Mangaluru : The 12th Abbakka Utsav will be held in the third week of January in Thumbay. As precursor to the Abbakka Utsav ‘Rani Abakka’, Rangadarshini will be held at Gatti Samaja Bhavan, Thokkottu Kapikad on December 21, informed Khader.

He said, the government has sanctioned Rs 40 lakh for the Utsav, he added. Abba Utsav is being held under the aegis of Kannada and Culture Department and Veera Rani Abbakka Utsav Samithi, Ullal.

On December 21 ‘Ullalada Rani Abbakka’ Yakshagana, ‘Tulunad Tudar-Ullaloda Abakka,’ Tulu play and ‘Veera Rani Abakka,’ ballad will be organised, informed Abbakka Utsav Utsav Organising Committee General Secretary Bhaskar Rai Kukkuvalli.

Rani Abbakka Rangadarshini CD will be released on that day, he added.

The committee will honour litterateur Dr Kayyara Kinnanna Rai as he has stepped in his 101st year. He will be felicitated in his house at Peradala at 10 a.m. Amruthabhinandana programme which involves honouring Dr Amruth Someshwara as he has stepped in his 90th year, will be organised in the evening at 5.30 p.m after the Rangadarshini CD release programme.

Refuting charges of misappropriation of funds during the previous Abba Rani Utsav, Bhaskar Rai Kukkuvalli said as there was a delay in submitting the account details of the expenditure, allegations of misappropriation were leveled. The delay was caused due to technical problems and not otherwise.

“Steps will be to see that the statement of accounts of the 12th Rani Abakka Utsav will be submitted to the government before May,” U T Khader said.