Chasing the Flowers, Protecting the Roots: An Evening with the Thigala Community & The Bengaluru Karaga

Published: June 28, 2026

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bengaluru, the air wasn’t just filled with the scent of drizzle and earth—it was charged with centuries of living history.

In a unique collaboration between Heritage Beku, the NGMA, and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, citizens gathered for a rare, ringside view into the soul of the city: The Thigala Community and the Bengaluru Karaga Festival. For those who think Bengaluru is defined solely by its tech parks and glass towers, this evening was a powerful reminder that our city's modern heartbeat rests on an ancient, resilient foundation.

Setting the Stage: From Martial Arts to Living Legacies

Heritage Beku co founder, Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, set the context for the evening. She emphasized that Heritage Beku exists to give voice to the irreplaceable cultural landmarks of Bengaluru, focusing on the Karaga aspect , setting the stage for an eclectic panel discussion skilfully moderated by Geetha Kannan.

Eleven Days in Summer: Inside Sunitha Srinivasan’s Deep Dive

The primary push for the event and ianchor of the evening’s narrative was the primary speaker, Sunitha Srinivasan, whose journey into the Karaga festival is as fascinating as the history she documents. Sunitha didn't just study the festival from afar; she initially experienced it as a runner, trying to keep pace with the Karaga priest. She recalled her absolute awe at watching the priest, draped in a sari, running at a lightning, god-like velocity while flawlessly balancing the towering pyramid of flowers upon his head.

This intense personal experience drew her into a three-year deep dive into the community’s history. Through her brilliant slideshow and narrative, Sunitha unveiled extraordinary snippets that captivated the audience:

The Dawn of Light: The very first electric streetlights ever switched on in Bengaluru were located on the exact same road as the historic Dharmaraya Swamy Temple.

The 30-Meter Bamboo Feat: Attendees learned about the legendary 30-meter-tall bamboo flag post. Before it is harvested from the Bannerghatta Forest, the community seeks reverent permission from nature. Generations of Thigalas have then manually carried and maneuvered this massive pole on their shoulders for miles through Bengaluru’s notorious traffic.

A Foundation of Respect: Sunitha highlighted the matriarchal reverence embedded in the festival, noting that the essential Aarti and Pongal Sevai rituals are organized and run entirely by women.

The Sweetness of Syncretism: In one of the most moving parts of the Karaga, the procession visits the Mastan Saab Dargah. Sunitha shared a witty, profound quote from the Muslim head priest there, who noted that whether you are eating a jalebi or a jamun, the core ingredients are identical—and that ingredient is God. This universal spiritual pull is why Veerakumars (the brave protectors of the deity) travel from all over India, bound by their love for the power of Goddess Draupadi.

Perspectives from the Panel: Capturing the Soul of the City

The discussion deepened as lifelong Bangaloreans and policymakers shared how the Karaga has shaped their own lives.

M.D. Ramasami brought a wonderfully candid, cosmopolitan "Richmond Town" perspective to the stage. He admitted that he initially went "kicking and screaming" to a mini-Karaga festival at a Shiva temple in Ulsoor, only to find himself completely entranced and humbled by its raw spiritual energy.

Prof. Rajeev Gowda shared two deeply relatable personal reflections. He recalled standing in the crowds as a teenager, anxiously wondering if the fierce, sword-wielding Veerakumars would actually carry out the terrifying ancient tradition of beheading the head priest if he stumbled or dropped the sacred crown.

Prof. Gowda admitted he truly woke up to the vastness of the festival later in life upon returning to India from the United States. He began to see the undeniable, historic agricultural and farmer connection of the Thigalas and noticed the relentless, beautiful rhythm of the neighborhood festivals in Basavanagudi. He noted that in Bengaluru, there is always a festival happening somewhere—and these neighborhood celebrations act as the essential cultural bridges we must actively retain. He also poignantly noted that this preservation must extend across the city’s diverse tapestry, including protecting Bengaluru's distinct Anglo-Indian culture.

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The space then moved into a martial arts performance with Dev and his protégés and then Rekha channeling her inner Devi , bringing in both the athleticism, total control as well as the warrior element of the Karaga build up. The event moved up with a burst of breathtaking adrenaline. Dev and his team took to the stage to present a rare demonstration of traditional Thigala martial arts, reminding everyone in attendance that this community’s heritage is not a static museum exhibit, but a vibrant, muscular, and beautifully preserved art form.

