A view from the world outside

The Republic Day flower show at the Lalbagh Botanical Garden never fails to attract people from across the City. For many, in fact, attending this show has become a tradition. Many old Bangaloreans will tell you that no matter how much the City has changed, the one thing that still retains its charm is the flower show.

The sheer joy of seeing a variety of colourful flowers in full bloom and the floral structures at the Glass House is something nobody wants to miss.

Over the years, the flower show has not only had a special place in every Bangalorean’s heart, but also with expats and foreign tourists in the City. Metrolife caught up with a few of them, who were amazed at the variety of flowers and the highlight of the show –– the Eiffel Tower made out of roses and the ‘Lady’ created with anthurium flowers. The visitors came with their families and friends and captured every moment in their cameras.

They even took joy in taking a stroll in the gardens amid the colourful and fragrant blooms.  For some, this was a one-of-a-kind show that they hadn’t seen before. For others, they couldn’t help but remember the flower shows they have back home. Interestingly, many of them planned their vacation to the City according to the flower show. Maria Zeisel, a general practioneer from Germany, had heard of the flower show and felt that she should come to the City during the show. Only here for a week, she was amazed at the sight of so many flowers under one roof. And the floral Eiffel Tower floored her. “I have been to France and seen the Eiffel Tower but it’s a sheer delight to see one in Bangalore as well. So far, I have seen only one flower show — in London — but I feel the one in Bangalore is really pretty,” she adds.

A tourist from Sweden, Sara, had come along with her husband, Fredrik and their children, Hannes and Kiara. Sara couldn’t help but take lots of pictures of the flowers and even wanted to shop at some of the stalls that were put up in the vicinity.

They had heard about the show in their guide book and felt it was a good opportunity for her children to see so many varieties of flowers. “Back home, we do grow flowers and there are flower shows but it’s nothing like this. Here, the flowers are more colourful and vibrant. Back home in Sweden, the flowers are not as colourful,” she adds. Kiara and Hannes, too were excited at seeing the big doll adorned with flowers. “We have never seen anything like this before,” they express.

Homemakers — Rebekka from Switzerland and Katharina from Austria — have been living in the City for nearly three years but they had never attended the flower show. “We are leaving this beautiful country in few months and felt that we have to make it to the show at least once and I am glad we did because it was really beautiful and worth it,” says Rebekka, while Katharina adds, “This time with Eiffel Tower being the attraction, we really wanted to have a look at that. Every time we thought of coming, the traffic and the crowd kept us away. And we thought a weekday was a better idea as it is less crowded then.”

The show also saw many foreign students. A huge group of foreign students from Yemen, Egypt and even Thailand, studying in Career College, had come for the show. Abdulla, from Yemen, says, “I have never seen or even heard of a flower show. This is the first time for me. I think it’s beautiful and got to see so many flowers.”  For Khalid, a student from Egypt, this was a good way to learn about the City. “There are so many sides to the City we have never seen. And I feel the flower show really showed us a different side of the City,” he sums up.