Cubbon Park celebrates birth anniversary of its founder

It was a different morning for walkers at Cubbon Park on Wednesday, which marked the birth anniversary of Sir Mark Cubbon, the creator of one of the key lung spaces in the city.

Around 500 people gathered near the statue of Sir Mark Cubbon for the celebration.

S Umesh, president of the Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association and advocate, said this was the sixth year of the celebration. “In the morning, we cut a cake and distributed sweets to walkers. The celebration was held from 7 am to 7.30 am.”

The Association started celebrating the birth anniversary of Sir Mark Cubbon in 2012. “We honour him for creating such a prime lung space in the heart of the city. We also remember the contributions he made to the state, its economy and Kannada language,” Umesh said.

Earlier, Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj had opposed the celebration. But Doreswamy, noted freedom fighter, had intervened and the opposition died down. The Association said the Horticulture department celebrates the birth anniversary of Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel, the German botanist who created the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. It is on the same lines that the Cubbon Park Walkers Association was celebrating the birth anniversary of Sir Mark Cubbon.

The Association members said they had taken permission from the High Court of Karnataka to garland Cubbon’s statue on the eastern side of the court complex. The Association is planning to invite the family members of Sir Mark Cubbon next year onwards for the celebrations, Umesh said.