The ‘Mana Matti – Mana Neeru – Mana Amaravati’ programme

The ‘Mana Matti – Mana Neeru – Mana Amaravati’ programme, preceding the foundation ceremony for capital, commenced on Tuesday at Naravaripalle, the native village of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu .

Hundreds gathered at the village to witness the event, which began with a ‘homam’ by Mr. Naidu, followed by collection of ‘putta mannu’ (anthill) and water. Representatives of all faiths attended the programme. Addressing the media later, Mr. Naidu said celebrations associated with the foundation ceremony would begin with the ‘Mana Matti – Mana Neeru – Mana Amaravati’ programme, which involved collection of soil and water from 16,000 villages of the State.

“Bifurcation has left us with almost nothing, and the onus of developing a new State lies with us. We want to involve everybody in the construction of Amaravati. This exercise [Mana Matti – Mana Neeru – Mana Amaravati] will not only showcase the emotions of people but also bind them together, irrespective of caste, creed and religion,” he added.

The Chief Minister further said the soil and water would be used to construct a monument, spread over 20-30 acres in Amaravati. “Along with Dasara, I call upon everybody to celebrate this second festival [foundation ceremony], which can be observed once in a lifetime,” he said.

The government will collect 16,000 ‘Sankalpa Patrams’ (letters) to showcase the determination of people in constructing a new State from the scratch. Other proposed events include ‘Amaravati Sankalpa Jyothi’ (torch rally) and 5k/10k runs.