Bengaluru rings in New Year with colour, music, people throng temples across state

Bengaluru, Jan 1 (PTI) Colour, music and celebration marked New Year euphoria across Bengaluru from the night of December 31, with huge number of people stepping out to welcome 2026 amid lights, laughter and heightened security.

From the stroke of midnight, central business districts, IT corridors and residential neighbourhoods echoed with cheers.

Signature destinations of Bengaluru's cosmopolitan identity such as MG Road, Brigade Road, Church Street and Indiranagar turned into hubs of celebration, glowing with decorative lighting, live music, DJs and spontaneous frolic, while restaurants and pubs hosted special countdown events.

As the clock struck 12 am, fireworks lit up the skyline at multiple locations, with families and groups exchanging greetings, cutting cakes and sharing sweets.

Youngsters waved glowing props and mobile phones, capturing the moment, while many offered prayers at temples and churches that held special services to mark the New Year.

The Bengaluru Police had made elaborate arrangements to ensure peaceful celebrations, deploying additional personnel across sensitive zones and enforcing traffic diversions in crowded areas.

Barricades, CCTV surveillance and night-long patrolling helped regulate the festive crowds, with officials appealing to citizens to celebrate responsibly.

The blend of modern party culture and traditional rituals reflected Bengaluru's cosmopolitan spirit, as the city ushered in the New Year with hope, harmony and high spirits.

As the new year dawned on Thursday, devotees flocked temples in the state seeking the divine blessings for a good start in 2026.

People stood in long queues in front of temples with coconuts, incense sticks and flowers to offer to the deities.

In Bengaluru, there was a huge rush of devotees at 'Dodda Ganapati' and 'Dodda Basavanna' temples in Basavanagudi area.

People thronged the centuries-old Vasantha Vallabharaya temple in Vasanthapura.

Devotees also made a beeline to Banashankari Devi temple.

The rush in temples kept the priests busy from the morning, who were engaged in various rituals including 'Homa' (fire ritual).

In Mysuru, huge rush was witnessed in Chamundeshwari temple, the presiding deity of the historical city, and also in Yoga Narasimha shrine.

In Mangaluru, Kadri Manjunatha Swamy temple saw huge crowd since morning.

Prominent shrines in the state such as Sharada temple in Sringeri, Mookambika Devi temple in Udupi, Renuka Yellamma Temple in Savadatti in Belagavi, Manjunatha Swamy Temple in Dharmasthala, Kurudumale Ganapati temple and Kolaramma temple in Kolar district saw huge rush of devotees from the morning. PTI GMS -- SA