Bengaluru Freedom Habba: Grand parade, Vidhana Soudha tour for children on Aug 15

After a meeting with Greater Bengaluru Authority officials, Gowda said there would be a grand parade representing the country’s diversity.

“Citizens representing Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Odia, and several other linguistic traditions, including communities from the northeastern states, will participate alongside representatives from Kodagu, Mangaluru, North Karnataka, and other regions of the state, making the Vidhana Soudha a stage for a living celebration of India’s unity in diversity,” he said.

Held in front of the Vidhana Soudha, Freedom Habba will begin at 11 am, following the official Independence Day ceremony at the Parade Ground, and continue until 10 pm, transforming the roads leading to and surrounding Vidhana Soudha into a vibrant cultural corridor.

Freedom Parade showcasing India’s diversity

According to the minister, the celebrations include a colourful Freedom Parade of nearly 40 contingents, an immersive Living Museum on the freedom movement, district-themed pavilions on Karnataka’s contribution to the Independence struggle, a Constitution Square, children’s learning and activity zones, guided tours of the Vidhana Soudha, a 200-foot public art wall, Soul Sante stalls, an evening music concert, and a grand fireworks finale.

“We are opening the doors of the Vidhana Soudha to our children. I want every child who walks through those doors on August 15 to go home with a memory that lasts a lifetime. Democracy must not remain something children only read about in textbooks. They should experience it in the very institution where it comes alive. We want our children to celebrate not only our freedom, but also to understand the values, institutions and shared citizenship that sustain our democracy,” he said.

Gowda urged citizens to register for the various events and activities through the dedicated Freedom Habba website and helpline, details of which will be announced within the next 48 hours, as well as through the government’s official social media handles.

The celebrations will carry the message Namma Ooru, Nimma Ooru, Nammellara Bengaluru (our city, your city, everyone’s city, Bengaluru), according to officials.

The full schedule

Freedom Parade: Nearly 40 contingents representing India’s diverse cultures, Karnataka’s regions and professionals will take part in a colourful Independence Day parade featuring folk performances, music and live cultural showcases.

Makkala Mela (Children’s Fair): A dedicated children’s zone with interactive games, storytelling, arts, crafts, creative workshops and family activities designed to make learning about freedom engaging and enjoyable.

Soul Sante Festival: More than 120 curated lifestyle, handicraft, organic, toy, textile and food stalls will create a vibrant festival atmosphere through the day.

Living Museum – Journey of Freedom: An immersive walk-through museum will recreate key milestones of India’s freedom movement through installations, artefacts, live performances and commemorative postcards.

Karnataka Freedom Path: District-themed pavilions will celebrate Karnataka’s contribution to the freedom struggle through theatre, cultural displays, local traditions and participation by Bengaluru’s district communities.

Constitution Square: Visitors can explore galleries on the Constituent Assembly, view rare constitutional archives and take part in collective readings of the Preamble through the day.

Children’s Freedom Village: Freedom fighters brought to life by performers will engage children through quizzes, interactive learning and instant rewards to encourage awareness of India’s freedom movement.

Children’s guided tour of the Vidhana Soudha: Young visitors and their families will have a rare opportunity to explore the Legislature through specially curated guided tours led by trained volunteers.