Taj Mahotsav begins with much fanfare in Agra

The ten-day-long annual Taj Mahotsav began at the Shilp Gram in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday amidst much fanfare.

The theme of this year's festival is 'Paigham-e Mohahabbat' or 'Message of Love'.

This year's event marks the 23rd year of that festival that showcases the best of Indian crafts and culture in Agra, one of the country's biggest tourist destinations.

The Uttar Pradesh Department of Tourism has made special efforts to attract more tourists to the festival this year.

Several cultural events have been planned, including performances by Bollywood singers Javed Ali, Udit Narayan and Shreya Ghoshal.

A special Sufi night has also been organized at Fatehpur Sikri, featuring Aslam Sabri.