Krishnadevaraya's legacy on show

After enthralling people in the major cities in the state including those in Bangalore, the denizens of Dharwad and tourists there got a feel of the golden age of Krishnadevaraya, the legendary king of the Vijayanagar empire.

The two-day sound and light show organised at the R N Shetty stadium in Dharwad on Saturday and Sunday by the Department of tourism to commemorate the 500th anniversary celebrations of Sri Krishnadevaraya’s coronations had the spectators witnessing history before them in the form of a drama. The historic events were recorded and played from an audio source had the monuments of Hampi act as the backdrop.

 

Earlier on Saturday, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadeesh Shettar inaugurated the show at the weekend. Some of the monuments seen on the stage were the Vijaya Vithhala temple, Lotus Mahal, Ugranarasimha statue, Kadalekalu Ganesha, Virupaksha Temple, River Tungabhadra and Talwarghatta Gate among many others.

As the packed audience sat enchanted, the narrator started the story which described the life and times of Sri Krishnadevaraya. The play started with Krishnadevaraya’s ascension to power, subsequent coronation and it also covered most important aspects of his illustrious rule like conquests, administrative skills and other achievements.

The coronation ceremony in which Sri Krishnadevaraya ascends the throne amidst thousands of horses, elephants, soldiers and chanting of hymns was overwhelming for many. Similarly, his victory against Gangaraj of Ummatturu, war against Adilshahi in Raichur, celebration of Vijayadashami during the visit of Portugese and Dutch to Vijayanagar took the audience back to his rule.

The show gave the audience a view of the man, Sri Krishnadevaraya and his patronage for the arts — literature, music and culture — in spite of numerous personal travails he faced.

The sets simulated the ambience of Hampi and ensured a realistic feel to the entire show.