Bengaluru's Ganesh Utsav has begun. Here are the details

Annual Ganesh Utsav festival in Bengaluru begins with exciting events lined up till August 31. Check here for the schedule.

This year's Ganesh Chaturthi festival falls on August 31 and, like clockwork, the annual Ganesh Utsav programme is back in Bengaluru with its usual pomp. The festival's 60th edition began on August 13 and will run up to August 31, with events ranging from music, dance, theatre, poojas, art and more.

The Ganesh Utsav festival will run up till August 31 with events ranging from musical performances to drama. (Image credit: BengaluruGaneshUtsava/Facebook)

Every year, the Bengaluru Ganesh Utsav is organised by the Shree Vidyaranya Yuvaka Sangha at the APS College Grounds in Basavanagudi.

However, performances take place in multiple locations, including Jayanagar, Ravindra Kala Kshetra, Sringeri Shankara mutt, Orion mall in Rajajinagar and National College grounds.

The major cultural festival of South Bengaluru has been held for nearly five decades now, and brings a blend of art forms from across the country, with performances of renowned and reputable artists. According to the Bengaluru Ganesh Utsava website, the festival has garnered around one million (10 lakh) guests throughout its duration.

This year's schedule includes a Sahasra Narikela Gana Yagna in Shankarpuram Sringeri Shankara mutt on August 16, a tribute to Dr Rajkumar and Dr Puneeth Rajkumar by a drums collective at Orion mall in Rajajinagar on August 20, a musical performance by famous playback singer Raghu Dixit and his troupe, also at Orion mall on August 21, three drama performances called Rabdi, Beg Borrow Aliya and Adaddella Olithe on August 21 at Ravindra Kala Kshetra and the making of clay seed Ganesha ta National College Grounds on August 28, among many others.

The festival in previous years has seen performances from M S Subbalakshmi, Mandolin U Srinivas, Dr Balamurali Krishna, Yesudas, Usha Uthup, Sivamani, S P Balasubramanian, P Unnikrishnan, P B Sreenivas, Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, Shankar Mahadevan, Daler Mehendi, Shreya Goshal and many others.