This Independence Day, the flower show at Lalbagh Botanical Garden will be a floral tribute to Jayachamaraja Wadiyar (1919-1974), the last maharaja of the erstwhile State of Mysore, to mark his birth centenary celebrations.
Some of the highlights of the show will include floral replicas of the iconic Chamarajendra Wadiyar Circle in Mysuru and the Raja Durbar of the palace. The Horticulture Department, which has already started work ahead of the show to be held from August 9 to 18, will also recreate a replica of the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens.
Around 5 lakh people are expected to visit Lalbagh during the show, which has a budget of around ₹2 crore. “The three installations will be the centre of attraction. Since we have already created Mysuru Dasara and the palace before, we will not repeat them,” said M. Jagadeesh, Joint Director, (Parks and Gardens) Lalbagh. “As a tribute to the versatile personality of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, his accomplishments and contributions to the State and governance, we have decided to celebrate his birth centenary year this way,” he said.
M.R. Chandrashekar, Deputy Director, Lalbagh, said depictions related to music and musical instruments such as veena, tabla, and violin will also be created as the maharaja was a patron of music. “Displays of his contribution to irrigation, education, literature, and other fields will be showcased,” he said. July 2019 marks the birth centenary of the 25th and the last ruler of the princely State of Mysore, and celebrations are already under way across the State.
Other highlights
The flower show will also have displays and demonstrations of a variety of rare carnivorous and insectivorous plants that attract and trap insects and pests through their colour, odour, and nectar. Vertical garden of living plants and floral beds around replicas have also been planned.
The Department of Horticulture has banned the use of plastic in the garden.
“Lalbagh is not just a garden, it is also an institution of botanical and environmental importance and is one of the most important lung spaces of the garden city. Hence, it is our duty and responsibility to keep it clean and green. Even that is a tribute we pay to the visionary the maharaja was,” a senior official of the Horticulture Department said.