Where ruins come alive: Two-day Hampi Utsav to be held in mid-Jan

HOSAPETE: The Vijayanagara district administration has finally decided on the dates to hold the two-day Hampi Utsav. Initially planned to be inaugurated on January 6, 2023, the same day as the Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Haveri, the 2-day Hampi Utsav will now be held sometime in mid-January. The final dates are expected to be announced in a day or two.

On Tuesday, Vijayanagara Deputy Commissioner Venkatesh T and Superintendent of Police Srihari Babu BL inspected the areas where Hampi Utsav is organised each year. They inspected the water sports area, main stage and other venues which will host cultural programmes.

Hampi Utsav is among the top events conducted by the State Government. The event was first started by former deputy chief minister MP Prakash in the 1980s and it has been conducted since then. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the festival was organised symbolically on the banks of the Tungabhadra river in Hampi. But this time, the administration and minister and the local MLA Anand Singh are keen on making the two-day festival a grand event.

“We have discussed it with District Minister Shashikala Jolle. A meeting will be held in this regard on December 5 where the dates will be finalised,” DC Venkatesh said.

“There has been a demand to increase the Utsav to three days. A meeting of all the stakeholders will be chaired by the minister. Our main aim is to make the festival a grand success. We will start preparations for the event from the third week of December,” he said.

Besides the usual programmes such as Tunga arati, cultural evenings, ‘Hampi By Sky’ helicopter rides,  light and sound shows and rural sports, the administration is planning to conduct water sports in the Tungabhadra river. During the earlier editions, water sports were held in Kamalapur lake.