‘Amaravati Avakaya Festival’ in Vijayawada from January 8

To showcase the rich heritage of Telugu cinema, literature and arts, elaborate arrangements have been made for the three-day ‘Amaravati Avakaya Festival’, scheduled to be held from January 8 in Vijayawada.

Based on the directions of Minister for Tourism and Cinematography Kandula Durgesh, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Managing Director Amrapali Kata, along with department officials and Teamwork Arts organisers, inspected the arrangements for the festival at Punnami Ghat and Bhavani Island on Tuesday. The festival is being jointly organised by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department and Teamwork Arts.

The officials of the tourism wing discussed key aspects, including the programme schedule, seating arrangements at the venues, visitor safety, traffic regulation, and infrastructure facilities. Clear directions were issued to ensure smooth execution of the festival.

The three-day festival being organised on the banks of the Krishna river at Punnami Ghat and Bhavani Island aims to take the iconic Telugu pickle avakaya, a symbol of Telugu tradition and taste, to the global audience.

In view of the expected heavy tourist turnout, Ms. Amrapali instructed the officials to ensure adequate security arrangements. She also asked them to ensure adequate drinking water, proper sanitation facilities and smooth entry and exit routes so that visitors did not face any inconvenience.

Ms. Amrapali said the Tourism Department, the Police Department and the event organisers should together work in coordination to make the festival a grand success.

The three-day celebrations will witness discussions and presentations on the roots of Telugu cinema, literary traditions, and contemporary transformations. Poetry readings, mushairas (Telugu and Urdu), dance, music and theatre will regale the visitors, while training workshops will be organised on shadow puppetry, dance, music and drama. Heritage walks, ghat ferry rides and a food festival showcasing delicious local cuisine will be other highlights.