Independence Day flower show in Bengaluru to showcase life and message of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

This year’s Independence Day flower show at Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bengaluru, organised by the Horticulture Department, will be held from August 8 to 19. The theme will be Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s life and achievements. 

The famous flower show is organised twice every year in the Glass House of Lalbagh – during Republic Day and Independence Day. The event attracts lakhs of visitors. The 2024 Republic Day flower show, which was designed on the theme of social reformer Basavanna’s life and other vachanakaras, attracted a record 5.61 lakh visitors bringing in revenue of ₹2.58 crore. 

For the show in August, along with floral models, information boards and busts will be used to depict the life of Dr. Ambedkar.

“We will trace Dr. Ambedkar’s life from his ancestors and birth, the problems he faced in society in childhood, his education in London, Germany and the United States of America, to his commitment to social justice, his tenure as law minister during British rule to drafting our Constitution, and all his major achievements and his messages,” said M. Jagadeesh, Joint Director (Parks and Gardens), Horticulture Department of Karnataka. 

20 lakh flowers from Republic Day event at Lalbagh to be repurposed into incense sticks, colour extracts

While the main floral pieces have not been decided yet, the major attraction is most likely to be the floral model of Parliament House with a statue of Dr. Ambedkar holding the Constitution in his hand. A team of experts, along with officials from the department, will take the final call on the centre piece and other sub-themes for the show. 

“Along the periphery of Glass House, we will have around 100 boards, which will have a sequential display of Dr. Ambedkar’s life along with quotes from world leaders about him,” Mr. Jagadeesh said. 

Over five lakh plants 

The department will be using over five lakh potted plants for floral arrangements this year while the quantity of cut flowers will be decided after the models are finalised.  

“We will be getting temperate flowers like red heart poker, petunias and poinsettia from Ooty. We will also be using other flowers like tuberous rooted begonia, impatiens, orchids and anthurium for the models,” Mr. Jagadeesh said. 

There will be no changes in ticket prices for the show. The price per ticket will be ₹70 on weekdays and ₹80 on weekends. The fee for children will be ₹30 per ticket on all days.