Bengaluru’s Independence Day flower show at Lalbagh draws record 6.24 lakh visitors: Report

This year’s edition paid floral tribute to freedom fighters Kittur Rani Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna.

Bengaluru’s iconic biannual flower show at Lalbagh Botanical Garden wrapped up on Independence Day with one of the biggest turnouts in recent years. More than six lakh footfalls were recorded during twelve days of the flower show, reported Deccan Herald.

Flower installations recreated Kittur Fort, Rani Chennamma’s memorial. (X/tweetsbyshree)

According to the report, as many as 6.24 lakh people visited the garden over 12 days, generating revenue of ₹2.78 crore. The closing day alone saw 27,310 visitors, including 16,950 students, 7,960 adults, and 2,400 children, contributing ₹3.45 lakh in ticket sales.

Lalbagh Joint Director of Horticulture, M. Jagadeesh, told the publication that additional staff and volunteers were deployed to ensure the event remained eco-friendly and largely plastic-free. “Maintaining cleanliness was a priority,” he was quoted as a saying. It was also reported that the volunteers sweeping leaves, clearing rubbish, and removing plastic litter, though some wet waste and slippery mud paths near food stalls posed challenges, to maintain the cleanliness in Bengaluru's favorite park.

This year’s edition paid floral tribute to freedom fighters Kittur Rani Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna. Spectacular flower installations recreated Kittur Fort, Rani Chennamma’s memorial, and scenes from Rayanna’s final battle against British rule before his execution.

Speaking to the reporters at the time of the launch, CM Siddaramaiah said, “This is a program to pay tribute to Kittur Rani Channamma and Rayanna. Channamma fought two wars against the British where she had won the first war and was captured in the second. All castes were in Channamma's army. Rayanna, Channamma's right hand, fought bravely and was sentenced to death in court in 1931. We are authorising 110 acres of land at the place where Rayanna was hanged.”