Vijayawada promotes classical music, dance, drama

Vijayawada: In 2024, Vijayawada continued its legacy as a vibrant cultural hub with numerous organisa-tions playing a pivotal role in preserving and promoting classical music, dance, drama, and literature. The city’s thriving cultural scene reflected a deep commitment to nurturing talent and delighting art enthusiasts.

Several prestigious classical music sabhas, including ‘Sangeetha Sanmandali,’ ‘Sri Sadguru Sangeetha Sabha,’ and the ‘Gayaka Sarvabhouma Parupalli Ramakrishnaiah Pantulu Music Festival,’ held notable events that drew significant public attention. Monthly concerts organ-ised by ‘Swara Jhuri’ and ‘Sri Subrahmanya Mahathi Sangeetha Samithi’ further enriched city’s classical music scene.

The Siddhartha Academy played a key role in supporting the classical dance tradition by or-ganising monthly performances, including dance ballets and solo performances.

The 52-year-old ‘Sumadhura Kala Niketan’ hosted 26th annual comedy playlet competition in February 2024, maintaining its reputation for quality comedic theatre.

In June, ‘Harsha Creations’ organised drama competitions focusing on social themes, fol-lowed by the ‘PNKM Parishad’ from Ongole, which conducted drama events in July at Vijay-awada.

Organisations like ‘Drusya Vedika’ not only hosted monthly performances featuring dance, drama, and music but also ventured into production, reviving the classic social drama “Ka-nakapusya Ragam,” which garnered widespread acclaim. Groups such as ‘Abhyudaya Arts’, ‘Gurajada Kala Mandir,’ and ‘Young Theatre Organisation’ actively produced plays and play-lets, earning accolades from both audiences and critics. ‘Samskara Bharathi’ also conducted traditional programmes during 2024.

Literary activities in 2024 were highlighted by events like “Kavana Vijayam” and the “Ugadi Kavi Sammelan,” organised by Siddhartha Academy. Other notable contributors included ‘Camred GRK & Polavarapu Koteswara Rao Samskritika Samithi’ and ‘Rasa Bharathi,’ which played a significant role in promoting literary pursuits.

With numerous organisations embracing new talent and diverse art forms, Vijayawada’s cul-tural landscape is poised for further growth in 2025.