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Fairs
of Andhra Pradesh
Fairs
are a part of a living heritage in Andhra
Pradesh. These are events that are awaited
throughout the year and careful planning goes
into them, which offers a thrilling
experience to one's travel. In Andhra Pradesh
many temple fairs are organised, of which the
Brahmotsavam at Tirupati and the Sri Rama Navami
Festival at Bhadrachalam are very popular.
Devotees in large numbers attend these fairs.
Andhra Pradesh Tourism organises fairs like the
Lumbini Fair, Vishaka Utsav, Deccan Festival
etc. that bring together the arts, crafts and
cuisine of the various regions of the state.
SRIRAMA
NAVAMI FESTIVAL AT BHADRACHALAM
Location:
Bhadrachalam, Khammam District
Month:
March-April
Occasion:
Lord Srirama's Birthday
Unique Feature:
Srirama Kalyanotsavam Is Being Practised
From About 400
years continuously
The
Srirama Navami Festival at Bhadrachalam is
celebrated for ten days from 'Chaitra Suddha
Saptami' to 'Bahula Padyami'. It is Sri Rama's
birthday and the Kalyanotsavam celebrated during
then attracts about three lakhs of devotees. It
is a day of festivity for "Ramabhaktas".
The Grand Wedding Celebration
The temple celebrates the celestial wedding
between Rama and Sita in a grand scale mimicking
the actual event. The commentators role-play by
arrogating themselves to either the bride's (Sita's)
family or the bridegroom's (Rama's side). The
role-play is complete in every aspect and
includes every small detail, as much as human
feelings are attributed to the deities - such as
"Sita being shy and her cheeks blushing
pink as she approaches Rama".
These celebrations are being practised from
about 400 years ago, introduced during Tana
Shah's rule continued even through the Nizam's
rule and still continue to this day. All the
jewels used are those made by 'Ramadas' and the
natural sea water pearls used during the wedding
ritual of 'Talambralu' still comes from an
endowment created by the Nizam's trust.
This event is telecast live both on All India
Radio and on Television for nearly three hours
with good description in the commentary. The
chief minister of the State also attends the
Kalyanotsavam.
LUMBINI
FESTIVAL - THE FESTIVAL OF BUDDHIST HERITAGE
Location:
Nagarjunasagar, Hyderabad
Month: 2nd Friday Of December
Lumbini
festival is organised by the Department of
Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh, in
Nagarjunasagar and Hyderabad for three days from
the 2nd Friday of December every year.
This festival highlights the 'Buddhist Heritage'
of Andhra Pradesh. It is an excellent
opportunity to discover the heritage that takes
you back 2000 years in time.
PUSHKARAM
OF GODAVARI, KRISHNA, PENNAR
Timing:
Once In Twelve Years
Venue: Rajahmundry
For Godavari Pushkaram, Vijayawada For Krishna
Pushkaram And Kovur town In Nellore District For
Pennar Pushkaram.
Pushkaram is held once in twelve years on the
banks of the rivers Godavari, Krishna and Pennar
in Andhra Pradesh. The Hindus consider a holy
dip in these rivers sacred and so people gather
in large numbers on the banks of these rivers,
when the Pushkaram is held. Even before sunrise
people take the sacred bath and offer prayers to
the Lord.
Various rituals are performed and it is believed
that a holy dip will wash away all their sins.
Cultural programs are organised. Many shops come
up in the nearby area selling jewellery, sweets,
decorative items etc.
"Rajahmundry" is the venue of 'Godavari
Pushkaram', Vijayawada for Krishna Pushkaram and
Kovur town in Nellore district for 'Pennar
Pushkaram'.
VISAKHA
UTSAV
Location:
Visakhapatnam
Timing: Third Friday to Saturday of
January
Visakha Utsav is organised by A.P. Tourism every
year from the third Friday to Sunday of January
i.e. for three days in Vishakhapatnam. It's the
festival special for 'Vizagites', in the cold
month of January.
The festival is organized to bring together the
arts, crafts and cuisine of Vishakhapatnam
district .Visakha Festival comprises of a
variety of cultural programmes, sport events,
food fair, exhibitions, fashion shows, etc.
URS OF HAZRAT ALI
Location:
120-kms From Hyderabad
Held: Annually
Formerly Known As: Omkaram, Ahankarapattanam
Timing: October - November
Kohir town is situated at a distance of 12-km
from Zahirabad and 120-kms from Hyderabad . This
place was originally called as "Omkaram"
and "Ahankarapattanam", but was
changed into "Kohir" during the rule
of the Muslims.
There is a famous Dargah of Hazrat Ali and the 'Urs'
of the saint are held annually over here during
the months of October - November and is attended
by about 5,000 devotees.
