Mathura decked up for annual Brajraj Utsav, Hema Malini to perform

Mathura(UP), Oct 25 (PTI) The holy city of Mathura is set to come alive with colours of devotion, art, and culture as the annual Brajraj Utsav begins on Sunday.

The 11-day cultural extravaganza, organised by the Uttar Pradesh Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, will be held at the railway ground on Dhaulipyaau Road and feature an array of renowned artistes from across India, including actor and Mathura MP Hema Malini.

Announcing the details of the festival, Shyam Bahadur Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, said the event would be grander and better than previous years.

The festivities will begin every day at 11 am, with morning sessions featuring competitions and performances by school students, followed by folk art presentations by local Braj artists from 3:30 pm to 6 pm. Evenings will showcase special performances by guest artists on the main stage.

"We are working relentlessly to preserve and maintain the cultural and religious heritage of Brij Bhoomi. The Brij Raj Utsav is an opportunity to present the rich cultural diversity of Mathura to devotees and tourists visiting the city," Vice Chairman of UP Brij Teerth Vikas Parishad, Shailja Kant Mishra said.

The opening ceremony on October 26 will feature a dance drama 'The Divine Krishna', while the closing day, November 5, will culminate with a grand 'Kavi Sammelan' (poets' meet) showcasing poets from across India.

The festival will witness a rich variety of cultural programmes throughout its duration. On October 27, a Bhajan Sandhya will be held, featuring devotional singer Kanhaiya Mittal. The following day will host a devotional night by singer Abhilipsa Panda.

On October 29, renowned classical dancer Rama Vaidyanathan will present her dance drama 'Akhilam Madhuram', followed by a musical performance by Suresh Wadkar.

The next evening, October 30, will see Puneet Issar and Siddharth Issar staging their grand production 'Jai Shri Krishna: Geeta Saar'. On October 31, Doordarshan Mathura will present a special AI-created Mahabharat premiere.

On November 4, Hema Malini will perform her dance drama 'Yashoda Krishna'.

Speaking to PTI, Malini said, "The entire Brij Bhoomi is the playground of Lord Krishna, which is also the reason for our cultural heritage to be so rich. Events like these become increasingly important today as they introduce our rich cultural heritage to everyone, particularly to the youth, who are otherwise somehow disconnected from our roots. The idea is to make everyone feel the richness of our culture." Deputy CEO Satish Chandra informed that all programmes will be open to the public free of cost. Visitors will also get to enjoy craft stalls, local products, and amusement facilities at the venue.

The Brajraj Utsav continues to be one of Mathura's most anticipated cultural celebrations, blending spiritual devotion, traditional art, and modern creativity. PTI COR CDN NAV MPL MPL