Andhra Pradesh: Chandragiri Fort’s Sound and Light Show Revives After Six Years
Tirupati: After a six-year hiatus, the “Adbhuta Rupavani” (Sound & Light) show at the Chandragiri Fort has been resumed much to the delight of the visitors.
The popular show was suspended in 2018 after lightning damaged its sound and lighting system. Things were left at that.
The new version captivates audiences by narrating the history of Chandragiri Fort. The Sound and Light show takes place in the Raja Mahal and Rani Mahal sections of the fort.
Marking World Tourism Day, joint collector Shubhan Bansal relaunched the show on Friday evening. Before this, he participated in a Heritage Walk from the Chandragiri clock tower centre to the fort, alongside school students, local residents, and officials.
The walk aimed to raise awareness of the historical significance of the fort and the surrounding areas.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu introduced the show in 2000, while as CM, at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore. The 50-minute spectacle faced several challenges, including submergence of its power control unit during heavy rains. Despite an upgrade in 2018 with an investment of Rs 2.70 crore in imported lighting and sound systems, the show was discontinued within six months due to another lightning.
Although former tourism minister RK Roja and Chandragiri MLA Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy hailed from the same district, no steps were taken to restore the show. The alliance government took a decision to revive it.
The state has partnered with Lux and Decibels, a Belgium-based firm that collaborated with the Archaeological Survey of India and AP-TDC under a public-private partnership to revamp the show. “An MoU will be signed with Lux & Decibels to ensure the smooth running of daily shows. The timings and ticket prices will be finalised after the inauguration,” stated APTDC divisional manager Giridhar Reddy.
The total project, including the Sound and Light show, boating and food court facilities, is valued at approximately Rs 6 crore. The government invested Rs 3.5 crore in the show, and an additional Rs 2.5 crore for boating and food courts.
Earlier, the show attracted around 100 visitors daily, with the numbers reaching 200 to 300 on weekends. Now, officials are expecting even higher attendance with the added attractions. APTDC projects more than Rs 30 lakh annually in revenue through the show, boating, and food court.
