Shekhawat honours dancers at Jodhpur Navratri Mahotsav
Synopsis
Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat joined the annual Navratri Mahotsav in Jodhpur, organised by the Juna Khedapati Hanuman Temple Trust, honouring outstanding women and girl dancers across categories alongside Mayor Prasannachand Mehta and Trust president Kamlesh Purohit.
Key Takeaways
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat , Union Culture and Tourism Minister and Jodhpur MP, attended the Navratri Mahotsav on 20 October 2026 .
The event was organised by the Juna Khedapati Hanuman Temple Trust , Jodhpur.
Awards were given to girls, young women, and women for outstanding dance performances across multiple categories.
Jodhpur Mayor Prasannachand Mehta and Trust president and councillor Kamlesh Purohit were present alongside the minister.
The participation reflects BJP ministers' regular engagement with local religious and cultural festivals in their constituencies.
In the heart of his home constituency, Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat stepped off the national stage and onto a local one — joining devotees and performers at the annual Navratri Mahotsav organised by the Juna Khedapati Hanuman Temple Trust in Jodhpur on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
Posting on X in Hindi, Shekhawat wrote: 'जोधपुर के जूना खेड़ापति हनुमान मंदिर ट्रस्ट द्वारा आयोजित नवरात्रि महोत्सव में सहभागिता की।' — 'Participated in the Navratri Mahotsav organised by the Juna Khedapati Hanuman Temple Trust of Jodhpur.' The minister personally felicitated girls, young women, and women who delivered outstanding dance performances across various categories at the festival.
Prizes for performers across three generations
The event brought together participants spanning different age groups — from young girls to adult women — each competing across distinct dance categories. Shekhawat distributed the awards himself, placing the minister's imprimatur on what is a cherished community tradition in this desert city.
Standing alongside him were Jodhpur Mayor Prasannachand Mehta and Kamlesh Purohit, the Trust's president and a sitting municipal councillor — a gathering that underlined the event's standing as a fixture on Jodhpur's civic and cultural calendar.
A constituency MP's cultural footprint
Shekhawat, a senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur, holds the Union Culture and Tourism portfolio — making his presence at a grassroots cultural festival more than ceremonial. Rajasthan's Navratri celebrations are renowned for their devotional vigour, and temple trusts like the Juna Khedapati Hanuman Temple Trust serve as community anchors, blending religious observance with the performing arts.
For a minister whose brief spans everything from the Archaeological Survey to India's international tourism brand, showing up in a local mandap to hand a prize to a young dancer from his constituency is a pointed reminder that cultural policy, at its most human, begins right here.
Point of View
Such appearances also carry a soft-power subtext: they signal that the ministry's promotion of India's intangible cultural heritage runs through grassroots institutions, not just UNESCO submissions. The presence of both the city's mayor and the temple trust's councillor-president suggests a well-coordinated local network. Expect similar engagements to punctuate the festive calendar in Rajasthan as the political and cultural seasons overlap.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Juna Khedapati Hanuman Temple Trust Navratri Mahotsav in Jodhpur?
It is an annual Navratri festival organised by the Juna Khedapati Hanuman Temple Trust in Jodhpur, featuring devotional dance competitions across categories for girls, young women, and adult women, with prizes awarded to outstanding performers.
Why did Gajendra Singh Shekhawat attend the Jodhpur Navratri event?
As the Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur and Union Culture and Tourism Minister, Shekhawat participated to engage with his constituency's cultural traditions and personally felicitate prize-winning dancers at the festival.
Who else was present at the Navratri Mahotsav with Shekhawat?
Jodhpur Mayor Prasannachand Mehta and Kamlesh Purohit — the Trust's president and a municipal councillor — accompanied the minister at the event.
What is Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's political position?
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is a senior BJP leader, Lok Sabha MP from Jodhpur in Rajasthan, and currently serves as India's Union Minister of Culture and Tourism.
How does Navratri celebrate performing arts in Rajasthan?
Navratri in Rajasthan is marked by devotional fervour and community events, with temple trusts commonly organising dance competitions that honour classical and folk performance traditions, blending religious observance with cultural celebration.
