she is now a pillar of her community—a devotional woman whose life inspires others. Her quiet, steady efforts have transformed not only her own life but also the lives of those around her. She has created a warm, supportive atmosphere in Radha Kunda, offering companionship and care to other widowed women.
Phuleshwari often says it is her great fortune to live this life after so much suffering. But for those who know her, the truth is clear—she has earned this peace through her unwavering devotion and service.
Your support ensures that women like Phuleshwari receive the care they deserve, allowing them to continue creating beauty, love, and community in this sacred place.
Join our global monthly community supporting Vrindavan's widows.
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Our monthly community comes together from around the world to see Radha Kunda and Govardhan's land and people cared for and protected.
Here's where our donors live.
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Simakumar
So happy to have found this. Finally an organization whose mission resonates with my values.
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C. John Gardiner
A wonderful Divine service beneficial to the whole universe. A gateway to Radha Krsna's Eternal Paradise.
Hannah Rose
I have to say I am utterly inspired and grateful for this organization and the work you are doing.
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Jugal Krishna Das
This devotional service is very nice! Hare Krishna! I love Radha Seva!
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Mahalakshmi Esperanza
Radha Seva is offering a most valuable serivce to humanity.
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Bhakti Mj
This is truly beautiful and close to my heart now. You have a mothly donor in NYC. May you be blessed to continue to help all who need.
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Jai Sri Radhe! My obeisances to the most beautiful service project!
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Dasistudio
A fantastic service!
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Srimati Devi Dasi
Wonderful essential service! My dandavats to you all!
Sunita Parke
Radha Seva is a very special sweet rare opportunity.
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Subodh Sangar
Great service by all of you. We will spread the word.
Brajasundari (Jill Tabler)
Thank you for not letting me down as a charity! Thank you for sharing the results of your work! Thank you, thank you.
RadhaSeva. A USA 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit. Tax-Exempt EIN 85-3203982 RadhaSeva is a dual-qualified charity in USA and India with Padma Charitable Trust.
This service is dedicated to and in honor of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada and his International Society for Krishna Consciousness