Will people get the opportunity to witness the Navaraspur Utsav this year at least? This is the million dollar question which has remained unanswered as no clear information is available from the authorities or elected representatives.
Owing to various reasons, primarily natural calamities, the cultural extravaganza has not been held in the city for the last four years.
The cultural fest has provided a platform to various artists and an opportunity for people to enjoy the art.
While in 2011, the event was cancelled on account of drought, in 2012 the same reason forced the authorities to cancel the event.
The following year, the district hosted annual Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, which became one more reason to not organise the Navaraspur Utsav. Last year, Lok Sabha polls and a hailstorm acted as hurdles.
“What is surprising is that when no natural calamity affects the holding of cultural events in other districts such as Hampi Utsav in Ballari, Chalukya Utsav in Bagalkot, Kittur Utsav in Belagavi and Dasara Utsav in Mysuru, then how come only Vijayapura district cancels the cultural event?” asks Rafi Bhandari, a former Syndicate member of Karnataka State Women’s University.
He believes that since this year the district has neither faced a natural calamity nor has any other important event, the district administration should host the event this year without fail. District in-charge Minister M.B. Patil directed the district administration to start preparing for the event.
Calendar event
C.S. Nadagouda, Karnataka’s special representative to Delhi, has also said that the programme should be made a calendar event, so that it can be held annually without fail.
Meanwhile giving assurance that the event would be held this year, Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep has said that the Kannada and Culture Department has around Rs. 60 lakh reserved for the utsav.
“Since we have no death of funds, a meeting would be convened of elected representatives to finalise the dates,” he said.
