Bangalore civic workers get a break from the routine

The two-day Nadaprabhu Kempegowda cultural celebrations of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) kick-started with a spectacular comic performance by the BBMP civic workers’ union on Sunday evening.It was a visual treat for all those who had gathered to celebrate the 500th birth celebrations of Kempegowda.The workers’ union enthralled the audience with their dramatics on Sri Krishna Sandhana. The act showed how a director trains a group of artistes to play various characters in the Mahabharata and has a really tough time correcting their language and dialogues. Then came the prayer song Kelege ilidhu ba thai and the nada geethe sung by BBMP employees.The formal function started off with mayor SK Nataraj addressing the gathering. He encouraged BBMP officials to work hard and to stand up to people’s expectations.BBMP commissioner Siddaiah also addressed the gathering. He said, “The city currently needs to preserve its lakes since Bangalore is one among the cities that lacks enough water resources.”He added that the BBMP officials should work towards the growing requirements of the city and meeting the water needs of all its people.The BBMP thereafter conferred 260 Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda awards on those who have carved a niche for themselves in various fields like, urban development, literature, agriculture, social service, religion, media, entertainment, education, and medicine. Each award carried a cash prize of `10,000. Mayor Nataraj distributed the awards.As the first day of the cultural programme came to a close, the audience swore to come back on Monday to get a glimpse of more traditional performances.