Celebrating Nature and Community: The Spirit of ‘Kere Connect Habba’

Picture Credit: Kere Connect Habba Team 

In the bustling, ever-growing urban expanse of Bengaluru, a quiet but powerful movement is rising. It is colourful, musical, and deeply rooted in ecology and community spirit—the Kere Connect Habba is a celebration of lakes, and life around and within it.

What is Kere Connect Habba?

‘Kere habba’ translates to ‘lake festival’ in Kannada. These habbas have been practiced for several decades in the city, and are day-long festivals held at lakes across Bengaluru to celebrate them, and the communities around them.

Kere Connect Habba is a series of lake festivals organised by the Friends of Lakes (FoL), managed by India Cares Foundation, and funded by DCB Bank. The idea emerged from a growing concern that urban dwellers are losing touch with their lakes, once a vital source of water and cultural identity. FoL envisioned a lively, inclusive event that could bring people back to the lakes—not as bystanders, but as caretakers and stakeholders by creating conversation, and nurturing engagement.

Seven Kere Connect Habbas have been held in Bengaluru from January to May 2025, each at a different lake across the city. They were planned and organised at lakes in Avalahalli, Gunjur Palya, Talaghattapura, Sriganda Kaval, Doddanekundi, Halanayakanahalli, and Jogi Kere in association with active local lake groups. Kere Connect Habba is supported by key environmental and knowledge partners such as WELL Labs, Ashoka Trust For Research In Ecology And The Environment (ATREE), and Biome Environmental Trust. The habbas have drawn people in large numbers—local residents, school children, ecologists, artists, and other stakeholders.

The Kere Connect Habba begins with a nature walk

A Day at Kere Connect Habba

A Kere Connect Habba usually starts early in the morning with a nature walk. These walks are led by renowned ecologists and naturalists (like Prof. R Ganesan from ATREE), who guide the attendees through a lake’s flora and fauna.

Following the walk, the Habba shifts its focus towards events, panel discussions, and workshops. Drawing and painting competitions are organised for primary and middle school students from the locality. Young artists are encouraged to capture the essence of water, nature, and conservation in their sketchbooks. Environmental experts, local government representatives, and citizens are invited to participate in panel discussions on lake management and conservation. These discussions often transition into simple, hands-on workshops (such as one on home composting).

s(Left) Students from Shantidhama Public School participate in the drawing competition at Sriganda Kaval Lake; (Right) Children from surrounding schools showcase dances and plays.

Around the festival grounds, half a dozen stalls are set up by various partner organisations—research organisations and NGOs alike. Each organisation showcases its work through posters, demonstrations, and activities. WELL Labs set up a stall at all Kere Connect Habbas to talk to attendees about their work, and the Bengaluru Urban Water Balance Report. Attendees learn about rooftop gardening, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, native vegetation, and solid waste management, or even try their hand at coconut leaf weaving and pottery.

Games like gilli danda, buguri (spinning tops), tug-of-war, and rolling tyres are organised, inviting friendly competition. In addition, dance, music, theatre, and storytelling by schoolchildren light up the festival. Plog runs are also organised during the Habba—interested visitors are given garbage collection bags, which they use to collect garbage they see around the lake. All waste generated during the Habba itself is transported by the BBMP to the nearest dry waste collection centre.

As the day ends, a Ganga Kaveri Arathi (a traditional water worship ritual) is performed at the lake’s edge. Hundreds of oil lamps are lit and placed along the boundary of the lake. This closing ritual honours the lake as a giver of life and nudges the community to protect and preserve it.

The WELL Labs stall at Sriganda Kaval Lake.

Join the Movement

The Kere Connect Habba is rewriting the narrative around Bengaluru’s lakes—it emphasises hope, community, and collective responsibility. Each edition makes the lake conservation movement bigger, and strengthens the network of stakeholders of the lake.

If you are part of a lake volunteer group, you can reach out to Friends of Lakes at friendsoflakes@gmail.com, or India Cares Foundation at meena@icfn.in or their website to organise a habba at your lake. And if you’re in Bengaluru and hear of a Kere Connect Habba happening near you, don’t miss it. Whether you come for the nature walk, the games, the cultural show, or just to soak in the vibe, you’ll walk away with something far more valuable: a deeper connection to your environment and a sense of being part of something bigger.

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