Yakshagana, Dhol Tasha, Garba add colour to Bengaluru’s first Freedom Habba

People from diverse communities, States and districts dressed in traditional attire showcased their folk traditions, culture, music and dance

Updated - August 16, 2026 09:07 am IST - Bengaluru

Fireworks light up the sky during the finale of ‘Freedom Habba’, held as part of the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Saturday. | Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J.

For the first time, Bengaluru celebrated Independence Day by hosting Freedom Habba in front of the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha on Saturday. Organised by the Karnataka government the event was a first-of-a-kind, citizen-led festival.

There were people from diverse communities, States and districts who were dressed in traditional attire to showcase their folk traditions, culture, music and dance. From Karnataka’s Yakshagana, Veeragaase to Hulivesha, Maharashtra’s dhol tasha, Gujarati Garba , to West Bengal’s Dhanuchi Naach, Sikh traditional martial arts including Chakkar bazi and Gatka, various forms of art were exhibited.

Atleast 30 such teams paraded their art and skills for nearly half a kilometer. At the end of the parade, each team went on the stage set at the entrance of Vidhana Soudha and explained the importance of their art, culture and traditions.

Amit J, a degree student from Government Arts College in Bengaluru who was at the celebrations, said, “Our team is called Kalamilana. When we got a call from the representatives of the government, we were happy to participate and showcase Yakshagana. .”

Meanwhile, Kuntur Kumara team had travelled from Malavalli in Mandya district to perform Puje Kunitha. Explaining the art form, he said, “Dancers balance heavy, decorated structures with colourful silk cloth and flowers on their heads and do acrobatic movements. Puje Kunitha is performed during grama devathe’s worship or festival in villages. It is mostly performed in Mandya district, Mysuru, Ramanagara and Channapattana.”

Besides the parade, an immersive living museum called India’s Freedom Trail showcased information on Salt Satyagraha, Quit India Movement, while district themed pavilions showcased contributions of Sangolli Rayanna, Rani Chennamma to highlight Karnataka’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle. There were also a Constitution square, children’s games and activity zones.

Vaishnavi R, a visitor at the Freedom Habba, said, “I had never seen Vidhana Soudha so close. I had booked a guided tour in which all the important spots inside Soudha, a replica of Vidhana Soudha made of sandalwood, wood carvings and the meaning behind it were explained. Later, I walked out to be part of the Freedom Habba. Being a Bengalurean, I am celebrating Independence day in a unique way.”

Confusion among metro commuters, park visitors

As the Cubbon Park started closing at 6 p.m., visitors to the park were left confused about the exit route from the park. While they tried to exit from roads close to High Court and B R Ambedkar Metro Station, police personnel directed them towards other alternative routes like BSNL Gate, Bal Bhavan Gate and the gate near Century club.

Police personnel ensured that only those with registered QR codes were going for the habba and allowed entry near GPO office, BSNL gate and MS building.

The screening process created bottlenecks for people not attending the festival. In one instance, an elderly man was stopped by the police despite repeatedly explaining that he was merely heading to Shivajinagar and not the event. Finally, he was allowed to exit.

Meanwhile, Namma metro services were stopped at Cubbon Park, Sir M Visvesvaraya Metro stations and Vidhana Soudha metro stations for sometime and commuters were allowed to get down at MG Road and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Metro Stations until 9.30 p.m. Services resumed once the programme ended.

Published - August 16, 2026 01:06 am IST

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