Janmashtami: Bollywood celebs to light up 'dahi handi' celebrations

Mumbai: Bollywood biggies will add a touch of glamour on Friday to Janmashtami celebrations in Mumbai, where prizes running into crores will be up for grabs. Stars like Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Esha Deol and playback singer Himesh Reshammiya, among others, are all likely to be present at a mega 'dahi handi' celebration organised by NCP leader and minister Sachin Ahir and his wife Sangeeta at Jamboree maidan in central Mumbai.

"This year we have prizes worth a crore and they are dedicated to the spirit of Mumbaikars. Besides being associated with festival, 'dahi handi' is also a sport," said Sangeeta.

'Dahi handi' (pot of curd) is associated with the mythological tale of Lord Krishna's boyhood trick of stealing butter from a suspended earthen pot. Govindas (young men) form a human pyramid to reach the dahi handi put up at a height and try to break it in a bid to win prizes.

Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar, Emraan Hashmi, Esha Deol are likely to be present at a mega \'dahi handi\' celebration in Mumbai.

Over 400 Govinda mandals (groups) will participate in the 'dahi handi' event organised by Shri Sankalp Pratishthan, an NGO floated by Ahir and his wife.

The visitors will be entertained with a cultural event which will see performances by well-known Marathi and Hindi cinema and stage artistes like Esha Deol, Shweta Tiwari, Neha Pedse and Pushkar Jog, Sangeeta said.

"The whole event will be witnessed by Hrithik Roshan, Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi, among others," she said.

Emraan said he was excited about taking part in the celebration, but will refrain from promoting his upcoming film 'Raaz 3' given the religious nature of the event. "I am really excited to be part of the celebration. I do not find it necessary to use religious events as platforms for a film's promotion. I will be at the event as a guest and will interact with my fans," Emraan said.

Esha Deol, who got married to businessman Bharat Takhtani in June, will be performing at the event.

'Dahi handis' are organised every year in several parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra, where prizes running into lakhs are on the offer.

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