Bengaluru: The Lalbagh flower show, themed around the 12th-century social reformer Basaveshwara, concluded on Sunday, recording the highest-ever revenue of Rs 2.59 crore.
The event, which began on January 18, attracted over 6 lakh visitors, including a remarkable turnout of one lakh on Republic Day alone.
January's flower show saw a relatively higher attendance compared to the Independence Day show, with the revenue of Rs 2.59 crore marking the highest ever for the event, according to M Jagadeesh, the Joint Director of Lalbagh Botanical Gardens.
The final day of the show witnessed a footfall of 76,000 visitors, while the day before saw 55,000 visitors. The total ticket revenue on the last day alone amounted to Rs 37 lakh.
Jagadeesh applauded the efforts of Sahas, Beautiful Bharat, Hasiru Dala, and the Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT) for their efforts in managing solid waste, highlighting that their initiatives had made Lalbagh "almost litter free."
The significant reduction in litter was largely attributed to the complete ban on plastic/NWPP bags and plastic bottles.
"We had a strong and dedicated team of volunteers this time, which facilitated easy workflow and coordination. We deputed 20 batches, each comprising seven to eight volunteers. We ensured that waste was timely removed with adequate numbers and movement of auto tippers," he said, adding that their awareness campaign to make Lalbagh litter-free was indeed a successful one, a real feather in their cap.
The most celebrated attractions of the show included the magnificent Anubhava Mantapa, a miniature of Basavanna’s house, and the floral depiction of the Vachana concert, as per Jagadeesh's remarks.
However, it was noted that higher ticket prices impacted the business of vendors inside the show, who reported that their sales were not as robust as in previous years.