Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, Mar 4: A spectacular light and sound show, ‘Rayaratha’, will be organized in Nehru Maidan here at 7 pm on March 5 and 6. The show will relive memories of the golden era of Vijayanagara Empire in the state. The programme will be inaugurated by the district in-charge minister, Krishna J Palemar at 6 pm on March 5. This programme is being organized to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Krishnadevaraya’s coronation.
The programme aims at introducing the grandeur of the Vijayanagara rule and the biography of Krishnadevaraya to the new generation. State tourism department has been arranging such shows in 20 district headquarters of the state, in association with the respective district administrations.
“The show, which will be of about an hour’s duration, will cover important aspects of Vijayagara Empire, including birth, coronation, marriage, friendship with the British, stone chariot, Ugra Narasimha idol, Vittala temple, Hampi Bazaar, Anjaneya Hill, Akka-Thangi boulder, and other memorials of the Vijayanagara empire with the help of light and sound,” said additional deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, Prabhakar Sharma. He was addressing a press conference in the city on Thursday March 3.
M K Mutt, who has directed the show, explained that Vijayanagara Empire was the largest Hindu empire in the history of the world, and that it was highly prosperous between 1336 and 1565 AD. “The empire was well-known for rich art, architecture, literature, music and theatre art. Hampi, capital of the empire, was a very large city, spread over an area of 90 square kilometres. To bring back memories of this bygone era, we have prepared this programme,” he explained.
The important memorials of the empire have been artificially built in Nehru Maidan. School and college students have been allowed to visit the same. Entry for the programme will be free. Visiting time to these memorials will be from 1 to 5 pm on March 4, and 8 am to 5 pm on March 5.
Assistant director of tourism department, Mahesh, was present.