Sankranti Concludes With Series of Events in North Andhra

Visakhapatnam: North Andhra region wrapped up the three-day Sankranti celebrations with the traditional Kanuma, featuring a rich tapestry of cultural events, sports activities and festivities.

Sankranti festivities kicked off with an eco-friendly Bhogi festival on Monday, with the Goadharita Prakruti Rytula Sangam organising a mass bonfire of one lakh cow dung cakes along the Beach Road in Visakhapatnam.

Colourful kite flying dominated the skies on the second day of the Sankranti festival, wherein families and children gathered along the Beach Road and their house tops to fly kites on Tuesday. The evening sky saw Halloween-themed kites and ghost cartoon images, adding a contemporary twist to the traditional celebration. Sports enthusiasts in Anakapalli district witnessed thrilling bull races.

The concluding day of the festivities on Wednesday turned out to be an occasion for horse racing.

Significantly, the three-day landscape of entertainment, traditionally dominated by movies, has seen a resurgence of cultural activities.

During the three days, BJP leader G.V.L. Narasimha Rao organised the "Sankranti Sambaralu" featuring Tollywood singers, traditional skits, and popular dance performances. The event concluded with a Yagna ceremony.

Kanuma, the concluding day of the festivities, marked the onset of spring, honouring cattle, and commemorating Lord Krishna's legendary act of lifting Govardhan Hill to save the people of Gokulam from a flood. Farmers gave their cattle special bath, decorating them with garlands and flowers, and feeding them sweets.

With the day known for feasting, markets saw a significant rise in meat prices. Poultry vendor Thatraj Apparao sold mutton for Rs 1,100–1,200 a kg against the usual Rs 900–950. Chicken prices remained stable at Rs 230 a kilo, though country chicken cost between Rs 600 to Rs 800 a kg.

The festivities did not conclude without concerns. Use of manja while flying kites disappointed many participants. N. Sridhar expressed frustration at spending Rs 350 on kite equipment, only to have his kite string cut by someone using manja thread.

Police officials ensured removal of dangling threats from roads to avoid risk to road users, registering cases wherever necessary.