Sankranti Colour, SHG Business Training Mark SARAS Mela
The mela wore a festive look with Bhogi bonfires lit near the cultural stage, along with sugarcane stacks, gobbemmas and doll displays showcasing the harvest festival.
VIJAYAWADA: The All-India DWCRA Bazaar at the SARAS Mela grounds near Reddy College on Nallapadu Road in Guntur was abuzz with Sankranti festivities on Wednesday, with Bhogi celebrations adding colour and energy to the venue.
The mela wore a festive look with Bhogi bonfires lit near the cultural stage, along with sugarcane stacks, gobbemmas and doll displays showcasing the harvest festival. Rangolis and decorative installations attracted large crowds, many stopping to take photographs.
The Adarsh Nagar Shanmukha Kolatam troupe performed devotional kolatam in traditional Haridasu attire, drawing sustained applause from visitors. Guntur District Rural Development Agency project director Vijaya Lakshmi briefly joined the performers, encouraging them.
Alongside the celebrations, a special training session was held for self-help group (SHG) members at the SARAS Mela training centre. Lead Bank Manager M. Mahipal Reddy explained government-supported loan schemes for service and manufacturing units, including PMEGP, PMFME, Lakhpati Didi, Mudra Yojana, AIF and AMI, covering eligibility, subsidies and application procedures.
SERP officials spoke on maintaining SHG accounts, while Industries Department officials briefed participants on the approvals required to set up manufacturing units.
The combination of cultural programmes and business training made the SARAS Mela a major Sankranti attraction in Guntur.
