Karnataka Rajyotsava

On November 1, 1956, Coorg State and Kannada-speaking regions from Madras State, Bombay State and Hyderabad State were added to the already existing Mysore State. The expanded Mysore State was renamed as Karnataka, later on in 1973. This is the Karnataka that exists today.

Every year, November 1 is celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava. In a broader sense, the Kannada term 'Karnataka Rajyotsava' translates to 'Karnataka Formation Day'.

This blog contains 20 photos from the 2017 celebrations in Bengaluru.

Location : Bengaluru Urban District, Karnataka.

Photos shot in November 2017.

All photos © S Srikant.

Yellow and red-coloured balloons getting released by (from left) Mayor of Bengaluru R Sampath Raj, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Minister for Infrastructure R Roshan Baig and Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Tanveer Sait on the occasion of Karnataka Rajyotsava at Sri Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru.

School girls marching at Sri Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah returns the salute to a marching band of men at Sri Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru.

Girls and boys sing Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate, the state song as the Kannada flag flutters in the breeze at Sri Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru.

Waves of yellow and red at Sri Kanteerava Stadium as Bengaluru celebrates Karnataka Rajyotsava!

Dancers in peacock attire at Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

Dancers during the cultural show to mark Karnataka Rajyotsava.

Boys running with Kannada flags during Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations in Sri Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru.

Students during the cultural show to mark Karnataka Rajyotsava at Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

Kannada flags in an autorickshaw on the move in Bengaluru.

Flowers being offered to an idol of Bhuvaneshwari (Mother Kannada) in a road in Bengaluru.

Vatal Nagaraj (with hat), leader of a pro-Kannada outfit, greeting the Mayor of Bengaluru R Sampath Raj during a function organised by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, another Kannada organisation.

A woman rotates as she dances during a cultural procession in Bengaluru.

Folk artistes perform at a traffic junction in Bengaluru.

Young men dancing to drum beats to savour the occasion.

A man waves the Kannada flag amid drummers during a cultural procession on Karnataka Rajyotsava in Bengaluru.

A folk dancer in action.

Dancers performing to the beats of drums at Kempegowda Bus Station in Bengaluru.

A man waving the Kannada flag in Kempegowda Bus Station, Bengaluru.

The cultural procession passes by the statue of Sangolli Rayanna at the traffic intersection named after him in Bengaluru, during Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations.