Anantapur: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the Lepakshi Utsavulu on Saturday. The opening ceremony, which will see Union ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu, Ashok Gajapati Raju and AP Assembly speaker Dr Kodela Sivaprasad on the dais, will be a precursor to a grand line-up of cultural offerings. The piece de resistance of the programme will be the concluding event by Nandamuri Balakrishna.
The film star-politician, the main force behind the festival, who is hoping that the event will attract international attention to the historic temple town, will perform a skit from 7.45 pm to 8.15 pm on Sunday, February 28, when he will play Vijayanagar emperor Sri Krishnadevarayalu. International drummer Sivamani will give a concert, there will be a laser show, and on Sunday, Tollywood music director M.M. Keeravani and Sai Karthik's team will perform a repertoire of film songs, highlighting the Vijayanagar empire. Film actress and dancer Shobhana will give a dance performance.
Apart from film stars, locally available artistes and teams from all parts of the state will perform during the two-day event. Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishna Murthy will be the chief guest for the concluding session.
Suma and Prasamani will anchor the inauguration while Jhansi and Muralikrishna will do so for the concluding part, sources said. A weaver from Dharmavaram will showcase a silk sari, bearing motifs of sculptures from the Lepakshi temple.
Mr Balakrishna, who expressed satisfaction at the arrangements made for the festival, had launched a 'Heritage Run' on Friday, with civil supplies minister Paritala Sunitha. Anantapur joint collector B. Lakshmikantham said separate committees had been formed to look into the facilities set up for visitors and VIPs.