The Heritage Beku Call to Action: A Tech-Driven Blueprint

The evening wrapped up not just with appreciation, but with a firm, actionable vision for the future. While capturing this rich history in books is vital, the panel agreed that Bengaluru needs to think bigger.

The Big Idea: If the Bengali community can seamlessly export the grandeur of Durga Puja and its beautiful pandals to every corner of the globe during Dasara, why can’t Bengaluru scale and export the magnificent Karaga festival to the national and global stage?

To achieve this, Heritage Beku laid out a clear challenge to the policymakers present:

1. A Tech-Driven City Cultural Calendar: We desperately need a comprehensive, centralized digital calendar to document, track, and promote the smaller, neighborhood "village-within-the-city" festivals (from Ulsoor to Basavanagudi).

2. Public Visibility: These snippets of cultural heritage need to be seamlessly integrated into daily mainstream press calendars and "In the City Today" listings, ensuring everyday citizens and newcomers are exposed to them.

3. Institutional Protection: We must use policy to safeguard the historic procession routes, protect the spaces belonging to the community custodians, and ensure that living heritage is prioritized alongside urban development.

A Heartfelt Thank You

We extend our deepest gratitude to Sunitha Srinivasan, Prof. Rajeev Gowda, M.D. Ramasami, and Geetha Kannan for a masterclass in local history. Thank you to Dev and his team for keeping the martial arts alive, and to the NGMA and the Ministry of Culture for hosting us.

Most of all, thank you to the citizens of Bengaluru who were in the auditorium on a Sunday afternoon. Your presence sent a resounding message to the entire city: Heritage Beku! We want our heritage, we love our history, and together, we will protect it.

Keep the spirit of the Karaga alive in your hearts, and we will see you at our next event!

Follow us on our social handles to stay updated on upcoming heritage walks, talks, and civic advocacy campaigns.

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Protecting Hampi’s Sacred Stone and Sentient Life – Request for Permanent Policy Change at Virupaksha Temple

20 June 2026

Dr. Nandini Bhattacharya Sahu,Joint Director General, ASI Delhi. EMail: Mediacell.asi@gov.in

Shri K. Rama Krishna Reddy, Superintending Archaeologist, ASI Hampi Circle. Email: sasi@gov.in

CC: scircle.ham@gmail.com, circleham.asi@gmail.com, dg.asi@gov.in, kawb2021@gmail.com

Subject: URGENT: Protecting Hampi’s Sacred Stone and Sentient Life – Request  for Permanent Policy Change at Virupaksha Temple

Dear Sir/Madam:

We are writing to you not just as citizens, but as custodians of a shared past. As the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) works tirelessly to protect our monuments, we wish to bring your urgent attention to an ongoing anomaly that threatens both our material heritage and our collective conscience: the practice of housing captive elephants within the highly sensitive, centuries-old architectural zones of the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi.

While we acknowledge and thank the authorities for the recent medical relocation of the temple elephant, Lakshmi, this cannot be a temporary fix. It must be the catalyst for a permanent, institutional policy change. True heritage conservation does not look at monuments in isolation; it respects the integrity of the stone and the dignity of life connected to it. Keeping a heavy, sentient animal tethered inside a living UNESCO World Heritage site violates both.

We urge the ASI to enforce a strict, permanent ban on housing large animals within the monument boundaries, based on three critical grounds:

Chemical and Structural Erosion of Ancient Stone: The architectural marvels of the Vijayanagara Empire were built to withstand time, but they were never engineered to bear continuous, heavy biological loads or the severe chemical erosion caused by animal waste. The immense weight and constant movement of an elephant over centuries-old stone pavements, ornate pillars, and sub-surface foundations cause silent, irreparable structural shifting. Just as Heritage Beku has consistently fought against the use of unscientific materials like concrete in heritage zones, we must also recognize that introducing unsustainable biological pressures is equally damaging to historical stone.

The Threat of Mechanised  Intervention (The JCB Risk): Housing a massive animal in a restricted, ancient courtyard invites a terrifying logistical nightmare. Should an elephant’s health deteriorate to the point of recumbency, or worse, should it pass away within the inner precincts, human hands alone cannot move it. Heavy machinery—cranes and JCBs—would have to be brought into the highly fragile architectural core. Navigating mechanized equipment through these narrow, historic corridors poses an imminent, catastrophic risk of crushing and destroying priceless, irreplaceable carvings and structures.

