On the auspicious occasion of Krishna Janmashtami, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reiterated his commitment to saving the spiritual and cultural heritage of Uttar Pradesh and said Lord Krishna's speech, mantra and preachings were the driving force in bringing change in human lives.
In the presence of saints who came to Braj Bhoomi from different states, the chief minister said that some civilizations were 2,700 years old and some 1,400, 1,700 or 2,000 years old. “Ours is the eternal civilization and culture which has been there since time immemorial,” he said.
“Lord Krishna was born about 5,000 years ago from today in this Braj region. Today, with the blessings of Banke Bihari Lalji and efforts of Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad, work is in progress to protect the cultural and spiritual heritage and to amalgamate it with latest development standards,” he said.
Saluting the presence of the saints on stage, the chief minister recalled the successful organisation of the Vaishnav Kumbh in Vrindavan, and also referred to the efforts made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take India's great heritage like yoga and Prayagraj Kumbh to the global stage.
Expressing his deep affection for the holy land of Mathura-Vrindavan, the chief minister saluted the holy spirit of the devotees who came there.
Carrying bundles on their heads the devotees have come from across the state to attend Janmashtami in the Mathura-Vrindavan. It is a reflection of his thoughts, he pointed out.
The chief minister along with saints inaugurated the state-of-the-art kitchen 'Annapurna Bhojnalaya' set up by the Braj Teerth Vikas Parishad and Mangalam Parivar Trust in Vrindavan. The chief minister himself took the prasad by distributing prasad.
Earlier, Yogi flagged off electric buses. On the special occasion, evocative cultural performances by local folk artistes were also performed.