City gears up for second edition of Vijayawada Utsav

VIJAYAWADA: Elaborate arrangements are being made for the second edition of Vijayawada Utsav, with Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) saying the festival would be organised on a larger and more attractive scale this year.

With annual Dasara festivities at Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam (SDMSD) atop Indrakeeladri and Vijayawada Utsav coinciding, the city is expected to witness a major spiritual and cultural gathering. Chinni said special attention was being given to ensuring that lakhs of devotees visiting Kanaka Durga temple face no inconvenience.

Speaking to TNIE, Chinni said the arrangements were being planned in coordination with all departments, taking feedback and experiences from last year’s celebrations. Measures were being taken to regulate traffic around the Durga Temple, Kanaka Durga Flyover and major roads. Parking facilities for devotees’ vehicles and waiting areas would also be expanded. “To make the waiting period more pleasant, cultural programmes featuring local artistes would be organised at waiting centres. The programmes would cater to people of all age groups,” he said.

Chinni said Vijayawada had significance not only as a major spiritual centre but also in arts, culture, literature and cinema. The Vijayawada Utsav was conceived to showcase this cultural richness to the world. Despite rain and other challenges, the inaugural edition was successfully conducted last year, and preparations were now underway for a more extensive second edition.

He said details of the programmes would be announced at a special event soon. Prominent political leaders and industrialists from across the country would be invited for the Dasara celebrations and, if their schedules permitted, to participate in the Vijayawada Utsav.

“Local artists, cultural groups, poets and other talented persons would be given a prominent platform. A national Saras Mela would also be organised, providing self-help groups from different regions an opportunity to display and sell their products,” he added.

Chinni said coordination between the Durga temple administration and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) was crucial. Issues relating to funds, payments and responsibilities between the two institutions were being addressed in advance to avoid inconvenience to devotees during Dasara.

“The objective to conduct Vijayawada Utsav is to combine a smooth spiritual experience for devotees with a vibrant cultural celebration, making this year’s Dasara and Utsav more memorable,” he claimed.