Festive fervour grips Vizag as Sankranti celebrations begin

With the three-day harvest festival of Sankranti commencing on Wednesday, January 14, the ’City of Destiny’ has transformed into a vibrant tapestry of tradition and celebration. From the early hours of Wednesday, the city’s air is expected to be thick with the scent of burning wood from the ‘Bhogi’ bonfires and the sweet aroma of freshly made ‘Ariselu’ (made of jaggery and rice flour), marking a spirited start to the festivities.

Vaishnava temples across the city have been decorated with elaborate floral arrangements to mark the end of ‘Dhanurmasam’ and the start of the festival. At the Simhachalam temple, authorities decorated the complex with traditional Rangoli on Tuesday and to start the festival with a special ‘Bhogi’ bonfire.

“Special darshans and cultural programmes will be held throughout the festive days from January 14 to 16,” temple officials said.

Commercial hubs such as the Jagadamba Junction, Poorna Market, and Gajuwaka witnessed a sea of shoppers till late Tuesday night.

The festival rush peaked at the Dwaraka Bus Station (RTC Complex) and the Visakhapatnam railway station as thousands headed to their native villages in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and East Godavari from the city. To manage the surge, the Waltair Railway Division and APSRTC have deployed special services.

Speaking to The Hindu on Tuesday (January 13), Visakhapatnam APSRTC deputy chief traffic manager K. Padmavathi said “We operated 582 special buses from January 10 to January 13 (till 1 p.m.). These buses covered a distance of 2 lakh kilomters and generated ₹11 crores revenue ferrying 70,000 passengers. We have set a target of 1,000 buses for the pre- and post-festival period, but have operated almost 600 buses so far. The free bus facility for women and increased awareness of RTC safety compared to private operators has contributed to the high numbers,” Ms. Padmavathi added.

RK Beach and the AU Engineering College grounds remains the focal points for youth, with colourful kites dotting the horizon. Additionally, APEPDCL has issued alerts urging kite enthusiasts to stay clear of high-tension power lines to prevent accidents.

The “GVL Sankranti Sambaralu” and special exhibitions continue to attract large crowds. Meanwhile, the film industry has added to the mood with five new releases, including Chiranjeevi’s Mana Shankara Varaprasad Garu and Prabhas’s Raja Saab.

On the security front, police have deployed special forces at traffic junctions and increased night patrolling to monitor locked houses while residents are away.