Vijayanagara, 30 Jan

Hampi, the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, is all set to host its annual festival, the Hampi Utsav, from 2 to 4 February. After facing several postponements and setbacks last year, the district administration is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the success of this year's festival.

The Hampi Utsav is a three-day celebration that usually takes place in November every year. However, last year's festival faced numerous postponements, leading to a low turnout during the event. To prevent a repeat of last year's turnout, the Vijayanagara district administration has taken several measures to engage more people and transform the festival into a public spectacle.

The organisers have invited District In-charge Minister Zameer Ahmed, MLAs from all constituencies, the district commissioners, zilla panchayat CEOs, and the superintendents of police to the festival. They have also launched a social media campaign and put up posters on buses and various locations in Hospet and Hampi. In addition, posters are being displayed in every village across the district.

This year, the parking facilities have been arranged closer to the festival platforms. An 80-acre area has been allocated for parking on seven sides, and a hundred buses will operate free of charge from Hospet to Hampi to facilitate easy access for attendees. Buses will also transport visitors from taluk centres and villages of Hospet.

To kick off the festivities, a bike rally has been organised on 1 February at 8 am. Meanwhile, 50 bikers will also take a rally from Bengaluru to Hampi, starting at 10 am and reaching Hampi by 2 pm. Salar News