Bengaluru, October 03 (Karnataka News):
With the idea of ”By the people of Bengaluru, for the people of Bengaluru”, all preparations are being made to celebrate the “Bengaluru Jatre” for ten days from December 4 to 13 in the five BBMP Municipal Corporation zones of Bengaluru, said Krishna Bhairegowda, Minister for Development of Greater Bengaluru.
He gave this information at a press conference organized after attending a meeting held at the Greater Bengaluru Authority auditorium with senior officials from various departments regarding the preliminary preparations for the ‘Bangalore Fair’, which is intended to be organized by the government with a view to promoting cultural exposure and active participation of the citizens of Bengaluru city.
Our state should be a model for the country and abroad in economy and technology, as well as an excellent city in cultural life such as art, culture, literature, music, etc. The Hoysalas and Kadamba kings who ruled our state in the past nurtured art, literature and culture. In the same way, our government is also organizing such programs to develop and nurture art, literature and culture, along with providing basic facilities to the citizens, he said.
Promoting art, literature and social infrastructure in the city will give a new impetus to Bengaluru’s tourism and economic growth. This festival is not just a government event, but is a festival organized by the public, various organizations and private partners with the aim of reflecting the culture, art, literature and food diversity of Bengaluru. He said that the aim of this fair is also to make people from other states, who live in large numbers in Bengaluru, feel that it is our Bengaluru.
Apart from religious and cultural programs, restaurant associations have been requested to organize food festivals to introduce the unique food style and culture of Karnataka. The leaders of the old towns with history near Bangalore city have been invited to actively participate in this festival. Kannada film artists, IT companies, NASSCOM, private universities and educational institutions are also being requested to join hands and organize programs, he said.
If the residents’ welfare associations also want to organize cultural programs in public places like parks, open areas, lake shores, etc. in their area, the government will also send artists to them and provide programs.
More than 300 programs, including small and large-scale programs, will be held across the city, including schools, colleges, IT companies, public sector and art galleries. It is planned to organize a large-scale program in two parts of the city center. He said that cultural art groups from various other states of the country have also been invited to participate in this fair.
Responding to a journalist’s question about whether religious celebrations will be allowed during the fair, the minister said that Bengaluru is a home to all religions, cultures and art forms. In order to respect this history, programs will be designed with an open mind, including all religious and cultural aspects.
All the programs organized by the government will have free entry for the public. For security reasons, online registration will be available only for major programs 10-15 days in advance. For the convenience of the public, the date, time, venue and registration details will be published on the official website, he said.
He said that an estimated cost of Rs 15 to 20 crores is expected, including artistes’ remuneration, stage, lighting and security arrangements. The Kannada and Culture Department has allocated Rs 5 crores in its budget for organizing this program, and it is intended to be carried out with the financial cooperation of municipal corporations, BMRCL, BESCOM, BWSSB, BDA and other departments.
Senior officials from various departments including GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, BMRCL Manager P.C. Jaffer and others attended the meeting.