Stage set for Hampi Utsav

Bellary: Set amidst the illuminated hillocks and monuments of Hampi, Hampi Utsav-2014 takes off on Friday, with Chief Minister Sid­dar­am­aiah doing the honours to formally throw it open to the public.

Expected to dazzle the tho­usands of visitors wil be dancers and singers performing from four sta­ges erected at different ve­nu­es of the world heritage site. The biggest, 80 ft long an­d 60 ft wide, named after the emperor of the Vij­ay­anagar empire, Sri Kr­i­sh­nadeveraya, has been des­igned to reflect its glorious innings in the state and has massive LEDs for a ba­ckdrop.

Bollywood sin­ger, Su­nid­hi Chauhan, ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas, and fusion singer Raghu Dixit will enthrall audiences from it during the utsav.

Named after former deputy chief minister, late M P Prakash who was instrumental in organizing the Hampi Utsav, is another 80 ft long and 40 ft wide stage, which will see a performance by the Fu­sion Band (ins­tru­men­tal) led by Praveen God­khindi, an Odissi dance by Arpita Ven­kate­sh, and a Hin­dus­tani Classical vocal recital by Prasanna Gudi among others on day one.

While the third Vidyaranya Vedike stage, 50 feet long and 40 feet wide, is more traditionally des­ign­ed, a Hakka and Bukka Vedike stage has been installed near the Vir­upaksha Swami Tem­ple.
As many as 96 food stalls will cater to visitors, who have been provided basic amenities such as drinking water and toilets and parking.

Sup­erin­tendent of Police, Ch­eta­n Singh Rathor is su­pervising the security ar­ra­ngements, and fire tenders and ambulances are at hand for meeting any eventuality.