State Tourism Minister Girish Mahajan announced on Thursday that the Maharashtra government is allocating Rs 25 crore for the upcoming nine-day Mumbai Festival in January.
Scheduled to take place from January 20 to 28, 2024, the mega event is a combination of well-established events such as the Kalaghoda Festival and Tata Mumbai Marathon. The festival aims to celebrate the unity and inclusivity of the financial capital, often described as a melting pot despite its history of communal tensions.
Mahajan said the city is home to people from all the major religions and has always welcomed people. Billionaire Anand Mahindra, who has been roped in as the chairperson of the advisory committee, said the city has a long history of using festivals for larger causes like Ganpati for the freedom struggle, and the upcoming festivals also have a larger purpose beyond tourism and fun.
Mahindra said the festival will be akin to a cultural ambassador which will expose the city to the world, and also hoped that it will strengthen the economic underpinnings. He said a bear hug approach has been adopted by the organisers by embracing a large number of events which are already happening in the city and presenting them under a broader umbrella.