A Cultural Extravaganza - Hampi Utsav

The Karnataka State Government organizes the annual Hampi Utsav, which usually takes place over three days. According to the Hindu calendar, the festival falls during the first week of November, which also happens to be the auspicious month of Kartika. The entire city of Hampi, with its scenery and ruins, acts as the location and offers an amazing background for the celebrations. A spectacular grand opening ceremony marks the beginning of the festival. A spectacular procession known as the Vijayanagara Vaibhav, which features exquisitely decorated chariots, traditional music, and dancers dressed in colorful costumes, is frequently a part of the opening ceremony. The parade evokes the spirit of the Vijayanagara era as it winds through Hampi's historic streets.

The Utsav starts with music and dance performances by renowned artists and people who have participated for years in all forms of art. They showcase their specialty - Classical, folk, and contemporary forms. All these are happening at the Mahamantapa - Virupaksha temple which gives a beautiful backdrop for this program.

The classical music and dance involve Carnatic concerts featuring famous vocalists, instrumentalists, lyricists, and singers. These vibes spread through the ruins of Hampi making the temples, walls, and floors feel the music. 

On the other hand classical dance includes - Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Kuchipudi which are added to make the floor more vibrant. Usually, all these art forms enact the history of the Kings, Mythology, devotion, and tradition. Followed by the Folk Performances, the most famous one in Karnataka is the Yakshagana, the theater form of art combined with dance, music, dialogue, and a captivating form of storytelling. Dollu Kunitha a vigorous drum dance and Lambani dance highlighting the Lambani tribes in Hampi adds charm to the event. 

This day is dedicated to Art and craft exhibitions, sports events, gaming, and Jumbo Savari’s and Light/shadow shows. Along with these, there is also the continuation of cultural performances. This event also encourages the artists and craftsmanship, people to showcase their work by conducting workshops installing stalls, and exhibiting skills. The exhibition's major attraction is showcasing traditional handicrafts, textiles, pottery, and jewelry. Along with this traditional sports and games are conducted near the ruins on huge grounds near them. Sports include Kabbadi, Wrestling, and Bullock Cart racing, while games like rock climbing, cycling, rangoli, and drawing competitions. 

The most awaited event in Hampi is the Jumbo Savari ‘Savari’ is the local language while originally it is called safari. This is an elephant procession that follows the grand Vijayanagar rulers. The elephant is adorned and decorated accompanied by musicians and dancers. This represents the symbolic representation of the royal tradition of the empire.  Once the day is set off the Light and Sound show begins, here the ancient monuments and temples are sketched and traced with LEDs to illuminate these structures thereby creating a mesmerizing ambiance. 

Continuation of the above sports, games, stalls, and cultural events DAY 3 offers culinary Delights, workshops, and seminars. The festive is complete with tasting a few local cuisines of Hampi and all over Karnataka. The day starts by munching on hot crispy dosa and idlis accompanied by flavorful curries and filter coffee. For lunch give it a try on typical South Indian meals - rice, sambar, and veggies and complete it with dessert, probably like Mysore Pak. 

Talking about cultural workshops and seminars, mainly focus on providing deeper knowledge about the history, art, and traditions of Hampi. Experts from different states and countries participate in these sessions and share their experiences about the field of work. This Utsav is also used as a promoting event to prevent and carry forward the Hampi Heritage. Conducting these workshops, seminars, and events the festival generates good revenue which can be used for the maintenance and preservation of monuments. 

Every event ends to start a new beginning! Hampi Utsav is more than just a festival for the localites and government it is the major source of revenue generated annually through the continuous efforts of different departments to showcase and embrace the history of Hampi. Many people install stalls and organize food streets as a source of income during this festival as crowds gather in huge numbers. Deep down there are many ground-working men who set up the entire show including stage decors, event organizers, watchmen, police, and so on. These people deserve a huge appreciation as they start working in the field months before delivering this event successfully without any issues. As the festival continued to get popular among people the became a proud moment for all Hampians and their ancestors.