The venue for the 14th Edition of the Bangalore Literature Festival (Dec 6-7, 2025) is Freedom Park, Seshadri Road, Bengaluru.
Freedom Park – From Prison Walls to People’s Space
Bengaluru’s Freedom Park is a landmark with layers of history built into its very walls. Spread across twenty acres in the heart of the city, this vibrant public space was once the Bangalore Central Jail, constructed by the British in 1866–67. Within its high walls once stood barracks, a hospital, the gallows, and tiny solitary cells.
From a site of silence and surveillance to one of community and expression, Freedom Park stands as a symbol of Bengaluru’s past and present, reminding us that spaces, like literature, reading and people, can transform and carry forward new meanings.
Getting there
Metro: The nearest Metro stations to the venue are Sir M. Visveshwaraya Station, Central College on the Purple Line (600m) and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Metro Station, Majestic on the Green Line (1.2 km)
Bus: Bus stops that are a short walk away include Cauvery Bhavana (650m), Maharani College (600m) and K R Circle (1km).
Own transport: Ample paid parking for two wheelers and cars is available at Right Parking MLCP-Freedom Park.
F&B
Food and beverage will be available for purchase at the food court set up at the venue. There will be a wide range of F&B offerings at various price points.
Multiple water dispensers will be available. Please bring your own bottle as that will help us minimize usage of paper cups.
Additional Information
Bag and security checks will be conducted at the entry. We may deny entry if items are unsafe or not permitted. Prohibited items include alcohol, drugs, weapons, glass bottles, banners and placards. We may also deny entry or remove anyone who is disruptive or unsafe.
An ambulance will be stationed at the venue with first-aid services and paramedical staff, however we urge you to take full responsibility for your own safety. As organisers, we are not responsible for any injury, illness, loss, or other issues that may occur.
We are not liable for lost or stolen items.
Our photography team will capture still images, videos and soundbytes of the audience for use in Festival promotion and media. If you spot an image of yourself on our social media that you’d rather not have up, just let us know and we’ll take it down.
As this is an outdoor event, we urge you to carry a hat or a cap to protect yourself.
Please help us keep the venue clean and dispose of waste responsibly.
All event-related decisions of the organisers are final.
Attending the Bangalore Literature Festival implies that the above information has been fully read, understood and agreed to.
About Freedom Park
Bengaluru’s Freedom Park is a landmark with layers of history built into its very walls. Spread across twenty acres in the heart of the city, this vibrant public space was once the Bangalore Central Jail, constructed by the British in 1866–67. Within its high walls once stood barracks, a hospital, the gallows, and tiny solitary cells. Its original design followed the panopticon style, with a central watchtower from where guards could survey the entire prison.
Over the decades, the jail housed many freedom fighters and political activists. During the Quit India Movement of 1942, veteran freedom fighter and central figure in Bangalore city’s Quit India actions HS Doreswamy was incarcerated here for about 14-16 months. Other leaders jailed here at that time include Kengal Hanumanthaiah and H. Siddaiah. The former went on to become the second Chief Minister of Karnataka and led the construction of the Vidhana Soudha, while the latter was speaker of the legislative assembly.
In later years, the Bangalore Central Jail became a holding ground for opposition leaders during the Emergency (1975-77). Among them were Jan Sangh leaders – former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani, socialist leader Madhu Dandavate, actress and anti-Emergency activist, Snehalata Reddy and former Chief Justice Rama Jois.
Ordinary criminals, political dissenters, and revolutionaries all passed through its gates. The last execution in the gallows took place in the 1960s. By the early 2000s, the Central Jail had been shifted to Parappana Agrahara, and this historic site stood at a crossroads: demolition or reinvention.
Heritage activists fought to preserve its legacy, and in 2008 the space reopened as Freedom Park, a unique experiment in reclaiming history for the public. Today, visitors can still walk past the old barracks, the entrance block, the parallel walls, the watchtower, and the execution chamber, all preserved as living reminders of the past. Around them, new life flourishes: lush green foliage, a walking path, an amphitheatre, exhibition corridors, and children’s play areas.
True to its spirit, part of the park has been officially set aside as Bengaluru’s designated site for public protests and demonstrations, echoing the role the jail once played in holding voices of resistance. It is our own version of London’s Hyde Park Corner, a democratic space where freedom of expression finds room to breathe.