The Living Spirit of Heritage (Animal Cruelty): For a state and a culture that prides itself on its deep, historical reverence for nature, forcing an elephant to live on hard, unforgiving stone pavements is a violation of our cultural ethics. Enclosed spaces, constant public exposure, and unnatural flooring lead to severe joint degeneration, footrot, and intense psychological distress for these majestic creatures. A monument cannot be considered "preserved" if it serves as a site of active trauma for a living animal. Hampi’s heritage is alive, and it must reflect empathy, not exploitation.

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act gives the ASI the mandate to protect these sites from preventable degradation. True preservation means stepping up to stop practices that belong in the past.

We urgently request the ASI Hampi Circle to coordinate permanently with the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department and the Karnataka Forest Department to ensure that no elephant is ever housed, tethered, or kept overnight inside the protected monument boundaries again. Our temple elephants deserve a natural, off-site sanctuary where they can touch the earth, not concrete or stone.

Please acknowledge receipt of this citizen grievance and inform us of the permanent, systemic steps being taken to safeguard the stone of Virupaksha and ensure the welfare of these animals.

Hampi belongs to the ages. Let us protect it with the foresight and dignity it deserves.

Sincerely,

Priya Chetty-Rajagopal 

Co Founder, Heritage Beku

Bangalore 

damaged legs and feet due to hot granite .

Lakshmi the Elephant

The Man Who Owned No Land, But Gave Us Ours: A Review of the Krumbiegel Commemoration at NGMA

The Man Who Owned No Land, But Gave Us Ours: A Review of the Krumbiegel Commemoration at NGMA

The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) auditorium in Bengaluru did not merely reach capacity; it overflowed.

By the time the lights dimmed for the screening of Ganesh Shankar Raj’s documentary, The Maharaja’s German Gardener, the room was bursting. An additional 30 to 40 chairs lined the aisles, and every deep bay window was occupied by citizens perched to get a glimpse.

This massive turnout was the first profound realization of the evening: generations later, Bengaluru still shows up for its green heritage. Watching the livestream from afar, Gustav Hermann Krumbiegel’s great-granddaughter, Alyia Krumbiegel—who carries her ancestor’s torch with fierce devotion—shared her deep emotion:

"Tonight’s screening for my great grandfather in Bangalore has left me deeply emotional. I was quietly worried not many people would come, and to see a full room, with people gathering in every corner just to listen and remember, means more than I can ever put into words. A legacy only truly lives on when people still care enough to show up for it generations later. Tonight, Bangalore did. 🌿 Thank you."

From Kew to Karnataka: The Visionary We Took for Granted

Organized by Heritage Beku, the Friday evening of 22 May 2026 masterfully bridged the gap between historical gratitude and urgent, future-forward civic action. The documentary traceed the staggering journey of a 19-year-old German youth who traveled from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew to Baroda, and finally to the red soil of Mysore and Bangalore.

We often view Krumbiegel through a purely botanical lens, but the film and subsequent panel discussion shattered that narrow view. GHK was an urban planner, an economist, and a humanitarian. Long before modern governance structures existed, he was installing farmers' ponds, establishing sustainable fisheries, and creating localized economic security for rural communities. He introduced agricultural diversity as a precursor to the very technological, gender, and economic diversity that defines Bengaluru as a global hub today.

Furthermore, as NGMA Director Priyanka Francis noted in her closing thanks, many in the room were astonished to learn the sheer breadth of his architectural and landscaping footprint—including his design contributions to iconic civic landmarks like the BBMP building and Jayanagar's Janatha Bazaar.

The Poignancy of an Outsider’s Devotion

Yet, for a man who orchestrated the symphonic, multi-colored canopy of our city, the true history of his final years left the auditorium in a heavy, collective silence.

Despite his deep reverence for local royalty and Indian citizens, geopolitical tides were cruel to Krumbiegel. He was interned as an "enemy alien" during both World Wars simply for his German birth. To the British, he was the Maharaja’s man; to the changing landscape of post-Independence India, he was a disposable relic of an old order.

