The Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bengaluru is once again a sight to see with the intensity of colour and creativity as the 220th Lalbagh Flower Show opened to the public as part of the Independence Day celebrations. The exhibition will run from August 6 to August 17 and is themed “Shri Ganga Empire Grandeur” and is dedicated to the Western Ganga Dynasty, a royal dynasty dating back to Karnataka in ancient times.
The flower show was inaugurated by Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar who praised the Department of Horticulture for the quality of floral display and the history of Karnataka presented in floral display. He encouraged people from all parts of the state to come as a part of this very special exhibition that truly tells the story of ancient Kannada kingdom.
"The history of the Ganga Empire, an ancient royal dynasty of Kannada land, has been unveiled at this year’s fruit and flower show. I earnestly request everyone to witness this magnificent splendour," Shivakumar said at the opening of the exhibition.
A floral tribute to the Ganga Empire
The main attraction of this year's flower show is a huge 50-foot-high and 24-foot-wide floral replica of the Panchalingeshwara Temple Complex at Begur, a great building constructed in the Ganga period of almost 1,200 years. The temple replica has been carefully rebuilt at Lalbagh with fresh flowers, and is one of the largest floral installations ever exhibited there.
According to officials from the Department of Horticulture, nearly six lakh flowers have been used to create the main exhibit. The floral masterpiece includes about 2.15 lakh chrysanthemums in white, yellow, pink and rust colour, 90,000 red and orange roses and about 3.5 lakh flowers in the first six days of the exhibition. For the rest of the show, the same number of flowers will be added to the original display for the remaining six days to keep it fresh.
Adding to the beauty of the installation are nearly 25,000 ornamental foliage plants placed around the base of the temple replica to create a lush and vibrant setting.
Historical Displays Through Floral Art.
Apart from the impressive temple replica, visitors are treated to several artistic floral installations depicting significant symbols of the Ganga Empire. Recreating the powerful Gajasena (elephant army), dramatic battle scenes, the world famous Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola and replicas of the historic temples of Talakad are among the highlights.
Another major attraction is the artistic display of the historic Bengaluru inscription, the Elephant Battle, and the Brahma Sthamba replica attached to a specially designed pedestal measuring 24 feet in height and 3.5 feet in diameter. Both installations alone employ 2.3 lakh flowers, a tribute to the scale and craftsmanship of this year’s exhibition.
The exhibition also includes creative displays of the Ganga Empire’s accomplishments in Kannada literature, education, irrigation systems, architecture, sculpture, and cultural development, and is educational as well as visually stunning.
Honouring Karnataka's Historic Kings
As a historical aspect, statues of prominent Ganga rulers have been installed throughout the exhibition. A grand statue of King Sripurusha with elephant stands in front of the central floral temple. King Kongunivarma, King Madhava, King Avinitha, and the great commander Mahadandanayaka Chavundaraya are also shown, reflecting the dynasty's long history in Karnataka.
The Western Ganga Dynasty ruled large parts of southern Karnataka for several centuries and is known for promoting Kannada language and literature, temple building, Jainism and Hinduism and contribution to the state’s cultural and architectural heritage.
Flowers, Heritage and Tourism
Lalbagh Flower Show is one of Bengaluru’s most celebrated public events and thousands of people come to it on the Republic Day and Independence Day every year. The exhibition is organised by the Department of Horticulture and features horticultural excellence together with some of India’s ancient, culture and science-based and national icons.
The 2026 edition will also help introduce younger generations to Karnataka’s glorious past through immersive floral storytelling. We have beautiful flower arrangements, historical replicas, informative exhibits and lush landscapes that are an intrinsic part of this cultural experience.
ಲಾಲ್ಬಾಗ್ ಫಲಪುಷ್ಪ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶನದಲ್ಲಿ “ಶ್ರೀ ಗಂಗ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ ವೈಭವ”
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) August 6, 2026
ತೋಟಗಾರಿಕೆ ಇಲಾಖೆಯಿಂದ ಲಾಲ್ಬಾಗ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಆಯೋಜಿಸಲಾದ “ಶ್ರೀ ಗಂಗ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ ವೈಭವ” ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಮೊದಲ ರಾಜಮನೆತನಗಳಲ್ಲೊಂದಾದ ಗಂಗರ ವಿಷಯಾಧಾರಿತ ಸ್ವಾತಂತ್ರ್ಯೋತ್ಸವ ಫಲಪುಷ್ಪ ಪ್ರದರ್ಶನವನ್ನು ಇಂದು ಉದ್ಘಾಟಿಸಲಾಯಿತು.
ಕನ್ನಡ ನಾಡಿನ ಪ್ರಾಚೀನ ರಾಜಮನೆತನವಾದ ಗಂಗರ… pic.twitter.com/lu4M7tYHXD
Apart from the historical information, visitors can also explore all manner of ornamental plants, bonsai collections, rare flowering species, gardening innovations, and floral decorations at Lalbagh Botanical Garden.
Given the amazing floral artistry, rich history and the educational value of this show, the 220th Lalbagh Flower Show is going to be a big part of Bengaluru’s profile for the Independence Day this year. The theme of “Shri Ganga Empire Grandeur” is also one of Karnataka’s greatest dynasties and the state’s unique cultural identity through flowers that are beautiful and robust on-the-fly.
