Laughter, food, music and dance at Sahakaranagara Nage Habba

The weekend Sahakaranagara Nage Habbe or Laughter Festival is a cultural and musical extravaganza at the Ganesh Temple grounds.

This is the largest festival ever held in North Bangalore conducted by Sahakaranagara Resident’s Welfare Association and an estimated 30,000 residents from around the area are expected to visit.

“We have been conducting the Sahakaranagara Nage Habbe from 2003 and this is the 14th edition. In the last three years, we have added cultural and musical programs along with the Nage Habba. This is an occasion to bond during the festival season and experience our culture. Residents can have fun and laugh on January 14 and 15 so that they continue to laugh and be happy the whole year,” the association secretary, R Balraj said.

The event will be open from 9 am till 10 pm on both days.

On January 14, starting at 5.30 pm, international flautist Sameer Rao and his team will perform. Next on stage will be Nritya Vaibhava, a dance choreographed performed by international danseuse Anuradha Vikranth and her students from Drishti Art Centre at 7.30 pm.

On January 15, a laugh riot is expected as leading artists such as M.S. Narasimha Murthy, Sudha Bargur, Richard Louis, Pavan Kumar, Gangavathi Pranesh, Basavaraj Mahamani and Narasimha Joshi will take centre-stage from 1.30 pm onwards till 9.30pm.

This year a Thindi Mela or Food Festival has been added with over 50 stalls offering food to suit different palettes. “This will be open from 9 am to 10 pm. The mela will include a wide variety of food from north Karnataka, south Kanara, the famous Hindupur bread toast, Chintamani chaats and other cuisines,” said S.N. Balwat, Organising Committee member.

An amusement park will be especially created for children with fun activities such as merry-go-round, toy train and other activities to keep kids engaged.

This year, as the organisers are anticipating more numbers. adequate seating arrangements have been made and large LED panels across the venue will beam the programs live, R. V.Veereshwara, another member said.

Entry is free on both days but for the laughter show, cultural and musical extravaganza, seating will be on a first-cum-first-served basis and parking has been arranged at KEB Grounds (opp School Vivekananda), Sahakaranagar.

The organisers have requested visitors and participants to park responsibly and not to litter the main area, grounds and surrounding roads.

Watch the preview of the Sahakaranagara Nage Habba video here