The Kalingandhra Utsavam from February 8 to 14 is depicting history of Srikakulam in the form of replicas of temples and artefacts at the K.R. Stadium.

As many as 1.2 lakh people, including youngsters and schoolchildren, were enthralled by replicated inscriptions and rock edicts of the Kalingandhra history that goes as far as the 4th Century BC, said the festival in-charge and Sithampet Integrated Tribal Development Agency Project Officer L. Shiva Sankar.

Srikakulam was part of the Kalinga dynasty, which was conquered by Mauryan king Ashoka in 261 B.C. Exhibits from the Salihundam and the Dantapuri heritage sites near Srikakulam shows the Buddhist influence on the region.

Other replicas include that of the Sri Kurmam temple, built in 7th Century A.D. by King Chola Ganga, and the Someswara Alayam, the Madhukeshwara Alayam and the Bhimeswara Alayam temples constructed between 7th and 9th centuries AD. The famous sun temple at Arasavalli, said to be built by Devendra Varma of the Kalinga dynasty in 7th Century A.D., is also on display, as is the Umarudra Koteswara temple of Srikakulam, constructed in 1774 and the Radhaswamy temple near Meliyaputti, constructed in 1810.

Religious tourism

“The State government is keen on promoting religious tourism in the district. That is why we have displayed replicas of the temples in the exhibition,” Mr. Sankar said.

According to him, the Mandasa fort, built in 1779, had been attracting a number of visitors.

From the modern era, a Dutch building, built on the banks of the Nagavali river in the 18th Century, is on display.

The exhibition features structures like the Nagavali Bridge, constructed in 1854, and the Srikakulam Municipal Office, which started functioning in 1856. A replica of the Dusi Railway, built in 1921, is also displayed.

A replica of the Gotta barrage, which irrigates more than 1 lakh acres and was built across the Vamsadhara river in 1979, has been attracting youngsters. History of personalities such as Kodi Ramamurthy, Garimella Satyanarayana, Adibhatla Kailasam, and Vempatapu China Satyam has been depicted.

“It is difficult to take history lessons for students. Moreover, local history is not part of our syllabus. Therefore, the festival has helped students know the history of Srikakulam, its culture and heritage,” said P.Srikanth, correspondent of the New Central School.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by K. Srinivasa Rao / Srikakulam – February 14th, 2019