Dharmendra's 'terahvin' organised in this Mathura village; 10,000 people attend shaanti paath, brahmabhoj, Sholay screening

Late Bollywood star Dharmendra, fondly remembered as the 'He-Man' of Hindi cinema, was given an unusual tribute in a Mathura village where locals organised a ceremonial 'terahvin' on Saturday, drawing a crowd of nearly 10,000 people. 

The event was held in Selkhera village of Baldev area, where fans performed a traditional 'havan', 'shantipaath' and later organised a 'brahmabhoj' to honour the beloved actor. A screening of his iconic film Sholay was also arranged as part of the tribute. 

Gopal Singh Pehalwan and Lakhan Singh, two of the organisers and lifelong admirers of the actor, said the entire village considered the actor "a member of their own family". "We were all deeply saddened by his death. To express our respect and affection, we decided to observe the 'terahvin' rituals," they said. 

They added that invitations were extended not just to Selkhera residents but also to people from around a dozen nearby villages, pushing the turnout beyond 10,000. "The havan, prayers and feast were conducted with complete traditional rituals," the organisers said. 

Dharmendra passed away on November 24 after a prolonged illness. His wife, actor-turned-politician Hema Malini, is the sitting MP from Mathura, elected for the third time in 2024. Dharmendra had also visited Mathura during her earlier election campaigns.

The veteran superstar acted in over 300 films in his career that spanned across six decades. His most famous movies included Sholay, Chupke Chupke, Pratiggya, Phool Aur Patthar, Seeta Aur Geeta, Satyakam, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, and Mera Gaon Mera Desh among others. His final film Ikkis will hit theatres on December 25 coinciding with Christmas.

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