Bengaluru: Suggi Huggi, a two-day cultural extravaganza marking the celebration of Sankranti, provides Bengalureans an opportunity to soak in the colours, flavours and rhythms of rural Karnataka. It will be held over the weekend — Jan 17-18 — at Jakkur Grounds. The free event is being organised by revenue minister and Byatarayanapura MLA Krishna Byre Gowda.Visitors will get an immersive experience of Sankranti through cultural shows and traditional exhibitions. The event aims to serve as a cultural bridge between tradition and modern urban lifestyle, inviting families and communities to come together and celebrate the harvest festival in its most authentic form, while honouring farmers and acknowledging their role in sustaining society.“We organised Suggi Huggi over the years to introduce the people of Bengaluru to the culture of our land and showcase folk arts. The festival is about celebrating harvest, which is closely linked with nature and is, hence, a celebration of nature,” Krishna Byre Gowda said. The celebrations will begin at 3pm on Jan 17 with cultural performances and a dance contest, followed by a concert at 6pm featuring Barfi Band.Day 2 will kick off at 10am with Rashi Puja, folk dances, village games, drawing and rangoli competitions, and traditional performances such as dollu kunitha, puja kunitha, chilipili gombe and nandi dwaja. Visitors will get a chance to shop at handicraft stalls and enjoy activities like kite-flying, bullockcart rides, kabaddi, tug of war and pot-breaking competitions. The popular Vasavi Avarebele Mela will add to the experience with culinary delights.To reflect the essence of the festival, ellu-bella, kabbu (sugarcane), groundnuts and pongal will be distributed throughout the day. The celebrations will culminate on Jan 18 at 6pm with a performance of Prabhat Arts’ 18 Days – Dusk of an Era, a Mahabharata dance musical, bringing mythological storytelling on stage.
