Date:23/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/23/stories/2008112357120200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Kadlekai Parishe will be a mega event this time

Staff Reporter

Transport Minister Ashok will inaugurate the two-day festival on Monday

BANGALORE: A few elected representatives from South Bangalore have taken the lead to make the historical Kadlekai Parishe (Groundnut Fair) of Basavanagudi the festival of Bangalore by reviving its past glory.

The festival, hitherto confined to Bull Temple Road and adjoining areas, will be spread across Basavanagudi on November 24 and 25.

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department that administers Basavanna Temple and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have joined hands to make Kadlekai Parishe a mega festival this year.

L.A. Ravisubramanya, Basavanagudi MLA, and B.N. Vijaya Kumar, Jayanagar MLA, told presspersons here on Friday that Rs. 20 lakh would be spent on the festival. Cultural programmes such as light music, dance drama, orchestra and “Teppotsava” had been planned.

Preparations are on for the festival. Huts depicting rural life are being built to sell groundnuts. Recipes made of groundnut will be made available on the premises of Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara Choultry. Cultural programmes will be held at Bugle Rock Park, Kohinoor Playground (behind Ramakrishna Math), Madduramma Temple ground in Srinagar and K.S. Narasimhaswamy Park in Kathriguppe. Mr. Vijaya Kumar said that all these years the festival was restricted to the sale of groundnuts and devotees having the darshan of Basavanna. He said: “With a view to making it a festival of Bangalore, we have decided to add cultural and religious programmes. Sale of groundnuts in huts, cultural programmes in parks around Basavanagudi and Teppotsava at the Yediyur Lake will definitely make a difference.”

As part of the festival, there will be an orchestra by Venkatesh and troupe at Bugle Rock Park on Monday. Surya Kalavidaru will present Mahishasura Mardini and Punyakoti ballet on Tuesday. Surya Kalavidaru will present Karnataka Vaibhava ballet on Monday. Singer C. Ashwath will present Kannadave Sathya, a light music programme, on Tuesday at Kohinur Playground. Venkatesh and troupe will perform on Saturday and Honnavalli Krishna and troupe will stage a comedy play, Nage Nooru Bage, comedy play on Tuesday at Madduramma Ground. Kikkeri Krishnamurthy will render light music on Monday at Narasimhaswamy Park. A colourful Teppotsava at the Yediyur Lake will mark the end of the festival on Tuesday evening. Cultural programmes will commence at 6.30 p.m. Transport Minister R. Ashok will inaugurate the festival on Monday in front of Basavanna Temple at 10.30 a.m.