Prayagraj Gears Up for Dussehra with Star Actor in Ramlila as Cooperative Taxi Service Arrives
As the Dussehra festival draws near, Prayagraj is making headlines on two distinct fronts this week — with a popular television actor set to grace the city's beloved Ramlila stage, and a new cooperative taxi service launched across five of Uttar Pradesh's major cities, bringing an affordable mobility option to residents of one of India's most spiritually significant urban centres.
🪔 Bollywood Actor Set to Light Up Prayagraj Ramlila for Dussehra
Actor Gautam Tripathi, known for his role in the television series Hanuman Ansh, is set to feature in Prayagraj's Ramlila celebrations as the Dussehra season kicks off across North India, according to a report by ETV Bharat. Ramlila performances in Prayagraj have long been a cherished tradition in the city, drawing large crowds of devotees and families to witness the dramatic re-enactment of episodes from the Ramayana. The involvement of a recognized television personality adds an additional draw to this year's celebrations, blending devotional tradition with popular culture in a way that is expected to generate considerable community excitement. Prayagraj, which serves as one of the holiest cities in Hindu religious geography and the site of the great Prayagraj Mela, holds its Ramlila events with particular significance, as the city's spiritual identity runs deep through every aspect of festive life. Residents and visitors alike are expected to turn out in large numbers as the performances build toward the climactic Ravana dahan that marks the festival's culmination on Dussehra night. The addition of a familiar television face is a draw that bridges generations of festivalgoers, from those who know the story by heart and those encountering it for the first time through a beloved screen performer. [1]
Bharat Taxi Cooperative Launches Across Five UP Cities Including Prayagraj
Union Minister Murlidhar Mohol and the Ministry of Cooperation marked a significant milestone on September 23, 2026, with the official launch of Bharat Taxi services in five major Uttar Pradesh cities: Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kanpur, and Prayagraj, as reported by DD News. The cooperative taxi platform is designed to offer an affordable, structured alternative to private cab aggregators, with the cooperative model intended to ensure that a greater share of fare revenue flows directly to drivers rather than to intermediary platforms. For Prayagraj, a city that serves both as a major religious pilgrimage hub and a growing urban centre, the arrival of a cooperative taxi option is expected to improve mobility choices for residents navigating the city's expanding road network. The launch is part of a broader national rollout of the Bharat Taxi initiative, which the Ministry of Cooperation has been promoting as a grassroots economic development tool for the transport sector. The timing, ahead of the Navratri and Dussehra festive season, means the service enters the market at a period of high urban mobility demand, when large numbers of visitors and devotees travel within and between UP's major religious destinations and families require dependable local transport for festive outings and temple visits throughout the city. [6]
Sources: [1] ETV Bharat · [6] DD News