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Chitra Santhe, Bangalore: date, timings and how to get there
Chitra Santhe is a one-day open-air art fair that the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath holds on Kumara Krupa Road every year on the first Sunday of January. The 23rd edition was on Sunday, 4 January 2026, from 8 am to 8 pm, with more than 1,500 stalls expected, according to press reports. The 2027 date has not been announced yet; if the usual pattern holds, it falls on Sunday, 3 January 2027.
Once a year the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath turns the kilometre of Kumara Krupa Road outside its gates (Shivananda Circle to Windsor Manor) into an open-air gallery, and it is the largest thing of its kind in the country. Around 1,500 artists from across India lay their work straight out on the pavement: canvases, drawings, prints, sculpture, pottery, and a long tail of handmade oddments that cost less than lunch. The motto is "Art for All", and the prices keep the promise: an original can leave with you for a few hundred rupees.
When: the first Sunday of January, one day only, from eight in the morning until dark. In 2026 that was 4 January. When the first Sunday falls on New Year's Day the fair shifts a week, so check the date. Come in the morning: by midday it is shoulder to shoulder, and the day draws several hundred thousand people.
The rest of the year smaller craft fairs and artisan markets turn up in the Parishath's own courtyard, so the address is worth a look whenever you are nearby.
A street art market
Chitra Santhe date and timings
The fair runs for a single day, the first Sunday of January. When that Sunday is New Year's Day, the fair moves a week later, as in 2023, when it was held on 8 January. In 2026 the 23rd edition took place on 4 January, from 8 am to 8 pm.
As of October 2026 the official site, chitrasanthe.in, still shows the 2026 edition, and no date for 2027 has been published. By the usual rule the next fair would be on Sunday, 3 January 2027; check the official site or the Parishath before you plan around it.
Come in the morning. By midday the road is shoulder to shoulder, and the day draws several hundred thousand people.
What you will find
For one day the Parishath turns about a kilometre of Kumara Krupa Road outside its gates, from Shivananda Circle to the Windsor Manor junction, into a gallery on the pavement. For 2026 the press reported artists expected from more than 22 states and union territories.
The work is laid out straight on the street: canvases, drawings, prints, sculpture, pottery, folk art, photography, and a long tail of small handmade things. The fair's motto is “Art for All”, and prices keep to it: an original can go home with you for a few hundred rupees. You buy directly from the artist at the stall.
👣 How to reach Chitra Santhe
On fair day the road itself is closed to traffic, so plan to arrive on foot. The arrangements below are from the 2026 edition; they are usually repeated, but check the announcements for 2027.
- Metro, then a feeder bus
In 2026 the city bus company BMTC ran special feeder buses from three metro stations, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda (Majestic), Mantri Square and Vidhana Soudha, to Shivananda Circle, the main way into the fair.
- Road closures
Vehicles were barred from the Windsor Manor junction to Shivananda Circle, with some spillover towards Crescent Road, for the whole day. Parking near the venue was limited, and officials advised using the metro and feeder buses.
If you are not in Bangalore in January
The rest of the year, smaller craft fairs and artisan markets appear in the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath's own courtyard on Kumara Krupa Road, so the address is worth a look whenever you are nearby.
❓ FAQ
What is Chitra Santhe?
An annual one-day art fair organised by the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, where around 1,500 artists sell their work directly on Kumara Krupa Road in Bangalore.
Where is Chitra Santhe in Bangalore?
On Kumara Krupa Road in Kumara Park East, outside the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, between Shivananda Circle and the Windsor Manor junction.
What are Chitra Santhe timings?
In 2026 the fair ran from 8 am to 8 pm on Sunday, 4 January. The 2027 date is not yet announced; by the usual rule it would be Sunday, 3 January.
How many people visit Chitra Santhe?
Several hundred thousand people in a single day, which is why it is best to arrive in the morning.
Is there an exhibition at Chitrakala Parishath at other times?
Smaller craft fairs and artisan markets are held in the Parishath's courtyard during the year; check what is on when you are in the area.