Bengaluru: Bengaluru Jatre, a 10-day city-wide celebration scheduled for Dec 4-13, has received expressions of interest from over 300 entities and more than 80 artists, according to the state govt.Those interested in participating include the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC), IIM Bangalore, Rashtriya Vidyalaya Trust, Bangalore International Centre (BIC), National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Sabha, Manyata Tech Park and Bangalore Creative Circus.Artists who have expressed interest include Aditya Prakash Ensemble, Swarathma, Suma Sudhindra, Manasi Prasad, Karthik Mani, Mystik Vibes, Spoorthi and Chitra Srikrishna. The programmes they will host or participate in are yet to be finalised.Announced by the state govt, Bengaluru Jatre is envisaged as a city-wide celebration inspired by the traditional Oora Habba or Jatre. Instead of being confined to a single venue, the festival aims to bring together neighbourhoods, educational institutions, cultural venues, businesses and community groups under a common identity.Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the interest shown so far was only the beginning, with enquiries continuing to come in from other parts of the country.“We want the Jatre to reflect the extraordinary diversity of Bengaluru. An RWA may organise something in its neighbourhood, a cultural institution may curate a programme, an IT company may open its campus to a cultural or community event, a college may organise a performance or exhibition, and an NGO or community group may bring its own idea to the Jatre. There is no single format. The invitation is open, and we hope many more will come forward,” he said.
