Hyderabad: The Naada Habba Festival Begins in the City
The Kannadiga community in Hyderabad has started celebrating Naada Habba, a ten-day festival that coincides with Dasara. This celebration is filled with joy and enthusiasm, just like the way it is observed in Mysore.
The Karnataka Sahitya Mandira has been hosting this festival for 88 years, and this year marks the 89th celebration. The event not only highlights the rich traditions of the Kannadigas but also emphasizes their literature. Over the ten days, there are various cultural activities, especially for children. These include competitions like poem recitation, essay writing, elocution, and painting.
Narasimha Murthy, the joint secretary of Karnataka Sahitya Mandira, shared that the main goal of the festival is to celebrate the community’s rich literature and honor its prominent authors and poets. The festival also features literary seminars, cultural programs such as classical and light music, dramas, and dances. Special performances are organized to introduce children to the community’s traditions. Well-known national and international artists are invited to participate in the events.
Murthy added that prayers are offered to Naada Devi, and artists from Karnataka are invited to perform. Although large processions with elephants, similar to those in Mysore, cannot take place due to space constraints, a variety of cultural events are organized to recreate the festive atmosphere.
Ramesh Shetty, an IT employee and regular attendee, mentioned that he has not missed a single program during the Naada Habba celebrations for the past ten years. He particularly enjoys the classical music performances, describing them as mesmerizing and melodious.
