Janmashtami celebrations commence in Maharashtra and Gujarat

On Tuesday, Rajkot's five-day Janmashtami festival got under way. The mela is taking place at Race Course Ground, Rajkot, according to the ministry of tourism. Beginning on September 5 and lasting until September 9, and the timings are from  10:00 AM - 12:00 PM.

Meanwhile, state Industries Minister Uday Samant announced on Saturday that the Maharashtra government, which is led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, planned to hold a Pro Govinda competition with cash awards for this year's Dahi Handi, a celebration connected to the Hindu festival of Janmashtami.

In Maharashtra, the festival of Janmashtami is widely observed, and various Dahi Handi (earthen pots filled with yoghurt) competitions are held to mark the occasion. Participants in the event, known as Govindas, clad in vibrant clothing, created a human pyramid to reach the pot suspended in midair and destroy it.

Pro Govinda is a long-awaited event that is now being put on by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, according to Maharashtra Minister Uday Samant, who spoke to ANI. The Pro Govinda tournament would be held at the NSCI dome in Worli, Mumbai, with the pot suspended at a 40-foot height, the minister said.

The first prize will be Rs 11 lakh, followed by second, third, and fourth prizes of Rs 7 lakh, 5 lakh, and 3 lakh, respectively, he said. Every year, the festival of Janmashtami is celebrated by Hindus to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, the God who is the embodiment of playfulness and innocence.