The Hindu

Hampi, Nov 4: Hampi Utsav, a three-day mega cultural festival of dance, drama and music, got off to a colourful start at Hampi on Monday evening.

L.K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, tapped the world famous musical pillars (replica) seven times to mark the beginning of the mega cultural extravaganza.

Every time he tapped, the pillars rotated producing the “sapta swaras” (musical notes) and later the idol of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari emerged.

Advani, along with Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa, Minister for Tourism G. Janardhan Reddy, and Minister for Health B. Sriramulu, offered puja by offering flowers.

The utsav had a dramatic start. Even as the dignitories arrived, “Sri Krishnadevaraya” (film actor Saikumar) the powerful emperor of the Vijayanagar empire, accompanied by “Mahamantri Thimmarasu (film actor Avinash)” delivered a couple of dialogues about Kannada and the culture and tradition continued even now by the Government of Karnataka. The two complimented the BJP Government, particularly Janardhan Reddy, for organising the cultural festival on a grand scale.

Earlier, a “Shobha Yatra” was taken out from Virupaksha temple to the main stage in which Mr. Advani and other dignitories were made to sit in a decorated charriot, led by the traditional band and artistes of various folk forms, traditional attire, elephants and horses.

Delayed start

The Hampi Utsav began at least three hours behind schedule. Enquiries revealed that Mr. Advani and other dignitories arrived at Hampi at 5.30 p.m. as against the scheduled time of 3.30 p.m. Later, they were taken round Hampi, to show a couple of monuments, including the Vijaya Vitala temple, which houses the stone charriot and the musical pillars.

People, who had gathered in large numbers and were eager to listen to star performers, including melody queen Asha Bhonsle, grew restless when there were no signs of commencement of the inauguration function.