The 216th Flower and Fruit Show, themed “Universal Scholar, Architect of the Constitution, Bharat Ratna, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar,” will commence tomorrow at Lalbagh Botanical Garden, running until August 19. This year's event pays tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, featuring a floral replica of his life and contributions as the father of the Indian Constitution. To highlight his dedicated life and contributions to reframing the world's largest Constitution, this theme was chosen. Last year’s Independence Day show was themed around the late Sandalwood actor Puneeth Rajkumar.
The show will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Bheemrao Yashwanth Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr. Ambedkar, will be the chief guest, and other state ministers will also attend the event.
During a press conference, Ramesh D.S., IAS, Director of the Department of Horticulture, said that more than 30 lakh flowers will be used this year, potentially making it the world’s third-largest flower show.
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) teams will oversee maintenance and preventive measures against dengue. Over 10 lakh visitors are expected, and single-use plastic bottles are banned. Two voluntary organizations with 200 volunteers, six ambulances, and three health booths will be on standby. Security measures include a larger police presence and 128 surveillance cameras. Additionally, 22 water booths will be available free of charge.
Ticket prices are Rs. 80 on working days and Rs. 100 on Sundays, with children's tickets priced at Rs. 30. School students in uniform can attend for free. The press conference also saw the presence of Shamla Iqbal, IAS, Secretary to the Government, Dept. of Horticulture of Karnataka, and M. Jagadeesh, Joint Director of Horticulture, among others.
