UP govt took cue from its grand Diwali celebrations; Holi festivities in Braj region attract tourists from across the world.
New Delhi: After Lord Rama, it is the turn of Lord Krishna and Radha to get a chopper ride in Uttar Pradesh.
The Yogi Adityanath government is planning a mega show on Holi in Barsana, Mathura — famous for its ‘Lathmar Holi’— in line with the grand Diwali celebrations it had organised in Ayodhya this year.
“We are planning a big celebration of Holi this time in Mathura and chief minister Yogi Adityanath will be present on the occasion,” UP’s religious affairs minister Laxmi Narayan Choudhary told ThePrint.
The biggest attraction would be actors dressed as Lord Krishna and Radha arriving in Mathura with the chief minister in a state government helicopter.
Holi celebrations in the Braj region, considered to be the land of Lord Krishna, attract tourists from across the world.
Choudhary, who’s the MLA from Chhata, Mathura, attended the first meeting on 24 December to chalk out plans for the event.
Apart from visiting the temples, the CM will also take part in the Holi celebrations and play with ‘Gulal’ on 24 February.
The CM will also participate in a roadshow with the actors dressed as Lord Krishna and Radha.
“We have asked citizens to send their suggestions and ideas so as to make the celebration a huge success,” said Choudhary.
Arrangements would be made in and around Mathura to accommodate people coming in from elsewhere.
In October, the Yogi government had celebrated ‘Deepotsav’ in Ayodhya during which actors playing Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman arrived in a state helicopter and were welcomed by the chief minister himself.
The festival concluded with the lighting of 1.71 lakh diyas — equal to the current population of Ayodhya — in Sarayu river to set a world record.
“It is a part of our plan to promote places, the culture and festivals of UP to boost tourism in the state,” said Avanish Awasthi, principal secretary, tourism and religious affairs, UP.