Will this remain or vanish from Bangalore?

Every City has one or more tradition or festival or culture unique to them alone. Some of them might have lost a few and others are on their way to loose due to the urbanisation.

Bangalore has also had somethings like the "kadalekai parise" (peanut market) held in Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, "Bengalooru Doddakaraga" , "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki", etc.

For now, the work of Metro (rail) seems to have started. This should have ideally been started atleast 15 years ago to meet the challenges the City would have faced. While Metro is most welcome, it is most likely to have its victim, "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki".

Hoovina Pallakki means a chariot of flowers and "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki" is a grand festival which Halasuru can boast of. Halasuru itself has a history. Some renowned places in Halasuru include the Ulsoor Lake, Someshwara Temple, etc. The "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki" is a festival which is held in April generally during the summer vacation for schools. All the deities of various temples in and around Halasuru come out into the streets of Halasuru in decorated chariots to meet the citizens. The festival starts around 2 am (intervening night of Saturday & sunday) and runs almost till evening of sunday as almost over a 100 deities come out. Tradition has been that people contribute from "Tanu, Mana Dhana" meaning from body, soul and kind. Tanu, as one person from a family would go to any temple of his/her choice and physically work for the preparation of these chariots. They also contribute monetarily (Dhana) to their ability. Mana (soul) is ofcourse involved.

Even children prepare their own chariots of different sizes and shapes and they are also allowed to join the bandwagon. Various artists perform their art form like classical music, orchestras, dances, etc in the open for the midnight crowd around the area. Entire Halasuru remains awake during the night and day. All theatres screen midnight show, restaurants remain open and lot money temporary shops come up to meet the needs of the crowd. Each family will atleast one family from elsewhere visiting them for the festival. It is a grandeur beyond explanation for any Halasurite. I doubt if anywhere in the world such a tradition of bringing out all the deities to meet the citizen is ever held as a practise. Buses ply to Halasuru through out the night and vehicular movement on Old Madras Road is blocked between Halasuru Police Station and Adarsha theatre.

Now that Metro will pass through Old Madras Road, rumours are rife that this "Halasuru Hoovina Pallakki" may be stopped temporarily or even permanently. Will Bengalooru loose out on this. Will the future generation get to see this.