Vijayawada: The official Ugadi celebrations were organised on a grand note at the Tummalapalli Kalaksetram here on Saturday.
The festivities began with the blowing of a conch by SPF commandant Narasimha Rao and his wife.
The celebrations were formally inaugurated by Mr Mukesh Kumar Meena, secretary, department of language and culture, who was the chief guest.
Mr Meena released the TTD, agriculture and horticulture calendars (panchangams). The event was organised jointly by the departments of language and culture and endowments.
Addressing the gathering, Mr Meena prayed that the Telugu people be happy in all aspects in the New Year Vikari Nama Samvatsaram. He also praised the organisers of the state-level Ugadi celebrations.
District collector A. Md. Imtiaz said that Ugadi is a wonderful festival and all Telugu people should celebrate and pray for a bright, health and prosperous year ahead. Mr Imtiaz said that the reciting of poems by the poets and Panchanga Savanam is an ancient tradition that has been followed for centuries.
The cultural programmes organised by the department enthralled the gathering.
