Jayanama Samvatsaram was welcomed with traditional fervour and gaiety across Prakasam district on ‘Chaitra Sukla Padyami’ on Monday.
‘Panchanga sravanam’ (almanac reading) by vedic scholar M. Dakshinamoorthy was heard with a lot of curiosity by, among others, district Collector G.S.R.K.R.Vijaykumar and Joint Collector K.Y.Naik at the Prakasam Bhavan.
As part of the celebrations both young and old alike were up early and tastefully decorated their houses with mango leaves. Ugadi ‘pachchadi’, made of new tamarind, new jaggery, raw mango, neem flower, green mango, and salt was consumed on the occasion to get the feel of six different tastes which signified the need for adoption of a positive attitude to face the rough and tumble of life with equanimity
At the C.V.N. Reading room centre, the cultural hub of the city, Siddanti Gonugunta Brahmananda Sarma read the almanac followed by ‘Natya Avadhanam’ performance by Telugu pandit Dara Ramanatha Sastry, music concert by Challa Nagaeswaramma and her disciples and a grand ‘kavi sammelanam’ by men of letters led by Prakasam district Writers Association president B. Hanuma Reddy and its secretary Ponnuri Venkata Srinivasulu.
Eminent persons in different fields including Senior Civil Judge V. Mohan Kumar, Andhra Pradesh Mahila Abuydhaya Samiti president T. Aruna, neurosurgeon K. Chandrasekhar, psychiatrist V. Annapurna, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya principal K. Sagarika, heart specialist V. Keshava were honoured on the occasion.
New hopeDistrict Collector Saurabh Gaur and District Revenue Officer Nur Bhasha Khasim hoped that the new Telugu year would bring fortunes to Srikakulam district. They participated in Ugadi celebrations and heard ‘Panchanga Sravanam’. Many officials said that the district faced many difficulties with floods and cyclone last year while hoping that weather would support brisk agricultural activity. Union Minister of State for Communication and Technology Killi Kruparani, former Minister Kondru Muralimohan participated in Ugadi celebrations held in Indira Vignan Bhavan.