DECCAN
FESTIVAL
Location:
Hyderabad
Month: February
Duration: Five Days
Another Festivity: Pearls & Bangles Fair
Deccan Festival will be held at Qutub Shahi Tombs Hyderabad on Second Friday, Saturday & Sunday of April every year.
This festival brings the choicest talent from the field of Music, Dance and Theatre. Ghazals, Mushairas, Qawwalis, Classical dances and Music.
Reverberate in the air of Hyderabad. The Festival reflects the love the Hyderabad always had for art and Literature. The Deccan Festival essentially mirrors the glorious Qutub Shahi epoch.
Deccan festival is an exclusive festival
sponsored by the Andhra Pradesh Department of
Tourism in the month of February. This is a
five-day festival reflecting the culture of the
Deccan.
Cultural programs organised include Ghazals,
qawalis and mushairas, poetry etc., typical of
the city. Various renowned singers and dancers
are invited for performances and this is a not
to miss for every person who visits Hyderabad.
PEARLS & BANGLES FAIR
This Deccan festival
also includes the Pearls and Bangles Fair .
Hyderabad
is also known as "The city of
Pearls". Hyderabad pearls have long
been cherished and famed for their quality and
lustre. Mention the name of pearls to anyone in
the jewellery trade in India and the name that
strikes to mind is Hyderabad. The city is a
one-stop-destination for the rare, luminescent,
soft, tear drop pearls. Wide range, price and
superior quality are some of the factors, which
make the city a true pearls paradise. From
cultured pearls to the rare 'Basra', the city
has all of them.
A Royal Heritage
The pearl trade was prospered here for centuries
under the royal patronage of the Qutub Shahi
kings and the Asaf Jahis. Legend has it that
pearls were showered on the people by the kings
at the time of ceremonies as gifts. The affluent
lifestyle beckoned many a craftsman from distant
parts of the world, especially the Arabian Gulf
where the rare original pearls are found in
abundance. Hence, Hyderabad became the
one-stop-destination for pearls.
This festival celebrates the spirit of
this heritage - Pearls and Bangles fair, displaying creations in lustrous pearls and multi-hued bangles that are local specialties, and a Food Fair, with items covering both Andhra and Hyderabadi cuisine. Cultural programs, food stalls, arts and craft shops etc. are well organized.
All
India Festival Of Arts & Crafts At
Shilparamam
Location:
14-km From Hyderabad
Month: December
Significance: Exhibits
Arts And Crafts From All Parts Of The Country
Shilparamam, a Crafts Village set amidst lovely
rocks, rippling waterfalls and gorgeous lawns,
about 14-km from Hyderabad
. Shilparamam plays host to myrid traditions of
arts and crafts of India.
An International Event
It has become internationally famous for the
Annual Crafts Festival that is being organised
in the first two weeks of March every year since
1995. During these Festivals, craftspersons from
across the country come here to display their
exclusive creations.
Here buyers come and pick up objects directly
from the makers with out having to deal with
middlemen. In the past six years, the Arts and
Crafts Festival elicited tremendous response.
While the first such Arts and Crafts festival
attracted people in tens of thousands the
festival now attracts hundreds of thousands of
people every day. Crafts people from all over
the country sell their creations for crores.
ALL INDIA
INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION AT HYDERABAD
Location: Nampally,
Hyderabad
Held: Annually From 1st January To 10th
February
Started In: 1938
Significance: One Of The Biggest
Show-Window In The Country For Trade,
Commerce And Industry.
The All India Industrial Exhibition is organised
by the Exhibition society at Nampally grounds in
Hyderabad . This exhibition is held annually
from 1st of January to 10th of February. It is
one of the most prestigious events of Hyderabad
city and it is customary for every Hyderabadi to
make a visit to the exhibition with their family
and friends.
Started in 1938 as a local exhibition, i.e.
"Numaish", to display the indigenously
produced goods in the erstwhile Hyderabad state.
A Trade Fair
The All India Industrial exhibition has
today come to be recognised as one of the
biggest show-window in the country for trade,
commerce and Industry. This exhibition has
become so popular, that its scope increased
enormously both in its coverage and content.
Traders from all over India put up their stalls
and there are around 2600 stalls, and over 25
lakh visitors in the form of consumers,
exhibitors, traders, etc.
Today almost all the state and central
Government directly or through their
undertakings are represented in this exhibition.
It is a big open-air shopping mall with
garments, handicrafts, electrical goods,
glassware, furniture, kitchenware etc. There are
also stalls selling popcorn, chat varieties,
sweets, cool drinks, fleecy pink candy made of
sugar etc. Children enjoy the joy rides like
Gaint wheel, Tora Tora, Dragon ride and more.
It is open throughout the day, but usually
people come in large numbers in the evenings.
The shops are open up till midnight.
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