The year-long Kakatiya Festival, which has been almost a no show, barring few programmes, owing to non-release of funds and some other reasons, is being revived now and efforts were on to hold a series of cultural programmes in the next four months.
The festival was being held in commemoration of the 750 years of the coronation of Kakatiya queen Rani Rudrama Devi. It was inaugurated on December 21, last year in Warangal, the ancient capital city of Kakatiyas.
Since then, barring a couple of major programmes funded and organised by Kakatiya Heritage Trust in collaboration with INTACH, several of the scheduled programmes were not organised for want of funds. When the issue was raised in the monsoon session of the Assembly, a couple of months ago by TDP MLA Errabelli Dayakara Rao, tourism minister Vatti Vasanta Kumar had replied that Rs 1 crore was spent on the festival.
However, it came to light that with Warangal district administration not submitting a report on the funds spent, further instalment of the funds were not released by the finance department.
Later, change in the district administration and the pressure exerted by different quarters on the government, saw the district administration initiating steps for conducting as many programmes as possible in the remaining four months of the year-long festival.
A couple of days ago, Warangal district collector G Kishan held a meeting with all the officials concerned and finalised the schedule of the programmes to be held starting with World Tourism Week (Sept 21-27) with inauguration of Sound and Light Show at Warangal Fort on a permanent basis.
‘’The festival, which seemed to be fading away due to non-release of funds, will be given a new lease of life now. The state government had released funds of `35 lakh,’’ Prof M Panduranga Rao of Kakatiya Heritage Trust told Express.
According to him, the series of programmes will commence with World Tourism Week celebrations starting September 21 in Warangal. On September 21, different competitions will be organised for students. On the following day, a package tour of Kakatiya structures, temples and other historical, heritage monuments will be conducted at concessional rates. On September 23, there will be water sports at Chinna Vaddepalle tank in Warangal.
The next three days will see Mulugu Ghanpur Festival at the group of temples in Mulugu Ghanpur. Those temples, which are equally famous as Ramappa temples are in need of restoration. As part of the three-day event, Perini dance, folk dance, Oggu Katha, tribal and classical dances will be organised in the evenings and during day time, different competitions will be held for locals.
A photography contest will also be held as part of World Tourism Week in Warangal and the photos will be displayed at a photo exhibition at the Town Hall in Warangal. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will organise a national seminar on rock restoration and construction technologies of Kakatiyas and the year-long festival will conclude with three-day programme starting December 21.