BALLARI: Soon Tunga Aarati will be a monthly affair from now on in Hampi. Tunga Aarati is a special offering to river Tungabhadra in terms of lighting lamps on the rocks that are located on the river bank and offering aarati, similar to that performed in Varanasi - Ganga Aarati - which will now be carried out every month's fullmoon day.
So far Tunga Aarati used to be held only during the annual Hampi festival. Now the administration has decided to hold the event every month. The officials are now finding a suitable place to construct stage for performing the rituals.
A senior official from the Endowment Department said that the district minister Anand Singh had recently held discussions with the administration regarding this matter.
"Tunga Aarati is done near Tungabhadra river edge near Virupaksha temple every year. Soon we will built permanent structure where aarati can be conducted every month. We shall also create facility to host nearly 2,000 people to watch the evening aarati. The aarati will be done on the lines of famous Ganga Aarati and it will surely become an added attraction to the world heritage site Hampi," said the official.
Nagaraj B, social activist from Hampi said that it was a long pending demand from the locals and tourism operators to make Tunga aarati a regular event in Hampi.
"We also suggest the government to modify and reintroduce Hanoi By Nights programme and regularly conduct the Tunga Aarati event," he said.
He added that the site is receiving about 2,000 footfalls daily and this is only 50% of the visitors compared to non Covid19 times.