Bangalore

BANGALORE

The name Bangalore encompasses so many sobriquets like Garden City, Silicon Valley of India, Pub City and so on. One of the prettiest cities in India, known for its salubrious climate all year round, Bangalore is bestowed with tall tree lined streets & several parks adding to its greenery, hence it’s rightly called 'Garden City'. The Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is a melting pot of multi-linguistic cultures whose life is centered on the posh techno city offices. Bengaluru, as the city is officially called, is the final word in the IT field, as the city is the hub of multinational companies making the city their base.

Home to various public sector undertakings, software companies, heavy industries, telecommunications, aerospace, heavy equipment, machine tools, and defense organizations, Bangalore has developed into one of India's foremost fiscal centers and is referred to by CNN as one of the "finest places to do business in the hyper world".

Since Independence, Bangalore has shown an impressive growth in its educational institutions to commercial businesses making it the most sorts after city to relocate to. The city has also gained the acclamation of being the second literate metros in India.

With its gorgeous parks, boulevards, cinema complexes, bustling shopping bazaars & historical monuments, Bangalore is indubitably sparkling with life and vigor. Though a contemporary, busy city and a vital business center, Bangalore remains one of India's most appealing cities. One can get a sense of authentic traditions & celebrations along with the scurry of urban life.

 

MAJOR  ATTRACTIONS

Cubbon Park

In 300 acres of abundant serenity lies the Cubbon Park. It was laid out by Lord Cubbon who was the viceroy of India in the year 1864. The park, in the present days, is a haven of Green foliage, in the center of modern Bangalore. Mostly visited by tourists seeking calm and quiet atmosphere, the park is also an ideal place for nature lovers, walkers and joggers.

After its institution additions to the park in the form of fairy fountains and grand band stand have been made. New buildings have added beauty and cultural wealth to the park.

Lal Bagh

Lal Bagh is one of India’s most beautiful botanical gardens. Hyder Ali set out the garden and his son is supposed to have added horticultural wealth to the garden. He imported several plants and trees from different countries.The garden has about 1000 species of rare plants and herbs. The park is constructed in about 2400 acres. There is a glass house depicting London’s Crystal Palace and this is the main center of attraction. The garden is well protected with stone walls which act as enclosures. It has four approach gates.The garden remains open from 6 am to 7 pm throughout the year.

Ulsoor  Lake

Ulsoor  lake is centrally located. It is spread over an area of 1.5 sq km. The lake in its early years was known as "Halsur" or "Alasur". The lake dates back to the time of Kempe Gowda I and II. There are 2 springs which exists at the bottom of the lake. These springs are now covered with heavy silt. The then Commissioner of Bangalore Sir Lewin Bentham Bowring constructed the lake. The lake is a famous tourist spot. It is not fit for swimming. But one can go for boating in the lake.

Tipu Sultan's Palace

Tipu Sultan's Palace is located very close to the fort. It is now converted to a museum. The building of the palace was started by Hyder Ali and it was completed by Tipu Sultan. The construction of the Palace was completed in the year 1791 and it took ten years to plan and construct the palace.

The Palace was one of Tipu Sultan's summer retirements. It is a double storied flowery wooden structure. It has columns, curves and balconies which are laid with gardens on both sides of the path which leads to the palace. A dedication on the wooden screen reports the palace to be an "Abode of Happiness".

Vidhana Soudha

Vidhana Soudha is a noble building built exclusively of dressed Bangalore granite. It is a testimonial to temple architecture. The building is Bangalore’s best known landmark. It is 46 meter high. Vidhana Soudha is one of Bangalore’s important buildings. The building is constructed entirely on the Indian style of architecture. All the four corners have four domes. The main entranceway is eclipsed by the four headed lion. The lion is the symbolic representation of Indian sovereignty.

The Vidhana Soudha has twenty two departments and three hundred rooms. The construction of the building was started in the year 1952. It took more than five thousand manual laborers, 1500 scammers, masons and wood carvers and 4 years to complete the building.

The Bannerghatta National Park

The Bannerghatta National Park is situated 22 km away from the city. A variety of fauna in the picturesque surroundings of the park can be seen. It is a reserve of lions, Indian tigers and many other mammals. Crocodiles, picnic corner, pets corner and serpentarium with lion’s safari are among the many attractions in the park. The small zoo in the park displays many zoological items.

The country’s first butterfly park was set up in the Bannerghatta National Park on 25th of November 2006. The butterfly park is spread over 7.5 acres of land and constitutes a butterfly conservatory, museum and an audio-visual room. The conservatory is made of polycarbonate roof. The living environment has been so designed that it supports 20 species of butterflies.

September to January is the best time to visit, when one can spot Lions and Tigers while on a safari.

The Venkatappa Art Gallery

The Venkatappa Art Gallery is situated in the Karnataka Government Museum. It exhibits some of the rich art of Bangalore. The Art Gallery is comprised of two floors and displays 600 paintings.

The government museum was established in the year 1865. The museum has exhibits of antiquities from Mohenjadaro and terracotta from Mathura. It contains traditional paintings also. The museum is a must visit place for art lovers. It has some of the exclusive collections of scenic displays. The museum also has some of the great works of the famous artist K. Venkatappa.

ISKON Temple

The Temple is a dainty blend of modern technology and spiritual harmony with a unique combination of glass and gopurams. It is built on a hillock. The surroundings are beautiful. This temple was built to promote vedic culture and spiritual learning.

Thousands of devotees attend the annual Krishna and Balarama Rath Yatra. The temple is built in a seven acre hillock. This area was discarded by the Bangalore Development Authority as waste land. A person by the name Pandit Dasa purchased the hillock from the BDA at a cost of Rs 11 lakhs and this temple was constructed.

Commercial Street

 Commercial Street in Bangalore is one of the main shopping complexes in India. The whole of the street is lit by a covering of lights that are threaded from lamppost to lamppost. The energy of the people shopping here is high and one can get a good sense of the chaos that is prevalent there.

The Commercial Street is one of the busiest areas in Bangalore. It is placed between Shivaji Nagar and Kamaraj Road. Garments, hosiery and textile stores form the major part of the shops. In addition there are shops selling shoes, art materials, jewellery, sport goods and other general goods.

How to reach Bangalore

BY RAIL - Bangalore Majestic, Bangalore Cantonment (8 km to Majestic) and Yeshwanthpur (10 km away from Majestic) are the three main stations in Bangalore. Bangalore Majestic is connected to all major cities in India.

BY AIR - Bangalore International Airport is 40 km away from the heart of the city, Majestic. It costs about Rs 300 by auto rickshaw and Rs 600 by taxi. Pre paid taxi facilities are available in Airport. Bangalore airport is well connected to almost all airports in India. International flights to major foreign cities are also operated from Bangalore.

BY ROAD - KSRTC buses connect all cities in the state to Bangalore. Many super deluxe bus services are available from Bangalore to Hyderabad, Cochin, Trivandrum, Chennai, Mumbai, Goa and Mysore.