Vijayawada will host the National Saras Mela as part of the Dasara celebrations

Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) and MSME Minister Kondapalli Srinivas inspect the arrangements for the National SARAS Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada on Wednesday. | Photo credit: GN RAO

President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the National Saras Mela on Thursday at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada as part of Dasara celebrations. The mela has moved out of the National Capital Region for the first time since its inception in 1999 and will be hosted by Vijayawada.

Director, Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development, Molishree explained the reason for the move: “Vijayawada lights up during Dasara with huge participation of devotees and the exhibition needs a lot of steps to benefit maximum number of self-help group women.”

The Andhra Pradesh government has been very accommodating in organizing the mela in Vijayawada, she added.

More than 600 stalls

Over 600 stalls have been set up in which handwoven sarees, stoles, shawls and other garments and handicrafts will be displayed.

Usually 900 to 1,000 women participate in such melas and this time the number increased to over 1,500, said Dr. Molishree and added that they expect a huge response from Vijayawada.

Stalls are being set up for the National SARAS Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat in Vijayawada on Wednesday. | Photo credit: GN RAO

“We have seen that people here value their heritage, so we hope that people will come here in large numbers and support the women,” she said.

In addition, a food court has been set up with about 50 stalls where people can taste delicacies from different states. There are also various pavilions, one of which offers viewers demonstrations of how a particular product is made.

Published – 14 Oct 2026 21:04 IST