Pomp and gaiety marked the start of the three-day Kannada literary fest 77th Akila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana on Friday as lakhs of people gathered on the streets to witness the state’s colourful march of culture.
Pomp and gaiety marked the start of the three-day Kannada literary fest 77th Akila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana on Friday as lakhs of people gathered on the streets to witness the state’s colourful march of culture.
The procession was flagged off from the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office at 10.15 am. The main attraction of the event was the idol of Goddess Durgamba decorated with colourful flowers. Some 10 tableaux from various departments, dance groups, police band, police force, mounted guards, folk artists and musicians were the other attractions.
Elephants, camels and horses added colour to the procession.
The tableau of National Food Security Mission, forest, tourism and transport departments, Sarva Shikshana Abiyan and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike won special applause.
Starting at 10.15 am, the procession moved through JC Road, towards the Minerva Circle, took a right turn towards Makkala Koota circle and ended at National Grounds around 1.30 pm. Most shops remain closed on JC Road and Kodaji Basappa Road.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists led by Narayana Gowda looked after the arrangements of the procession. They distributed water and buttermilk packets to marchers from vans that followed them.
Some 77 women dressed in traditional orange saree carrying Kalasa on their head stood out. The lilting strains from the Royal Mysore Palace Band and Bangalore Police Band filled the air with the mood of Mysore’s Dasara festival.
Yakshagana artistes, folk dancers, performers dressed as epic figures, Kombu-Kahale troupe from Arasikere, and little aerobic experts from Muniswamappa Garadi showcased the multi-faceted culture of the state. Dr Rajkumar’s supporters joined the procession in huge numbers carrying the picture of their hero.
Kannada’s small screen actors also cheered the crowd with their dance and songs during the procession. Kannada film and folksongs highlighting the state’s culture and language were played.
During the procession, the statue of Kempegowda riding a horse suffered damage. As the front legs of the horse came off, participants immediately mounted the vehicle and held the broken parts of the legs together till the end of the procession.
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