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Bangalore
is one of Asia's fastest growing cities. Situated at an altitude
of 920 metres above sea level, Bangalore is the principal administrative,
cultural, commercial and industrial centre of the state of Karnataka.
Spread over an area of 2190 square kilometers, Bangalore enjoys
a pleasant and equable climate throughout the year. Tree-lined
streets and abundant greenery made it the 'Garden City' of India.
However, since local entrepreneurs and technology giant Texas
Instruments discovered its potential as a high-tech city in
the early 1980's, Bangalore has seen a major technology boom
and is now home to more than 250 high-tech companies, including
homegrown giants like Wipro and Infosys. The erstwhile garden
city has now been pegged the 'Silicon Valley' of India.
To give you a little background, Bangalore was founded by Kempe
Gowda in the early 16th century. Two centuries later, it became
an important fortress city under rulers Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.
The ruins of those periods can still be seen on the Bellary
Road, at Lal Bagh, Ulsoor and Gavi Gangadhareswar Temple.
The people in the city are warm, hospitable and friendly. Bangalore
is generally regarded as a place that most visitors like to
chill out in. Not to say that it has nothing for the people
interested in history. Along with the modern day pubs, discos
and hangouts, one can still see remnants of the older Bangalore.
All in all, a lovely city to visit.
Population : Approx. 6.5 million
Climate : One of Bangalore's most attractive features
continues to be its pleasant weather. Like we said earlier,
Bangalore is not inclined to extremes. It meets the season's
expectations, which means, it is warm in the summer, chilly
in winter and the monsoons visit regularly.
Best times to visit : March to May (warmest months),
December to January (coldest months), June to September (rainy
- southwest monsoon), November to December (rainy - northeast
monsoon). |
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| Places of Interest
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Vidhana
Soudha
Located at the northern boundary of Cubbon Park, this majestic
building, with a total plinth area of over 5,00,000 sq. ft is
built in a Neo-Dravidian style. It houses the Secretariat, the
State legislature and several other Government offices. The
gleaming white domes, pillars and archways resemble the architectural
pattern of Mysore's old palaces. The huge, carved doors of the
cabinet room are made of pure sandalwood. The entire building,
when floodlight on Sunday evenings, presents a truly breathtaking
picture.
Lal Bagh
These 240-acre gardens were laid out during the Muslim era (18th
century) by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, 200 years ago. They contain
the largest collection of rare tropical and sub-tropical plants
with many awesome century-old trees. Fountains, terraces, lotus
pools, rose gardens and a deer park surround the magnificent
glass house built in 1840, on the lines of London's Crystal
Palace. The Annual flower, fruit and vegetable shows are regularly
held here. Lal Bagh also houses the offices of the Karnataka
Horticultural Society that renders free advice to those interested
in flowers and gardens. A giant Electronic Quartz Flower clock
is also in the garden.
Cubbon Park
Planned and laid out in 1864, this beautiful 300-acre park contains
the public library and the museum. The illuminated "fairy fountain"
and the elegant graeco - colonial style buildings add to the
beauty of this park. The imposing red Gothic structure within
this park is Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, which houses the public
library. Also situated here are the High Court, the Government
Museum, the Technology Museum, the Govt. Aquarium and the Jawaharlal
Bal Bhavan.
The Fort
Situated opposite the City Market, the Fort is noted for its
beautifully carved Islamic-style arches on the gate walls, and
for the well-preserved Ganesha Temple within its precincts.
One of the temple's outer walls carries an exquisite carving
of Sri Krishna playing his flute, and within, there is a fine
statue of Lord Ganesha. Originally built in mud by Kempe Gowda
in 1537, the Fort was extended and fortified by Tipu Sultan.
He preserved the Ganesha Temple as a testament to his religious
tolerance. It is open to the public from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tipu's Palace
Situated near the fort, construction of this palace was begun
by Tipu Sultan's father Haider Ali, and completed by Tipu himself
in 1791. It resembles the Daria Daulat Palace at Srirangapatna,
Tipu's capital. It was known as `Rashk-e-jannat' - the Envy
of Heaven. Constructed largely of wood, it is known for its
five elaborately decorated arches surmounted by exquisite minarets,
and paintings on the walls and ceilings. It is open to the Public
from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Venkataramanaswamy Temple
Bangalore has some beautiful temples. Adjoining Tipu's summer
palace is the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, a 300-year old temple
built by the Wodeyars and still in very good condition.
Bull Temple
South of Bangalore in Basavangudi, is the Bull Temple built
by Kempe Gowda. The deity is a massive 15-foot Basava or bull,
which was believed to have been the vehicle of Lord Shiva. The
cause for wonder about this Nandi is that it has been carved
from a single boulder.
Gavi Gangadhareswara temple
Another impressive temple is the Gavi Gangadhareswara temple,
an unusual cave temple. It has been designed in such a manner
that, on the festival of Sankranti, a local festival, the rays
of the sun pass between the horns of the Nandi placed outside
the temple, illuminating the image of Lord Shiva.
Someshwara Temple
Another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is the Someshwara Temple
built by Kempe Gowda in Ulsoor.
Around Bangalore
Nrityagram
35 kms from Bangalore at Hesaraghatta is the famous Nritya Gram,
a centre for dance that imparts extensive training in seven
dance disciplines and two martial art forms to residential students.
The Nrityagram celebrates the Vasantha Habba (the spring) every
year. Renowned artists are invited to come and perform in a
night-long gala, open to the public. The Hesaraghatta Lake,
a man-made lake, near the village is also a popular tourist
spot.
