Vijayawada Utsav to Add Grandeur to Dasara Festivities
With music concerts, dance shows, film launches, AI-guided tours, and helicopter rides, the Vijayawada Utsav promises to rekindle the city’s cultural vibrancy after decades.
Vijayawada: Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath alias Chinni announced that the much-awaited Vijayawada Utsav will be held from September 22 to October 2, coinciding with the Dasara celebrations. Speaking at a curtain-raiser event in Poranki on Sunday, he said the festival aims to showcase the city’s tourism, culture, and heritage on a grand scale. Organised by the Society for Vibrant Vijayawada with the support of the Andhra Pradesh government, the Utsav is designed as a people’s participation carnival.
The launch event saw the presence of MPs Kesineni Sivanath and Tenetti Krishna Prasad, along with MLAs Tangirala Soumya, Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao, Gadde Rammohan, Sriram Rajagopal, and Bode Prasad. Adding glamour were film personalities Samyuktha Menon, Divi Vadthya, Manasa Varanasi, Bellamkonda Sai Srinivas, and Anupama Parameswaran.
The evening began with a lamp-lighting ceremony, followed by a devotional dance by Madhumitha’s troupe depicting Goddess Kanaka Durga. AP Nataka Academy chairman Gummadi Gopalakrishna impressed audiences with verses in the guise of Lord Krishna.
Several festival highlights were unveiled, including the official logo, website, trailer, social media handles, Vijayawada Premier League promo, festival merchandise, AI-based guide, Swachhathon marathon, helicopter rides, and cultural expos. Events will be hosted across major venues such as the Krishna riverfront, Tummalapalli Kalakshetram, Ghantasala Music College, Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium, and Gollapudi Exhibition Grounds.
MLAs described the Utsav as a collaborative platform of leaders and elites, urging citizens to take part. They also stressed its potential to draw pilgrims visiting Goddess Kanaka Durga during Dasara. Actress Samyuktha Menon hailed the initiative as a step toward positioning Vijayawada on the global tourism map.
With music concerts, dance shows, film launches, AI-guided tours, and helicopter rides, the Vijayawada Utsav promises to rekindle the city’s cultural vibrancy after decades.