Bengaluru Habba now a Karnataka state festival

Bangalore, Dec 3: It is the festival time in the IT city Bangalore. Bangalore will be dressed with cultural fervour as localites will celebrate the spirit of the city from Dec 4 to 21 in Bengaluru Habba 2008.

Encouraged by active involvement and support from the state government, the festival will focus on promoting cultural talent on a much larger scale. A distinctive regional, Karnataka flavour with added attractions like a Kannada film festival and sports is on high-focus this season. Sudhakar Rao, chief secretary and chairman of the festival committee for the Bengaluru Habba, made the announcement here on Tuesday, Dec 2. Sharing details on the Habba, Nandini Alva and Padmini Ravi, trustees, Artistes' Foundation for the Arts (AFFA), said: "For the last five years, AFFA has been reiterating its commitment to return performing arts to its audiences through the Bengaluru Habba. We thank our supporters of Bengaluru Habba. "A little bit of something for everyone" has been the Habba's aim and we are taking this philosophy forward this year as well.

To mark the sixth year Bengaluru Habba celebration, the state government has agreed to adopt the Habba as one of the flagship festivals of the state.

The key genres of festivities include sports- a swim meet, two golf tournaments, a badminton tournament and a snooker tournament; performing arts and photography festival, the Kala Madhyam Crafts and Performing Arts Mela, a visual arts square and street festival, a photo exhibition titled "Art, Space and the city", active canvas arts and crafts workshops, art discussions and a children's carnival; film festival - the 'Tribute' film festival, Kannada film festival; classical music and dance - Hindustani classical music, Carnatic classical music, classical dance, Sufi and jazz music, western classical music, English theatre, young music bands, artistic yoga seminars, world dance workshops, poetry and play readings.

The SP Balasubramanyam night, a Bollywood night with Shreya Ghoshal, a performance by Strings, a famous Pakistani rock band, Mrigaya - an Indian band in the global village and Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt with a Rajasthani music ensemble are the mega events.

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