Bannnerghatta National Park
Just 21 kms from the city and easily accessible by road is the
Bannerghatta National Park. A part of the Bannerghatta forest,
the park houses a mini zoo, a crocodile farm, lion and tiger
safari parks. Situated 60 kms from Bangalore, at a height of
1478m above sea level, is the Nandi Hills resort. What used
to be the favorite summer getaway of Tipu Sultan, is now a popular
picnic spot with its awesome fort, sprawling lawns and two ancient
temples.
Whitefield
The Shri Satya Sai Baba ashram is the chief attraction at Whitefield.
It is now more or less a suburb of Bangalore, with increased
access lines and more people moving into the neighborhood. The
ashram is called Brindavan and any public transportation will
take you there, though auto rickshaws may make a bit of noise
about the extra charge you ought to pay. It is an interesting
place, and the sage has quite a few interesting aspects to his
personalities. He is very revered and many people believe him
to be an incarnation of the earlier Sai Baba of Shirdi, a Hindu
saint of older days.
Nandi Hills
This is a hill resort near Bangalore whose solitude has not
been tampered by commercialization. The weather is very pleasant
and though a far cry from the misty Himalayan hill-stations,Nandi
Hills has a very pleasant ambience about it a nice place to
chill out in if you are in the vicinity. For one, it has been
a popular hill retreat right from the days of Tipu Sultan who
is said to have visited here occasionally. Tipu's drop, a 600-metre
high cliff offers a fantastic view of the plains down below.
Ideal picnic spot.
Ramohalli
A little away from the city is Ramohalli, a picturesque picnic
spot, that boasts of a 400-year old sprawling banyan tree, spread
over 4 acres. The region around Bangalore is dotted with gigantic
rock formations, the two notable ones being Shivaganga (4599
ft. high) and Savandurga. The latter used to be a fortress and
the hideout of Kempe Gowda.
Mysore
Mysore is just 139 kms by road from Bangalore. It was the capital
city of Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and the entire Wodeyar clan.
Mysore's prime attractions are the Mysore Palace, the Chamundi
Hills, the famous Brindavan Gardens, the Jayachamarajendra Art
Gallery located in the Jaganmohan Palace, the Mysore Zoo and
St. Philomena's Church.
Srirangapatna
15 kms from Mysore is the old capital of Tipu Sultan, Srirangapatna.
Its fort bears witness to the Tiger of Mysore's last battle
against the British. His mausoleum, the Gumbaz, which sports
ivory inlaid doors and the famous tiger-striped emblem is also
nearby. Near Srirangapatna is the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.
Somnathpur
40 kms away from Mysore is the Somnathpur Temple, a star-shaped
structure built in 1260 A.D, an outstanding example of Hoysala
architecture.
Ramanagaram
49 kms from Bangalore city, Ramanagaram is famous for its rock
formations, a great attraction for rock climbers. Ramanagaram
is also an important silk cocoon market.
Shivaganga
50 kms from the city center is a hill which provides a breath-taking
view of the the nearby areas. There are two famous shrines dedicated
to Lord Gangadeshwara and Goddess Honnadevi.
Hassan
194 kms from Bangalore is Hassan, from where one can go to Belur,
Halebid and Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is a famous Jain
pilgrimage with a 17m high monolith of lord Bahubali standing
tall.
International Technology Park (ITPL)
For those that have business and more business on their minds,
the International Tech Park in Bangalore offers a superb business
advantage to corporations seeking a foothold in India, one of
the world's biggest emerging markets. The futuristic Park is
built to exacting international standards, supported by state-of-the-art
infrastructure. Amidst a refreshing and aesthetically appealing
environment, the Park offers a one-stop solution integrating
office, production, commercial, residential and recreational
needs in a single location. The International Tech Park is meticulously
designed and built to suit the requirements of international
hi-tech companies in the field of information technology, software
development, electronics, telecommunication, research and development,
financial services and other non-polluting hi-tech industries.
Electronics City
Electronics City is an industrial park spread over 330 acres
exclusively meant for electronics industries. It houses more
than a hundred industries, including IT industry leaders like
Motorola, Infosys, Siemens, ITI and Wipro. The area is maintained
by Keonics, which provides the necessary infrastructure.
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| Special
Festivals |
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All the major
Indian festivals are celebrated here with pomp and gaiety. But
the place also celebrates some regional festivals.
Sankranti
The new year is celebrated more enthusiastically than any other.
With the mix of people in Bangalore, it is common to see Christmas
and Ramzan celebrated with equal vigour.
Karaga Festival
Listed among some of India's more offbeat festivals, the Karaga
Festival is one that tests an individual's sense of balance
- both that of the body and of the mind. The sight of people
trying to balance a series of pots on their heads and doing
so with consummate ease is quite a sight.
Kadalekayi Parikshe (Groundnut Eating Contest)
If you think the idea of balancing pots on one's head as a festival
is way out, this next one takes the cake, or the nut as the
case may be. This is a groundnut eating festival! They also
distribute 'Alkasetzers' among the contestants after the festival
is over. |
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| How to get there |
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By Road
: Bangalore is well connected with almost every major South
Indian city.
By Air : Bangalore is extremely well connected by air
with major cities in India and is served by Indian Airlines,
Jet airways and Sahara Airlines with frequent flights. Bangalore
is now an International Airport as well and is currently served
by Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines, Indian Airlines, Air India
and a few other International Airlines.
By Rail : Bangalore is well connected to Delhi, Mumbai,
Chennai, Hyderabad and to almost all other cities in Southern
India by a network of Super fast trains.
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