I had, of course, heard visited it years back, when i used to frequent Bangalore. I have also been to the famous Glass House [both during Flower show and other times], the sprawling botanical gardens, the old trees and, of course, the much-loved flower shows that happen around Republic Day and Independence Day. This year though, the reason I actualy ended up visited was the temple from Begur being a main feature.. Read on to know more…
The 2026 Independence Day edition of the Lalbagh Flower Show chose “The Glory of the Ganga Empire” as its theme, celebrating the Western Ganga dynasty and its contribution to Karnataka’s history, culture, literature and education. And one of the centrepieces of the show was the Panchalingeshwara Temple Complex in Begur, recreated using flowers inside the Glass House.
Now, Begur caught my attention for a very personal reason. It’s not some faraway historical site, it is right in my neighborhood, literally 5kms from home. And the Begur Panchalingeshwara temple complex is historically significant for another reason altogether — it houses an inscription dating to around 890–900 CE that contains one of the earliest known written references to the name “Bengaluru.” So when I saw Begur taking centre stage at this year’s Lalbagh Flower Show, I thought: Okay, I have to go see this. And one afternoon, I did.
The 220th Lalbagh Flower Show
The 2026 Independence Day edition is the 220th Lalbagh Flower Show, and it ran from August 6 to August 17 at the iconic Glass House.Walking into the Glass House and seeing history recreated through flowers is quite something.
The highlight is the floral interpretation of the 1,200-year-old Panchalingeshwara Temple Complex at Begur. But the show goes beyond that, bringing alive different aspects of the Western Ganga period through elaborate floral installations — including Bahubali, Gajasena and temples associated with Talakad. There is something wonderfully Bengaluru about taking something as ephemeral as flowers and using them to tell stories that are centuries old.
Flowers bloom. Flowers fade. But the stories remain.
And for me, that was what made this year’s show particularly interesting. It wasn’t simply about beautiful floral arrangements. There was a sense of discovering a piece of Karnataka’s history through something colourful, accessible and very much part of the city’s cultural calendar.
But Lalbagh itself was the surprise
Here’s the thing I didn’t quite expect. I went because of the flower show. I came away wanting to go back to Lalbagh itself. Because once you move beyond the crowds and the Glass House, you realise just how lovely this place is.Being there reminded me of how beautiful the gardens are andf brought back some fond memories.
There are enormous old trees, winding paths, open spaces, little corners where you can simply stop and look around. There is the lake, the greenery, the old structures and that peculiar sense of being somewhere far removed from the traffic and concrete outside the gates. And yet you’re right in the middle of Bengaluru. That, to me, is the magic of Lalbagh. It isn’t merely a park. It feels like one of those rare spaces where the city slows down.
You can walk.
You can sit.
You can people-watch.
You can take photographs.
You can look at flowers.
Or you can do absolutely nothing.
And perhaps that’s why Bengaluru has such an enduring relationship with Lalbagh. The garden has been part of the city’s story for centuries, and its Glass House has been the setting for flower shows for generations. The Independence Day and Republic Day shows have become almost synonymous with the city’s identity as the Garden City.
Why this year’s show felt different
What stayed with me wasn’t just the scale of the floral installations. It was the reminder that Bengaluru has a history much older than the version of the city we usually talk about.
We speak about Bengaluru as India’s tech capital, startup capital, pub capital, traffic capital — depending on the day! But places like Begur remind us that the story of Bengaluru goes much further back. And this year’s flower show brought that older story right into the heart of the city. Last Jan end when we came to know that we might be moving to Bangalore, and P found us an apartment, it was in Begur.. Now, having visited Bangalore millions of times, I thought I knew all the localities, but this was new to me and ghot me wondering what kind of backyard or village we were moving to. But a year down the road, it’s become home & is close to so many other localities and places plus life has been good and positive, plus it has historic references, which changes the perspective completely…
This temple featured in the flowerr show that has stood for more than a thousand years. An inscription that carries an early reference to Bengaluru. A dynasty that ruled parts of Karnataka centuries ago. And then thousands of flowers recreating pieces of that history inside a beautiful old Glass House. That’s quite a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
If you haven’t been to Lalbagh yet…
Go. And don’t make the flower show the entire point of the visit.
Yes, see the Glass House.
Yes, admire the floral installations.
Yes, take a ridiculous number of photographs.
But then slow down and walk around.
Look at the trees.
Find the lake.
Find the fountain and waterfalls
Notice the old stone structures.
Watch people going about their morning or afternoon.
And allow yourself to experience Lalbagh without an agenda.
I went because Begur was a key feature of the 2026 flower show. I stayed because I discovered just how beautiful Lalbagh is. And perhaps that’s the best side of Bengaluru — the one that starts with something you’ve come to see and ends with you finding something you didn’t know you needed.
The 2026 Lalbagh Independence Day Flower Show runs until August 17, so if you’re reading this on the final day, you still have a little time to make that visit. Be warned- it is likely to be super crowded…
