The 504th coronation day celebrations of Vijayanagara king Sri Krishnadevaraya kicked off on Wednesday at Penukonda mandal headquarters in Anantapur district, in the precincts of the historic Penukonda fort, once the mainstay of the Vijayanagara empire.
The current celebrations, fourth in a row, were reminiscent of the grandeur of the Vijayanagara
empire. A massive public meeting was organised at the Government Junior College to mark the occasion.
Earlier, a gigantic portrait of Sri Krishnadevaraya in the regal pose was inaugurated by actor and TDP legislator from Hindupur Nandamuri Balakrishna at Gaganmahal inside the fort.
Speaking at the public meeting, local TDP legislator B.K. Parthasarathy said the TDP government would do everything possible to restore the Penukonda fort to its grandeur and added that he was pursuing the issue of allocating five acres of land for ISKCON to build a temple close to the fort.
He said the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple and Gaganmahal would be renovated, adding that restoration works worth Rs. 50 lakh were already being taken up at Gaganmahal.
On the other hand, Civil Supplies Minister and former Penukonda Legislator Paritala Sunita said the government would take steps to restore and develop all 364 temples in and around Penukonda town in a phased manner within the next few years, besides enhancing the tourist potential of the region.
“The very fact that we are celebrating the rule of Sri Krishnadevaraya after five centuries bears testimony to his exemplary rule embellished with timeless literary and art works. The State government, under the leadership of Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, also seeks to replicate it,” said Information Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy.
Mr. Balakrishna said the vision of Sri Krishnadevaraya in digging tanks and other irrigation structures which, to date, were the lifeline of farmers of the district, was par excellence, one that former Chief Minister NTR sought to show the people of the State.
Earlier, folk artistes staged plays based on the rule of Sri Krishnadevaraya. District Collector Solomon Arogyaraj and Joint Collector S. Satyanarayana were present.
