Happy Streets Bengaluru: Art, fitness & music bring the buzz to Bellandur | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: For residents of Bellandur, the arrival of Happy Streets by The Times of India on Sunday was a long-standing dream fulfilled. As the year’s first edition — and a debut in Bellandur — the event drew strong participation from residents of surrounding gated communities.Several stalls brought together a rich mix of ideas such as civic awareness, creativity, fitness, and sustainability. Visitors stopped by the Reclaim Constitution stall, where volunteers engaged attendees in conversations about the Constitution and distributed copies of the Preamble. Art enthusiasts took part in calming mandala art sessions hosted by Prashree Arts, while children explored colour and imagination through creative activities curated by Globalart Panathur.NeeRav Arts Village drew participants to try the Mudgar, a traditional Indian fitness tool, as instructors demonstrated its use and encouraged first-timers to attempt basic movements. Cycling enthusiasts test-rode bicycles at the Jayant Probikes & Fitness stall, and attendees looking to begin a fitness routine examined gym equipment displayed by Rocks Fitness, with staff offering guidance on how to use them.The traditional Kerala percussion performance of ‘chenda melam’ added a festive pulse to the venue, with rhythmic drumbeats drawing crowds and creating a lively gathering point. Tug-of-war matches unfolded, with teams forming quickly and onlookers cheering as participants strained for advantage. Pet-friendly activities kept families engaged, while board games such as carrom attracted groups keen on some friendly competition. The life-sized snakes-and-ladders set-up became a major draw for children, who moved across the oversized grid as others watched and waited for their turn.Sustainability took centre stage with WeKnewRenew, which hosted a #ReturnToRepurpose collection drive that encouraged residents to bring used glass jars and bottles for repurposing. Participants also had a chance to win vouchers, adding an incentive to make eco-conscious choices.With its mix of stalls and community-driven activities, Happy Streets, presented by Bhima Jewellers, delivered an energetic start to the year. EARLY-MORNING FUNRahul Chari | resident of Adarsh Palm RetreatIt was my first time at a Happy Streets event. I always read about it in the paper and wanted to come. This time, it was right behind our house, so it was an easy opportunity to participate. It was during my morning walk time with my Cinnamon. It’s a rare thing to see: when traffic is stopped for a while, all neighbours come out. Most of the time, we are so busy in our daily lives that we go from one place to another in a vehicle. It feels nice, seeing the community come together outside the building we live in Ray Patil & his daughter | residents of Adarsh Palm RetreatThis is our street, we know that every day the traffic is chaotic here. But today, we enjoyed being on our street. I saw some of the games here, like carrom, and they were really enjoyable, especially for my daughter. Awareness activities like Reclaim Constitution educated the kids as wellGanesh AR | resident of YelahankaThis was my first day back in Bengaluru, and I randomly ended up at the event on the way to my friend’s house. I feel Happy Streets facilitates meeting new people in a city that brings together different cultures. It also helps provide a healthy and pleasant start to the morning. More such events need to be held across the city Hema Ahuja | resident of Adarsh Palm RetreatSuch open-street events used to happen on MG Road a few decades back. We had a Sunday without traffic for all the people to come and participate. This event feels like a throwback to those days, and these things are a must in society. I saw this happening in Jayanagar before as a friend of mine lives there. Today, there were a lot of newcomers, especially youngstersAnu Beri | resident of BellandurI loved seeing the Constitution. I had never seen it, so that was a completely new experience for me. I did not read it, but just seeing it for the first time made me aware of it. I lived in London; this is something that happens frequently on the roads there. Of course, the roads are bigger, wider, and cleaner there, but I’m happy such activities are happening here as well Ramasubramanian S | resident of Adarsh Palm RetreatI always got involved in getting people together. This (event) is good because many of the people did not come outside and participate in activities earlier. A few hours on a Sunday morning is good to get to know each other. This time is usually part of my 4km morning walk, and it just got more colourful
