Mandya: Mandya district minister N Cheluvarayaswamy on Saturday said Maddur is not just a geographical boundary, but the land of Saint Thyagaraja and a sacred place recorded in the pages of history. He was speaking after inaugurating the Maddur Utsav in the town.He said such festivals should act as a bridge to showcase the region’s rich folk traditions, art and agricultural culture to the world, adding that preserving and promoting culture is a priority of the govt.He announced that efforts would be made to organise the festival every year.No festival without farmers: CheluvarayaswamyCheluvarayaswamy said there can be no festival without farmers, and through the agricultural fair, new technologies are being introduced to the farming community. He emphasised that youth should develop an interest in agriculture.The minister also announced that from next year, Maddur Utsav will be celebrated as a state-level festival. Additionally, he announced plans to develop the Maddur lake as a tourist destination with boating facilities. During the event, 15 achievers, including folk artist Lakshmamma and agricultural achiever Puttaswamy, were felicitated. A dance performance titled ‘Kaveri Aarti’ by schoolchildren captivated the audience.MLA KM Uday Gowda presided over the event. MLC Dinesh Gooligowda, DC Kumara, zilla panchayat CEO KR Nandini and MySugar chairman CD Gangadhar were present.
