Date:10/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/10/stories/2008101055560200.htm

Karnataka - Bellary

Cultural programmes in taluk headquarters to set the mood for Hampi Utsav

Staff Correspondent

BELLARY: Cultural programmes and rural sports, involving farmers, women and children, will be organised at all the taluk headquarters on October 31 to set the mood for the beginning of the Hampi Utsav, a three-day mega cultural festival of dance, music and drama, at Hampi from November 3.

“This is being organised for the first time in all taluk headquarters to not only give publicity to the mega cultural festival but also to involve the public and to create a sense of feeling among them that the cultural festival is a ‘janotsav’,” B. Shivappa, Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of the Hampi Utsav Committee at the district-level, told The Hindu.

On October 31, a colourful procession, accompanied by a traditional band, decorated bullock carts, artistes from various folk forms, and people drawn from the rural areas, will be taken out in the taluk headquarters. It has also been planned to organise an exhibition of agricultural implements and inputs and also about the welfare programmes of the Government. In the evening, artistes from the district will give cultural programmes. Rangoli competitions will also be organised to attract women, he said and added that a committee of officials for each taluk has been formed to organise the functions.

On November 3, a colourful procession, led by tastefully decorated bullock carts and a traditional band, will be taken out from various places around Hampi, including Hospet and Kamalapur, and converge at Hampi spreading the message that “all roads lead to Hampi”, he said.

Mr. Shivappa, who reviewed the progress achieved by the various sub-committees, said that six stages will be set up at different places at Hampi — near Yeduru Basavanna mantap, at Virupaksha temple precincts, near Sasivekal Ganesh, at Kaddirampur, Hotel Mayura Bhuvaneshwari compound at Kamalapur, light and sound programme near the elephant stables.

In addition to booking hotel rooms in Hospet and Kamalapur, there were possibilities of erecting tents on the Kannada University campus and the Daroji Bear Sanctuary, which are nearby, to accommodate the artistes and others coming to the utsav.

Instructions have been given to the concerned to contact top class wrestlers in and around the district and also from other States seeking their participation in wrestling matches to be organised as part of the cultural festival, he said.

An exhibition, with around 150 stalls, and a food court will be organised.

Mr. Shivappa said that even this year too, police bands from different districts will be invited to give a performance on November 2 to mark the curtain raiser of the cultural event.

Rajaram, Chief Executive Officer, G.N. Shivamurthy, Headquarters Assistant to Deputy Commissioner, B.P. Adnur, Assistant Commissioner, Ashok Kurer, Additional Superintendent of Police, Pragna Ammembal, Hospet Tahsildar, among other senior officials, attended the review meeting.