Lalbagh flower show draws over 59,000 visitors despite rain

Bengaluru: More than 59,000 people visited the 220th Independence Day flower show at Lalbagh on Saturday, the third day of the popular annual event. Despite intermittent drizzle across the city, visitors continued to arrive in large numbers to witness the floral exhibition showcasing the grandeur and heritage of the Ganga dynasty.

According to the Horticulture Department, a total of 59,108 visitors entered Lalbagh on Saturday. The turnout included 38,356 adults, 5,877 children and 14,875 students, making the third day particularly busy as it coincided with the weekend.

The restrictions on vehicle parking around Lalbagh resulted in heavy traffic near all four entrances to the botanical garden. Traffic police and Horticulture Department personnel were deployed to regulate the movement of vehicles and visitors as crowds steadily increased from the morning.

As part of the extended attractions at the flower show, exhibitions featuring ikebana, Pushpa Bharathi, floral rangoli, vegetable carving, Dutch flower arrangements and Thai art were inaugurated on Saturday. Kannada actor Amulya Jagadish inaugurated the complementary art displays.

Speaking at the event, Amulya said the exhibits had been presented exceptionally well and stressed the importance of encouraging such artistic traditions.

“Promoting these forms of art will greatly support the artists associated with them,” she said.

Horticulture Department Director Ibrahim Maigoor, Additional Director Dr M. Jagadish and Deputy Directors Balakrishna and Kusuma were among those present.

The Independence Day flower show is organised at Lalbagh every year and has become one of Bengaluru’s major seasonal attractions. The ongoing exhibition is drawing visitors with its combination of flowers, heritage themes and traditional art forms.