Bollywood actress Veena Malik. Image: Scribes INC
Bollywood actress Veena Malik. Image: Scribes INC

Mumbaikers woke up to the beats of drums on the festival of Janmashtami on Friday morning, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna, and for the first time Bollywood actress Veena Malik added a touch of glamour to "Dahi Handi" in Worli.

The Pakistani actress performed as Radha with Govindas and won the heart of locals celebrating the holy festival.

"I feel very pleasant that people invited me on such a great day of India. It's a new exposure for me to know about the "Dahi Handi". I love to be a part of this holy celebration," the 28-year-old actress said.

"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 epitomizing Lord Krishna's childhood) form a human pyramid to reach the dahi handi put up at a certain height and broke it in a bid to win prizes. Nearly 400 Govinda groups participated in the 'dahi handi' event.

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

Actor Hrithik Roshan had earlier said that he would celebrate janmashtami at Worli's Jamboree Maidan to be organized by politician Sachin Ahir.

"The joy of participating in a real life dahi handi of such massive scale is unparalleled and unbeatable. This festival brings the entire community together. I am looking forward to seeing how these agile Govindas perform on Janmashtami day," Hrithik had told The Times of India.