Hyderabad: Telangana Formation Day, marking the first anniversary of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, will be celebrated on Tuesday with the Chief Minister inaugurating the week long extravaganza of festivities.

Various activities highlighting the culture, traditions, art and cuisine of the region will start from midnight with an impressive display of fireworks at various places in Hyderabad and other major cities and towns in the state, marking the formation of Telangana as the 29th state of the Indian Republic last year.

As the formation of Telangana was the culmination of the six decades struggle and sacrifices, a grateful state will remember the Martyrs of the movement and Chief Minister. K Chandrasekhar Rao will pay tributes at the Martyrs Memorial at Gun Park in the morning before heading for the Parade Ground where he will hoist the national flag and take salute of colourful parade.

A grand gala spectacle with various forms of dance and colourful display of tribal and other cultures was also planned for the occasion.

Side by side “Jashn-e-Telangana” (Celebration of Telangana) will celebrate the unique Hyderabadi culture with emphasis on Urdu language.

The programmes organised as part of this Jashan include a Ghazal performance of Maestro Gulam Ali under the shadows of historic Charminar, another similar performance by Riaz Ali Khan, grand son of Bade Gulam Ali Khan, a Urdu Mushaira with prominent poets from all over the country, a performance by Singer.

Telangana’s past will be recreated, with artistes bringing the Urdu poets of yore to life at a “Tamseeli Mushaira” and narrating the history of the state.

Continuing his focus on the welfare of the weaker sections the chief minister will also distribute House documents to 15,000 families on the occasion.

Hyderabad has turned into a glittering bride as all the historic and important buildings including Charminar, State Assembly, Governor House and the High Court were decorated with colourful lights.

Similarly all the important roads and the traffic islands have also been illuminated and decorated.

Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, greeting the people of Telangana on the eve of Formation Day, said Telangana was achieved due to the sacrifices of the great souls.

He expressed happiness over the grand celebrations for the event and urged the people to remember the martyrs and continue to work for building a Golden Telangana.

In sharp contrast to the celebrations in Telangana over achieving statehood, the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh will mark the first anniversary of bifurcation in a sombre mood.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will sit on an hour long “fast” at Benz Circle of Vijayawada tomorrow.

“Nava Nirmana Deeksha is aimed at rededicating ourselves to rebuild Andhra Pradesh”, he said.

Naidu has been critical of the manner in which Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated by the then UPA government headed by Congress.