Bengaluru: Freedom Park pulsed with energy Saturday as BLR Hubba, the vibrant art and cultural fest anchored by Unboxing BLR and backed by Karnataka govt, drew massive crowds.The festival which kickstarted Friday has a hoard of events across multiple venues, offering something for everyone. At Freedom Park, conscious buyers flocked to the vegan market, where sweets, pizzas, drinks and fries tantalised taste buds. Shoppers snapped up soaps, shampoos, lotions and perfumes, filling carts with eco-friendly finds, including clothes and jewellery. Nearby, Thindipuram channelled Bengaluru’s famous food streets with bold twists: unexpected ingredients elevated the humble paan, pithaguri porridge got a spinach-and-chicken makeover, and jhal muri fused with bhel puri for explosive flavours.The fest doubled as a student hangout, and a nostalgic blend of old and new Bengaluru for senior citizens. There were a few tourists and some who newly moved to the city, for whom the fest was a cultural exploration. Deepak Gupta and Monica Gupta, who recently shifted from Hyderabad, said: “This festival is giving us a chance to understand the culture of the city. We are really liking the art installations, and even as adults, some things in Makkala Hubba managed to capture our attention.”Daytime walking tours and workshops gave way to evening music, theatre and dance performances across venues as part of the festival.(BLR Hubba wraps up on Jan 25. For details, visit blrhubba.in.)Quote box with mugshots:I am here at the festival because I love the concept of it, it showcases the essence of the city. I am checking out different art installations and exhibitions here, and in the coming days, I wish to have more meaningful experiences. I made a list of everything I want to attend– Deenaz Damania, psychotherapist from Richmond Town.It’s been a really nice experience, and the kids are enjoying all the activities. Such events need more publicity, as before coming here, I did not understand how interesting it could be – Neha Sapri, resident of Cooke TownWe came to see the kids’ activities and attend Rohini Nilekani’s reading session. We also like the fact that there are so many books that we can buy – Anand J and Tara Anand, father and daughter duoIt is my first time at BLR Hubba and so far, I really liked the vegan market. The event is neatly organised with water stations and restrooms, and the ambience of Freedom Park itself is very nice. As a family, we do not go out often to such events, but we are now planning to make a habit of it– Sujay Alurnarayana, resident of UttarahalliI always found myself too busy with work and realised I was missing a lot of these events. So today I decided to come to Freedom Park and then also go to NGMA. I think such events are very important to just chill and get away from your mundane life, but of course, except for the traffic – Pushpanjali Reddy, architect from IndiranagarAs a visual arts student, I really liked the art installations of Shilpa Gupta and Denise Peters. This is the first time BLR Hubba is organised on such a big scale. I plan to check out other venues as well with my friends– Brinelle Maria, visual arts student at CKPThe vegan market was the best, according to us. There were so many varieties of products. We also loved trying golgappa, ramen, Bengali churmuri and pitha, which was like a coconut roll at the food stalls. We are planning to attend more such events whenever we get a break from college – Aadya, Sampurna, Amritha and Kruthika, students of design at RV University
