Hampi, the world heritage site and erstwhile seat of Vijayanagar empire, is all set to offer an audio-visual treat to the connoisseurs of art and music at a three-day mega cultural festival of dance, drama and music titled Hampi Utsav – 2016 from November 3.
A large workforce has been busy sprucing up Hampi, giving final touches to the stages and also erecting arches and barricades for parking.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will be inaugurating the cultural festival at a colourfully decorated stage near Yeduru Basavanna on Thursday evening. A host of his ministerial colleagues are also expected to participate.
As many as eight stages have been erected at various places – Virupaksha temple precincts, near monolith Sasivekal and Kadlekal Ganesh, opposite to Krishna temple, near Gayatripeetha, at Kamalapur and near Vijaya Vittala temple complex.
Artistes of national and international fame, including Padma Bhushan Mallika Sarabhai, Padmashri Venkatesh Kumar, Narasimhalu Vadvati, Nagaveni Srinath, music directors Saleem Suleman, Rajesh Krishnan, Raghu Dixit and Benny Dayal are among those who would enthral the audience.
Light & Sound show, which is being organised again after a gap of seven years near Elephant stables, Hampi by sky, being organised for the third year in succession, rural sports, particularly ‘Kusti’ (wrestling), magic show by Kudroli Ganesh, Poets’ meet will be the other special attractions during the festival. Light and Sound show will be staged from November 3 to 9, while the Hampi by sky chopper ride would be held till November 7.
The occasion is also being used to create awareness among the farmers about improved methods of farming, judicious use of water by experts at symposia to be held on November 4.
There would be exhibition-cum-sale of books and local delicacies.
