BENGALURU: Morning walks are usually peaceful at Sankey Tank. Sunday, however, was different. Sankey Tank’s premises came alive with the maiden edition of Namma Bengaluru Habba organised by the state government.
The event saw a footfall of thousands of people. From workshops for children to cultural performances, there was a lot for visitors to look forward to. And even the afternoon showers could not dampen their spirits.
Decoupage workshops, a form of art which involves using paper to give old materials a new look, was the most sought after at the workshop section.
Children could have hands-on experience at learning to make craft from coconut fronds. Conducted by Bloom and Gloom, the workshop saw children make spectacles, snakes and wall hangings with the fronds. “We believe in bringing simplicity back and want children to learn an eco-friendly way of living. Hence the idea,” said Carol, the organiser of the workshop. For children, finger puppet making and pottery caught attention.
The play area was thrown open to visitors where a trampoline was put up for children to enjoy. On the other end of the lake stood stalls that had on display works by various artists. From dot art to oil paintings and from small cards to canvas paintings, the stalls had a lot to offer.
For book lovers, what could be better than a book rack set up on the water body’s periphery with bean bags for comfort? A reading zone was also set up by Just Books.
It was a no-traffic zone near Sankey Tank. The road was thrown open for skate board performances. A group of students called Holy Stroked were out on the streets performing stunts with skate boards as visitors looked on.
80,000
visitors were at the habba from 7am to 9pm on Sunday
Other highlights
Workshops on waste management, terrace gardening, pottery, silk thread jewellery, dream catcher making
Yoga and Zumba sessions
Free medical check-up
For late evening visitors, laser show was a perfect visual treat. Clubbed with upbeat music, the show drew thousands. Karnataka’s culture, Sankey Tank’s salient features and Bengaluru’s noted places were showcased through the show.
Fly board
The fly board sport was what caught the attention of visitors. Just as the performer waved, many lost no chance to click selfies. With rumours doing rounds on the internet that visitors would be allowed to participate in water sports, many had to return disappointed. With a video of the same being circulated on social media a day in advance, several thronged the place only to get a glimpse of the Fly Board. “A Twitter post said that we could perform water sports as well but my children were disappointed when we came here,” said Shantanu M, a visitor.
K’taka’s dance forms
Visitors were welcome to a display of Karnataka’s traditional dance forms at the habba. Dhollu Kunita, Kamsale and Yakshagana are to name a few. An energy filled performance from these artistes had the visitors in awe.
Spoilt for choice
From khichdi made of millets to barbequed chicken, visitors could enjoy a range of food items. There was also a spread of typical Kannada delicacies ranging from rotti to payasa to continental food in the food trucks. Also, the mela that was set up outside Sankey Tank saw sale of hand-crafted materials and accessories in good number.