The act of plucking flowers may be universally recognized as a frowned-upon practice, ingrained in our consciousness since childhood. Yet, when the temptation of beautifully arranged public flowers beckons, self-interest often prevails. Consequently, authorities frequently find themselves compelled to issue warnings against flower plucking, making such notices a common sight. However, a recent encounter with one such warning sign, shared by a user named ‘X’, added an eerie twist to the act of flower-plucking that is bound to wipe the smile off your face!
On a popular micro-blogging site, a user with the handle @KismiBar posted a photograph featuring a warning sign nestled among a row of flowers. The sign clearly stated, “Please do not pluck flowers… we are watching!!! If caught smiling while plucking flowers… you will be fined INR 500/-.”
The accompanying caption read, “The creepiest notice board ever!” And indeed, it lived up to this description!
Interestingly, it appears that Bengaluru has a penchant for such peculiar warning signs. Not long ago, a similarly rule-laden notice was spotted in a Bengaluru park. According to this sign, installed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), park visitors were prohibited from jogging or running within the park premises. The sign seemed rather ordinary until one noticed the third rule, which stated, “No Anti-clockwise walking.” Anti-clockwise walking, when applied to parks and circular pathways, involves walking in the opposite direction, potentially causing disruptions and accidental collisions. It appeared that the sign was encouraging people to walk in a single direction.
This image of the sign made its way to Reddit, where the user who shared it captioned it as “Sign I encountered in a park today.” Soon, humorous questions started pouring in regarding the definition of “anti-clockwise walking” and why it was prohibited.
Bengaluru is undoubtedly a city that enjoys keeping things ‘uncommon’, and these instances are just another unique aspect of its charm!
