Stop and smell the flowers

Year 2023 could not have been better for Delhi. It’s a year when the ghost of lockdown has disappeared, bringing many events and festivals in the go-to list. The onset of spring has turned the city into a colourful paradise. The drifting images of red, pink, orange and yellow while travelling in Delhi metro offers solace even to the busy ones!

Besides, the G20 is around the corner, scheduled to be held sometime in late August or early September. The G20 flower festival at Connaught Place’s central park, inaugurated on March 11, is a riot of colours with flowers such as dahlias, bougainvillea, foliage plants, bonsai, and cacti in baskets and pots. There are also flower figures such as flower pyramids and hearts.

As the entry to the festival is free, people from all walks of life are attending it. One can spot a daily-wage earner resting under the pots of flowers, a corporate professional resting in a quiet corner, a flower enthusiast ready to embrace it all, schoolchildren, and of course, a number of families. Delhiites love quality evenings – and selfies! The flower festival has turned into a photoshoot of sorts, and people with DSLRs and mobile phones are ready to turn their photo galleries into colourful displays.

At one glance, the festival is not just about flowers, but also a celebration of the inclusive public space that Connaught Place has become. Coincidentally, it is also the 90th anniversary of this colonial-era place. The area has changed with time, but has always embraced people from all over the world.