BJP MP from Mathura, Hema Malini on Tuesday said Mathura Mahotsav, a two-day cultural festival postponed due to untimely rains, would be held at Mathura’s Vrindavan Chandrodaya temple this weekend, and the funds raised from the festival would be used for the welfare of hailstorm-affected farmers.
Announcing the new dates here, Ms. Malini said the festival, slated on April 25 and 26, is an attempt to rekindle the history of Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Several Bollywood names are likely to perform, including actors Parineeti Chopra, Shraddha Kapoor, Aditi Rao Hydari, singer Udit Narayan, singer Shankar Mahadevan along with well-known regional exponents like Malini Awasthi. The 66-year-old, who made her debut in Lok Sabha after serving a term in the Upper House, will also perform at the festival.
“The idea of this mahotsav is to bring into the limelight, the vast heritage of Braj. Being rooted in Bollywood for a long time, I want to combine the art of Braj and Bollywood to create for the first time in Mathura, a mahotsav of this grandeur,” Ms. Malini said.
The festival was postponed due to hailstorms damaging crops and killing people in the region.
The festival will also attempt to recreate the mythological town of Braj. “Devotees and visitors will not only enjoy stage performances, but also this experience of the Lord’s presence through the depictions of episodes and tales of that era,” she added.
