Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the Braj region, which held religious and spiritual significance nationally and internationally, had an equally rich cultural heritage that had not been properly showcased so far and both the Central and the state governments were putting in sustained efforts to provide the right recognition to the region.
Inaugurating the ‘Braj Raj Utsav’ and ‘Hunar Haat’ at Vrindavan on Wednesday, Yogi said: “The state government is committed to promoting religious tourism in the state and is working with utmost dedication to enhance employment avenues and improve facilities for the tourists. Places such as Vrindavan, Barsana, Govardhan, Baldev, Nandgaon, Radhakund and Gokul have already been declared as ‘teerth sthal’ (pilgrimage sites) to foster the rich cultural heritage of the region.”
The Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad has organised the 10-day Braj Raj Mahotsav in Vrindavan to promote the glorious Braj culture where religious, traditional, folk dance, as well as cultural programmes symbolising Braj culture, will be staged. A grand laser show will also be organised during the event.
Furthermore, the chief minister said the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad was working collectively to glorify the Braj region and so far, schemes worth over Rs 400 crore had been implemented.
Emphasising that talent was above religion, caste and region, the chief minister said, “Just as talent required no affiliation with religion, region, caste or place, similarly, Raskhan (Syed Ibrahim Khan) remained devoted honestly and selflessly to Lord Krishna.”
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, MP Hema Malini, Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister Shrikant Sharma, UP cabinet minister Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, UP Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad Vice-Chairman Shailja Kant Misra and other dignitaries also remained present on the occasion of the inauguration of 31st Hunar Haat at Vrindavan.
Urging people to visit the Hunar Haat and participate actively to encourage the craftsmen and artisans, the chief minister said, “Hunar Haat is a perfect platform to promote, preserve and provide market and opportunities to centuries-old traditional and ancestral art and craft of India and it is strengthening the ‘Swadeshi’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ campaigns. The crafts will give us the glimpse of ‘Krishna leelas’ and will help to keep the culture alive.”
About 400 artisans and craftsmen from more than 30 states and Union territories, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Goa, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu-Kashmir, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala are showcasing their indigenous products made of wood, brass, bamboo, glass, cloth, paper, clay, etc. Traditional vegetarian foods from various parts of the country will also be available in the Hunar Haat.
The chief minister earlier also had lunch with about 500 saints and mahants present in Mathura-Vrindavan and interacted with them.