Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam at Vijayawada featured a spectacular line up of brilliant performances with renowned carnatic vocalists and musicians gracing the occasion with devotional compositions, on the second day. The day began with a soul-soothing celebration of music culture and spirituality against the pious backdrop of Kanaka Durga Temple. Located atop Indrakeeladri hill on the banks of the sacred river Krishna, Sri Kanaka Durgamma Devasthanam is a prominent tourist attraction in Vijayawada renowned for its historical traditions.
The mesmerizing performance of Devi Krithis by Smt V Sumitra hailing from Chennai was followed by a group rendition of Krithis eulogizing Goddess Kanaka Durga by leading artistes including S. Sowmya, M Sreerama Prasad, Ravi Malladi, Nagamani Srinath and her students. Performances at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram began with a remarkable rendition of Bhadrachala Ramdasu Krithis by Visnubotla Sisters. The audience embarked on a celestial journey through the powerful Namasankeerthana performance by Sriram Jonnalagadda.
The musical symphony at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram resumed post lunch with revitalizing sessions beginning with a group rendering of compositions of Mysore Vasudevachari and Veena Kuppier by students from Bengaluru. Stellar performances of carnatic vocal music by stalwarts of classical music including Modumudi Sudhakar and his disciples, Bharat Sundar, multi-faceted musician, S. Sowmya and the accomplished duo of Malladi Brothers (Ravi Malladi and M Sreerama Prasad) paved the way for a glorious close to the day’s festivities.
Music connoisseurs and students from music colleges gathered in large numbers in Vijayawada and enjoyed the brilliant performances by renowned musicians while learning about the glorious legacy of Indian classical music. The craft and food festival being hosted at Berhm Park, Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada also received an overwhelming response from the visitors as they enjoyed a fusion of creativity, cuisine and culture at the exhibition and sale of local traditional handicraft and handlooms.
Shri Gyan Bhushan, Senior Economic Adviser, Ministry of Tourism and CEO, NCHMCT visited the venue and interacted with the craftsmen of the region. On the occasion, he also interacted with the students of Indian Culinary Institute, Tirupati who displayed their culinary recipes and carefully curated delicacies at the stall. The students of ICI, Tirupati were enthralled by the opportunity to volunteer at Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam as they have been roped in to provide catering and hospitality services during this three-day event.
Krishnaveni Sangeetha Neerajanam is being organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India in association with Ministry of Culture, Sangeet Natak Akademi and State Government of Andhra Pradesh at Vijayawada from 10-12 December, 2023. This three-day classical music extravaganza will host a variety of activities, including classical music performances by renowned musicians, exhibition and sale of regional cuisine, local handicrafts and handlooms.
