The government has decided to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Sri Krishnadevaraya's coronation in Kurnool and Kadapa districts too following representations from local leaders. With this, the number of districts where these celebrations are being organised has gone up 10.
The other districts are Anantapur, Hyderabad, Khammam, Guntur, Krishna, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam and Nellore. Ministers J. Geetha Reddy (Information & Culture) and N. Raghuveera Reddy (Agriculture) said at a video conference with District Collectors on Tuesday to discuss the month-long celebrations that a Sri Krishnadevaraya ratham was being made with TTD funds to be taken to all districts.
Like the three-day inaugural celebrations at Hyderabad, the concluding ceremony would be organised at Penukonda in Anantapur district which was the second capital of the Vijayanagara empire, from August 6 and culminating on August 8, the day Sri Krishnadevaraya's coronation took place 500 years ago at the Virupaksha temple at Hampi. Mr Raghuveera Reddy said Sri Krishnadevaraya was seen as a role model in providing good governance and as one who tried to achieve a welfare state.
He took the first-ever drought-proof initiative by constructing irrigation tanks and digging canals wherever possible. His legacy continued even now through Jalayagnam programme in the State.
