When flowers tell the story of Valmiki Ramayana

The beginning of every year in Bengaluru is marked by the Glass House in Lalbagh Botanical Garden turning into a riot of colours, as it hosts the Republic Day flower show organised by the Horticulture Department. This year, the show which was inaugurated on January 17 is designed around the theme of Adikavi Maharshi Valmiki, the poet who wrote the epic Ramayana. It offers everything that the visitors need to know about Valmiki, but through flowers.

The beginning of every year in Bengaluru is marked by the Glass House in Lalbagh Botanical Garden turning into a riot of colours, as it hosts the Republic Day flower show organised by the Horticulture Department. This year, the show which was inaugurated on January 17 is designed around the theme of Adikavi Maharshi Valmiki, the poet who wrote the epic Ramayana. It offers everything that the visitors need to know about Valmiki, but through flowers.

One of the main attractions of the show is the floral model of Valmika ‘hutta’ (anthill) which signifies Valmiki’s origin. The story goes that as he meditated intensely, lost to the world, termites built an anthill around him. He eventually emerged out of the anthill, which gave him his name. Valmika, in Sanskrit, means anthill. The model is 14-ft wide and 15-ft tall and has a circumference of 38-ft. The colour closely resembles the actual colour of an anthill.

The visitors have also been enthralled by the floral recreation of Maharshi Valmiki’s ashram and the scenario that led to the creation of Ramayana. From the idols of Rama and Sita to the golden deer which plays a key role in the epic tale, the 14-ft wide and 24-ft tall model paints a floral picture of Ramayana. A total of 5.5 lakh flowers including red and yellow roses, Calcutta and general variety of sevanthige in hues of purple, yellow, chocolate and white will be used over the course of the show for this model alone.  

After Valmiki, many poets wrote their own versions of Ramayana in their own styles, some of which also gained immense popularity. The busts of such poets, including Kannada’s very own Kuvempu who wrote the Ramayana Darshanam are being displayed in the show along with information about their work inside the Glass House.  

The Indo-American Hybrid Seeds Company has set up an attractive display of exotic orchids, miniature anthuriums, Cala lilies and bromeliads at the entrance of the Glass House giving visitors a chance to see many flowers which they may not have seen before.  

The flower show will continue in Lalbagh until January 27 and visitors can acquire tickets either online or at the entrance of Lalbagh.