Mathura, Aug. 16 -- This year's Janmashtami festival turned out to be historic for Mathura-Vrindavan, drawing an unprecedented gathering of devotees and tourists.



While last year saw over 4.5 million pilgrims, this year's count surged nearly 6 million by 6 PM on the festival day, creating a new benchmark in Uttar Pradesh's religious tourism.



As chants of "Nand ke Anand Bhayo, Jai Kanhaiya Lal Ki" echoed through the birthplace of Lord Krishna, Brajdham transformed into a global center of devotion.



The presence of thousands of international visitors from Canada, USA, France, Russia, and Nepal gave the festivities a distinctly international character, further cementing Brajdham's place on the world's religious tourism map.

The...