BZ Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan inspects preparations for Hampi Utsav 2026 in Hampi on Wednesday.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hampi in Vijayanagara district is gearing up for Hampi Utsav-2026 to be held from February 13 to 15 in the historic imperial city.
Addressing mediapersons after reviewing the preparations, Housing Minister and Minister-in-Charge BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan said on Wednesday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would inaugurate the three-day cultural festival on February 13. The chief minister is scheduled to stay overnight in Hampi after the inauguration, he added, and will leave the program the next day.
Six stages
The Minister said that elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure the success of the event, which celebrates the cultural heritage of the Vijayanagara Empire. Six main stages were prepared for the cultural performance in Hampi. The main venue, the MP Prakash Stage, was equipped with seating for nearly 50,000 people. Other prominent stages include the Krishnadevaraya and Virupaksha stages along with three other platforms that will host a number of performances.
Sandalwood’s leading personalities including actors Shivarajkumar, Ashwini Puneeth Rajkumar, Ganesh, Rakshit Shetty, Rachita Ram, Dhananjaya and Bigg Boss winner Gillinata will attend this year’s festival. A special light and sound show narrating the history of Hakka and Bukka, the founders of the Vijayanagara Empire, is also planned.
Lighting
Special decorative lighting was arranged within a radius of 50 km around Hampi to enhance the festive atmosphere. Around 2,000 police personnel, including one superintendent of police, eight other SPs, 15 DSPs and 61 inspectors, have been deployed to ensure security and smooth running of the programme. The government also provided free food and refreshments for devotees and visitors near the Krishna temple during the festival.
Mr. Khan said the government has earmarked around ₹14-15 crore for the event. The administration expects eight to 10 million visitors over the three days. To handle the expected crowd, additional seating arrangements were made for approximately 15,000 people.
Deputy Commissioner Kavitha S Mannikeri, Zilla Panchayat CEO Nongjai Mohd Ali Akram Shah, Superintendent of Police Jahnavi and other senior officials were present.
Published – 11 Feb 2026 18:32 IST