As citizens of Bangalore / Bengaluru, many of us have come together to celebrate the wide diversity, aesthetics, functionality, ecology, histories and our memories of our city’s trees. The trees of Bangalore through their presence on our city’s avenues, parks and neighbourhoods are silent yet vital aspects of our urban lives. This ever growing city has moved away from a garden city tag to be re-branded the IT city. Yet, as Bangaloreans, we want to revisit the garden days and ways that are tied to our histories and identities and help us relate to our city’s special trees. This celebration and tribute to Bengaluru’s Trees has been christened NERALU.
NERALU, meaning shade in Kannada is a descriptive metaphor for the Tree festival and indicates what trees have meant to so many citizens of Bengaluru. We share historical, cultural and ecological stories and experiences because of trees that enrich our urban existence. NERALU is a way in which this can be celebrated, shared and reflected upon.
