Pomp and gaiety marked the beginning of the two-day Godavari Dance festival at Kotilingala Ghat here where hundreds of people enjoyed cultural programmes on Wednesday.
The festival was presided over by local MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary and attended by MP Muralimohan, Legislative Council in-charge Chairman Reddy Subrahmanyam, Collector Karthikeya Mishra, Mayor P. Rajani Sesha Sai, Municipal Commissioner V. Vijayarama Raju, SP B. Rajakumari and others.
Though there was rain just before the beginning of the programme, people assembled in large numbers to watch different shows.
Traditional drum beats
They were greeted by traditional drum beats from Kerala artistes and folk dancers from Andhra Pradesh enthralled them. A mythological play ‘Sri Krishna Rayabaram’ was performed.
Later, 51 pundits performed harati to the Godavari before the start of programme and laser show organised on the occasion attracted many. The performance by Dr Ananda Shankar on history of Amaravathi drew applause from the audience. Kuchipudi dance on the importance of rivers by Madhurima mesmerised people.
Simha has enthralled the gathering with popular numbers. The major attraction of the day was the performance of percussionist Sivamani.
