Nita Ambani performs puja on Ram Navami, seeks blessing for cultural centre's opening in Mumbai

Businesswoman and philanthropist Nita Ambani is all set to inaugurate India’s highly-anticipated multi-disciplinary cultural space in Mumbai on Friday (March 31).

A day before the grand inauguration, the 59-year-old organised an intimate puja ceremony on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami on Thursday. She sought the blessings of the almighty for a successful opening on the eve of the launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC).

Mrs Ambani's picture performing the traditional puja has been going viral on social media. She opted for a magenta Punjabi suit with intricate gold zari embroidery and gota-patti work. She completed her look with chunky diamond studs and ring, and a simple pair of diamond-gold bandles.

For the opening ceremony, a grand showcase with India's best in the fields of music, theatre, fine arts and crafts has been planned for Friday's launch. With audiences coming from both India and around the world, the larger-than-life inauguration will feature a specially-curated art and craft exposition called 'Swadesh' along with three shows - The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation (a musical night), India in Fashion (costume art exhibition) and Sangam Confluence (visual art show).

The launch programme will explore the diversity of India's culture, art and traditions and their impact on the world.

The cultural hub will mark another definitive step in strengthening India’s cultural infrastructure and bringing to fruition the best of India and the world in the sphere of arts.

NMACC is home to three performing arts spaces - the 2,000-seater Grand Theatre, 250-seater Studio Theatre and 125-seater The Cube. It also features a four-storey Art House, dedicated to visual arts.

Before the grand opening, Ambani said that working on India's one-of-a-kind cultural centre has been a "sacred journey."

"Bringing this cultural centre to life has been a sacred journey. We were keen to create a space for both promoting and celebrating our artistic and cultural heritage in cinema and music, dance and drama, literature and folklore, arts and crafts and science and spirituality. It is a space where we will showcase the best of India to the world and welcome the best of the world to India," Ambani said in a statement.

According to the statement, NMACC will be highly-inclusive with free access to children, students, senior citizens and the differently-abled. It will also focus on community nurturing programmes.

The cultural space is located within the Jio World Centre, in the heart of Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex.