Kadalekayi Parishe, Bengaluru’s 400-year-old groundnut festival held in Basavanagudi, attracts over six lakh visitors each year and has recently focused on becoming an environmentally responsible celebration. To support this effort, Rotary Bangalore Midtown (RBM) partnered with the Zero Waste Collective—a collaboration of NGOs, RWAs, schools, colleges, and citizen groups—aiming to make the festival plastic-free and litter-free.

As part of its contribution, RBM sponsored essential materials including cloth bags made by women’s SHGs, HDPE waste collection bags, and reflective volunteer jackets. RBM leaders, Hon. Secretary Rtn. Ajeet Kandachar and Joint Secretary Rtn. B. S. Nagarajan, actively took part in the on-ground distribution of paper bags to vendors, alongside volunteers, strengthening the impact of the initiative. These efforts helped reduce single-use plastics, promote waste segregation, create livelihood support for women, and encourage sustainable behaviour among vendors and visitors.

The collaboration resulted in cleaner festival surroundings, high adoption of eco-friendly bags, active youth volunteer participation, and enhanced environmental awareness among lakhs of citizens. This initiative stands as a model for future zero-waste temple festivals across Bengaluru, reflecting RBM’s continued commitment to community service and environmental sustainability.