Vijayawada Utsav to showcase city’s cultural heritage

Vijayawada: Vijayawada is set to host a grand celebration of its tourism, culture, and history with ‘Vijayawada Utsav’, a people’s participation festival organised by the Society for Vibrant Vijayawada with the support of the Andhra Pradesh government. The festival will run from September 22 to October 2, coinciding with Dasara festivities.

The curtain-raiser event for the festival was held on Sunday in Poranki on city outskirts attended by prominent guests, including Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath and Bapatla MP Tenneti Krishna Prasad and MLAs Tangirala Soumya, Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, Gadde Rammohan, Sriram Rajagopal, and Bode Prasad, also attended.

Special guests included actresses Samyuktha Menon, Divi Vadthya, and Manasa Varanasi. The cast of ‘Kishkindhapuri’ movie, including actor Bellamkonda Sai Srinivas and actress Anupama Parameswaran, also attended.

Kesineni Sivanath launched the official logo and a promotional video for the Vijayawada Utsav. The festival’s website, www.vijayawadautsav.com, and social media handles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube were officially launched.

An AI character was launched to provide tourists and locals with real-time information about festival events and schedules. A poster for the Swachhathon-Marathon (21K, 10K, and 5K) was launched. The run will be held on October 2 to mark Swachh Bharat Diwas. Posters for helicopter rides and an exhibition featuring details on musical concerts, dance shows, and other events were also launched.

MP Kesineni Sivanath said, ”We will host the Vijayawada Utsav every year. This festival should become a platform to reduce migration and attract large businesses to create jobs in Vijayawada.”

MLAs Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, Gadde Rammohan, Tangirala Soumya, Sriram Tatayya Bode Prasad, praised MP Sivanath’s efforts.

Actress Samyuktha Menon expressed her admiration for the city, stating, ”Vijayawada is a beautiful city.” She added that the festival has a clear vision to promote tourism and attract global attention to the city. ”With everyone’s support, the Vijayawada Utsav will be a great success,” she said.

Earlier, the audience was captivated by a dance performance by Madhumita and her team, depicting the forms of the goddess, and a recital of poems from Sri Krishna Rayabaram by AP Nataka Academy chairman Gummadi Gopalakrishna. The event was emceed by Swachhandra Corporation chairman Kommareddy Pattabhiram.