The statue of Kittur Rani Chennamma infront of Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi.
| Photo Credit: BADIGER PK
Lalbagh Botanical Garden is all set to host the Independence Day flower show from August 7 to August 18. This time, the show will be set around the theme of Kittur kingdom, honouring its famous queen Kittur Rani Chennamma and Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna, who was the army chief of the kingdom.
A huge floral fort of Kittur, made out of roses and chrysanthemums, will be the central attraction piece at the Glass House along with the model of a horse-mounted Chennamma and standing model of Rayanna. The Veera Rani Kittur Chennammaji Samadhi Sthala, the final resting place of Chennamma located in Kittur, will also be recreated florally for the show.
A part of the fort will be rec-eated in a vertical garden form in front of which, models of Lavani dancers (the art form prominent in North Karnataka) will also be displayed. On the other side of the glass house, a horse mounted Rayanna and the scene of British hanging him to death will be depicted.
Around the Glass House, 60 boards of 4 feet by 8 feet dimensions will be put up to narrate the story of Kittur kingdom, including its origin, famous rulers and its eventual decline.
Eight outdoor screens
“We have chosen to honour Kittur Chennamma and Sangolli Rayanna for this year’s Independence Day flower show. Along with the floral representations, we will put up eight big outdoor screens at different places in Lalbagh on which historical records of Chennamma and Rayanna will be broadcast. This will include pictures, film clips and documentaries made about them,” explained M. Jagadeesh, Joint Director, Parks and Gardens, Horticulture Department.
While the exact quantity of flowers needed for each floral model is still being calculated, the official said that a total of 100 types of flowers will be used for this year’s show. It includes some regular flowers like roses and chrysanthemums which are used annually, along with special flowers like dahlias from Ooty, varieties of orchids, bromeliads, and canna lilies.
The Independence Day flower show in 2024, around the theme life and contributions of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar saw less footfall when compared to the ones before that. The officials attributed it to weather factors and long-weekend travel. Around 9.07 lakh people visited the show, bringing the department a revenue of ₹3.44 crore.
This year, around 10 lakh to 11 lakh people are expected to visit the show.
Published – July 27, 2025 05:09 pm IST