When his formal tenure ended, this visionary was unceremoniously bundled into a small outhouse at Jayamahal Palace. Though his letters always proudly listed his address as Lalbagh—his true crowning jewel—he found himself in a brand-new country (Independent India) building itself from the bottom up, with no official place for him. He was given a heartbreaking two-day marching order to vacate and return to Germany, prompting a sorrowful final letter to his close friend, the Diwan of Mysore.

He stayed, and when he passed away at 90, he was laid to rest in a small, largely unmarked grave in the Indian Christian Cemetery on Hosur Road—just one of a hundred weathering headstones. Shortly after, his grieving wife Clara was given 2 days notice to vacate their quarters; she suffered a fatal stroke upon reaching England.

It is a profound, tragic irony: the man who designed the very identity of Bengaluru owned no land of his own within it. He was owned by no one . Not Germany which he left at 18, or Britain where he devoted 10 years at Kew (and married a British wife Clara) before coming in to Varoda and India at 28. He lived on an annual salary of just ₹600, remaining a legal outsider in every space he radically transformed.

The Panel: Turning Memory into Momentum

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Following the film, the panel discussion dynamically connected this historical debt to concrete plans for Bengaluru’s ecological survival. There was a moment of silence remembering the selfless man and brilliant visionary -with no country- who gave us our city of joy.

1. Mr. R. Girish, IAS (Secretary of Horticulture) on Policy & Green Corridors

Mr. Girish brought administrative reality to the stage, suggesting the structural implementation of dedicated green corridors to combat growing urban heat islands.

The discussion shifted to the urgent need to overhaul municipal policy. A major loophole was spotlighted: the current system allows for online tree-cutting applications, and penalties for illegal felling are often compoundable (settlable with a minor fine). The panel and audience strongly advocated for making tree-cutting penalties non-compoundable, carrying mandatory prison time. Tightening these legal screws is the only way to deter illegal felling by commercial developers.

2. Suresh Jayaram (Art Historian & Author) on Historical Truth

Suresh grounded the conversation in the artistic genius of Krumbiegel’s "serial blossom"—the intentional choreography of flowering trees so the city changes color season by season.

He also brought a moment of witty relief to the room. When an audience member joked that the spelling on "Krumbiegel Road" is notoriously botched by city municipal workers, a panelist quipped that many locals genuinely believe "Krumbiegel" is a native name from North Karnataka. The consensus? Perhaps we should leave the spelling mistakes alone and let North Karnataka proudly claim him too!

3. Ganesh Shankar Raj (Filmmaker) on Educational Connects

Ganesh emphasized that the film must not stop at cultural auditoriums. He laid out plans to take the documentary directly into schools and colleges to foster an emotional, ecological connection within the younger generation.

The audience enthusiastically backed this, calling for a major youth outreach push ahead of Krumbiegel’s birthday this December.

Reclaiming the Space: The Revival of Traffic-Free Cubbon Park

The energy in the room turned fiercely proactive when discussing Bengaluru’s immediate environmental future. The audience collectively demanded a revival of Heritage Beku’s highly successful campaign for a Traffic-Free Cubbon Park.

While the initiative previously faced pushback from the traffic department, the overwhelming consensus at NGMA was clear: it is time to push back harder. Protecting these historic green lungs from vehicle emissions is no longer an option; it is a necessity to lower the city's worsening microclimate temperatures.

The Manifesto: Giving Him Ownership

We breathe the oxygen his avenue trees multiplied. We walk beneath the explosion of canopies he imported like precious cargo from the far corners of the earth.

It is a historical injustice that G.H. Krumbiegel remains an unrecognized force. A misspelled street sign is not enough. A single statue is not enough.

Heritage Beku proposes three definitive steps to level the scales:

The Posthumous Honorary Citizenship: A formal, symbolic declaration by the State of Karnataka to claim G.H. Krumbiegel as a true son of the soil.

The Krumbiegel Memorial Bust: An artistic installation at the heart of his landscape to serve as an interactive educational space for children.

The Annual Krumbiegel Legacy Award: To honor local communities, lake-groups, and young climate warriors who preserve our urban canopy.

When he died, he had no country to call his own. It is time we change that. We have owned his work for a century; it is finally time to let him own us. Let us give him the ultimate, permanent goodbye: the status of a true, honored Bangalorean.

"In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught."

— Baba Dioum

Let us teach our children who designed the Garden City, so they find the courage to save it. Bengaluru Beku—and our green heritage starts with us.