Ugadi celebrations enthrall Vizagites

Visakhapatnam: The Vijayanama Samvatsara Ugadi celebrations organised by VUDA at Gurajada Kalakshetram enthralled the spectators with a variety show, here on Thursday.

Starting with the melodies of legendary singer Ghantasala rendered by T Govind of Ghantasala Sangeetha Kalasala, the programme went on with non-stop entertainment. Panchanga Patanam was presented by Rampa Divakara Sarma who disclosed the fortunes of the coming year.

Sri Ramadasu Charitam dance ballet performed by 101 students of Chaitanya English Medium School of BC Road was the highlight of the programme.

Children hailing from fishermen families presented the ballet on par with professionals and received great applause from the gathering. The Ballet was choreographed by dance teacher Sandeep of Gajuwaka. Chairman of Chaitanya English Medium School P Suryanarayana Reddy and Principal Udaya Nagasri were felicitated by the guests for encouraging the children to become talented artistes.

The traditional and exclusive event of Telugu New Year 'Ugadi Kavitaganam' immensely pleased the gathering. Ugadi poems by the president, Best Teacher Awardee Garimella Nageswara Rao, Auto Driver Akkireddy Vasu, Class IX student N Pranathi, Postman Moka Ratna Raju, Ex-Serviceman Meda Mastan Reddy, Sub-Registrar Batt Nageswara Rao, Railway Guard Gundana Joga Rao, Data Entry Operator T Neeraja, Superintendent of Government Hospital for the Mentally Challenged M Vijaya Gopal, Children Specialist M Surya Kumari, Assistant Labour Officer M Padmavathi, PK Durga Prasad, A Janardhanan Balu and 28 other writers provided unlimited humour and joy both to literary lovers as well as the common audience. The poets and writers were honoured by the guests.

The traditional Ugadi Pachchadi was distributed to all the members of the audience. Ministers P Balaraju and Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Chairman of AP Hindi Academy Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, VUDA Secretary GC Kishore Kumar, MV Ramana of CMR, M Raghavendra Rao of Daspalla Group, Senior Advocate J Prithviraj, film actor 'Kallu' Chidambaram and others participated. VUDA PRO B Prabhakara Reddy conducted the programme.