<p>Amid chanting of Vedic hymns, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday performed 'bhoomi puja' or ground breaking ceremony of the new state capital Amaravathi.<br /><br /></p>.<p>As the clock struck 8.49 a.m., Naidu accompanied by his wife Bhuvaneswari and son N. Lokesh performed the rituals at a colourful ceremony in Mandadam village in Guntur district, about 20 km from here.<br /><br />Central and state ministers, MPs, state legislators, senior officials and leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) participated in prayers and other rituals which continued for two hours.<br />A group of priests had started the prayers, including a 'havan', much earlier as per Vaishnavite tradition at 3 a.m. in the village, located on the banks of Krishna River.<br /><br />Naidu, his family members and ministers poured cement into a pit to mark the ceremony. A basin made with a kilogram of silver and gold coated shovel were among the masonry implements used on the occasion.<br /><br />The chief minister later ploughed the field with a traditional ploughshare while his wife sowed 'navaratnalu' (nine chief grains) in the soil. <br /><br />Also present were Naidu's brother-in-law and popular actor N. Balakrishna.<br />However, the inauguration of the chief minister's camp office at Vijayawada was postponed as he missed the 'mahurat' or auspicious time of 10.30 a.m. set by astrologers. <br /><br />Naidu could not reach Vijayawada on time due to 'bhoomi puja' rituals.<br />Addressing a public meeting after the ground breaking ceremony, the TDP chief said the day would go down in the history of Andhra Pradesh as a red-letter day. <br />He said it was good fortune of five crore Telugus that they have got an opportunity to build a 21st century capital.<br /><br />Naidu said it would not be a mere administrative capital but a city which will transform people's live. "It will be a dynamic city, an economic capital which will give jobs to people and a tourism centre."<br />Naidu said he choose this region for the capital as it was centrally located and accessible from all parts of the state.<br /><br />Singapore has developed the master plan for Amaravathi. The chief minister said leaders of Singapore told him that Andhra capital would be better than even Singapore.<br />Naidu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited to lay the foundation stone for the capital on Dussehra.<br /><br />He thanked farmers for giving their land under the land pooling system for building the capital and assured them that the government will protect their interests.<br />Central minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the central government would extend all possible help in developing the capital city. She said nobody should have any doubts on this.<br /></p>
<p>Amid chanting of Vedic hymns, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday performed 'bhoomi puja' or ground breaking ceremony of the new state capital Amaravathi.<br /><br /></p>.<p>As the clock struck 8.49 a.m., Naidu accompanied by his wife Bhuvaneswari and son N. Lokesh performed the rituals at a colourful ceremony in Mandadam village in Guntur district, about 20 km from here.<br /><br />Central and state ministers, MPs, state legislators, senior officials and leaders of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) participated in prayers and other rituals which continued for two hours.<br />A group of priests had started the prayers, including a 'havan', much earlier as per Vaishnavite tradition at 3 a.m. in the village, located on the banks of Krishna River.<br /><br />Naidu, his family members and ministers poured cement into a pit to mark the ceremony. A basin made with a kilogram of silver and gold coated shovel were among the masonry implements used on the occasion.<br /><br />The chief minister later ploughed the field with a traditional ploughshare while his wife sowed 'navaratnalu' (nine chief grains) in the soil. <br /><br />Also present were Naidu's brother-in-law and popular actor N. Balakrishna.<br />However, the inauguration of the chief minister's camp office at Vijayawada was postponed as he missed the 'mahurat' or auspicious time of 10.30 a.m. set by astrologers. <br /><br />Naidu could not reach Vijayawada on time due to 'bhoomi puja' rituals.<br />Addressing a public meeting after the ground breaking ceremony, the TDP chief said the day would go down in the history of Andhra Pradesh as a red-letter day. <br />He said it was good fortune of five crore Telugus that they have got an opportunity to build a 21st century capital.<br /><br />Naidu said it would not be a mere administrative capital but a city which will transform people's live. "It will be a dynamic city, an economic capital which will give jobs to people and a tourism centre."<br />Naidu said he choose this region for the capital as it was centrally located and accessible from all parts of the state.<br /><br />Singapore has developed the master plan for Amaravathi. The chief minister said leaders of Singapore told him that Andhra capital would be better than even Singapore.<br />Naidu said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited to lay the foundation stone for the capital on Dussehra.<br /><br />He thanked farmers for giving their land under the land pooling system for building the capital and assured them that the government will protect their interests.<br />Central minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the central government would extend all possible help in developing the capital city. She said nobody should have any doubts on this.<br /></p>