Bangalore
The capital city of the southern Indian State Karnataka is Bangalore which is also one of the fastest growing cosmopolitan cities of Asia. "Garden City", "Silicon Valley of India", "The IT Capital of India", this versatile city has numerous identities. A trip to Bangalore would unarguably be significant and convincing.
Location
Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka is the third most populous city of India and is located in the centre of the Mysore Plateau. It is situated at 12.97° N 77.56° E and spreads over an approximate area of 2190 km. Bangalore city slices its borders with Chamarajanagar District from the south, Mandya District from the southwest, Tumkur district from the northwest and Kolar District in the northeast. Bangalore also shares its boundary with the neighboring state Tamil Nadu from the southeast side.
Places to see
p>Several tourist places are situated in and around the city of Bangalore. The beautiful gardens, tranquil lakes, magnificent historical places are enough to keep a traveler busy throughout his journey. Excursion in Bangalore is also one of the most exciting opportunities one can enjoy. Below is a list of the city’s most preferred destinations.Bangalore Tourist Attractions
Bangalore Palace and Fort: Bangalore Palace was constructed by Wodeyar King during the year 1887. The unique features of this palace resemble the Tudor architectural style. The fort was constructed by Kempa Gowda and was extended by Tippu Sultan.
Brindavan Garden: Constructed and maintained by the Department of Horticulture, Brindavan Garden is one of the most visited tourist spots of India. This public garden is enriched with various fountains, ornamental plants, wide variety of flowers and a lot more. The park spreads over an area of 60 acres and is known to be the best terrace garden of India.
Lal Bagh: This horticultural garden attracts nature loves to a great extent. Lal Bagh houses the famous botanical garden of Bangalore which hosts over 1000 variety of flora which contain rare species of trees, plants and herbs. Bi-annual flower exhibitions organized every year in the Glass House attracts participants from different corners f the country.
Government Museum: Visiting a museum always gives a fair idea about a state’s history and background. Bangalore museum being none of the oldest museums of India holds no exception in it. The museum is situated on the Kasturba Gandhi Road and was built in 1876.
Gandhi Bhavana: Gandhi Bhavana was built in memory of the Father of Nation, Mahatma Gandhi and houses a picture gallery of Gandhi. Gandhi Smarak Nidhi reflects the lifestyle and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi which is undeniably a learning experience for many visitors including students.
Aquarium: Bangalore Aquarium is an octagonal shaped building which is located in Kasturba Road. An interesting variety of marine life can be enjoyed there.
The Race Course, Cubbon Park, Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Film City, Ulsoor Lake, Vidhana Soudha, Attara Kacheri, Ravindra Kalakshetra and Nandi Hills are also some notable tourist destination of Bangalore.
Religious Places
Iskcon Temple: The Iskcon Temple is situated on the top of Hare Krishna Hill which is a dedicated adobe of Lord Krishna. Iskcon Temple positioned on the Chord Road was built to observe the birth anniversary of Sri Prabhupada, the initiator of Iskcon.
Bull Temple: The Bull Temple is a dedicated shrine of Lord Shiva’s vehicle Nandi. The temple is situated in Basavanagudi which carry’s the Dravidian architectural style. This temple is 20 feet tall and 20 feet long and houses a gigantic statue of the holy bull.
Dharmaraja Temple: Dharmaraja temple is situated in Nagarathpet which is located the suburbs of the Bangalore city. This temple houses the idol of Sri Krishna, the legendary character of Mahabharata. The procession of the annual Karaga festival begins here which is celebrated with great vigor and enthusiasm.
Jumma Masjid: It is claimed to be the oldest mosque of this city and is a very sacred place for Muslim devotees. Earlier known as Sangian Jamia Masjid this holy place is famous for its stylish architecture. Thousands of devotees gather there to offer prayers during the annual festival of the Muslims.
St Mary's Basilica: The church was built by Abbe Dubois, a French missionary in 1811. The church is located at a very convenient place near the Shivaji Nagar Bus Terminal and is a popular tourist place of Bangalore. The Virgin’s Mary’s festival celebrated every year attracts tourists and devotees across the country.
The religious spots of Bangalore are not only important from, religious perspective but also owe a lot of importance for travelers and tourists. Banashankari Temple, Sri Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple, St. Mark’s Cathedral, St. Andsew’s Kirk and Dargah Hazrat Tawakkal Mastan are some of the important pilgrim destinations of Bangalore.
Excursions in Bangalore
A day's outing or excursion in Bangalore has something or the other to offer to each of its participants. Bannerghatta National Park, famous as crocodile and snake park is the right place for wildlife enthusiasts. Karnataka folk museum holds the legacy of a diverse folk culture of the state. Shivanasamudra waterfalls, whitefield, Kolar Gold Field, Muthyala Maduvu are some of the interesting places which are frequently visited by travelers.
How to reach
Bangalore is easily accessible from all major destinations of India. The city is well connected by smooth road and railway networks and domestic and international airlines.
By Air: Bangalore airport is situated at a distance of 13 km from the proper city. One can get regular to and fro domestic flights from cities like Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Goa, Mangalore and Pune etc. International flights connect this city with Sharjah, Singapore and Muscat.
By Rail: Bangalore city terminal is the central railway station of this city which is connected with major locations of India. A number of express and super fast trains run through the city which makes movements much easier for the tourists.
By Road: The road network of Bangalore is well developed which links this cosmopolitan city with Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mysore. Karnataka State Road Transport corporation has a number of deluxe and super busses for traveling and excursion purpose. Private transports like cabs and taxis are also available there.
What to do
Other than visiting the interesting sites of the city the more enthusiast visitors can enjoy some thrilling adventurous sports in Bangalore.
Bungee Jumping: The popular adventure sport Bungee Jumping is conducted by different sports clubs in Bangalore. The jumping pad is situated at Kanteerava Stadium.
Parasailing: The capital city Bangalore has plenty of options to enjoy terrestrial parasailing. However, due to the dearth of water bodies aquatic parasailing can never be enjoyed there.
Rock Climbing: Rock climbing is a popular and challenging adventure sport of Bangalore. The most preferred destination for rock climbers is Ramnagaram which is situated 50km away from the city.
Boating: The pleasure of boating can be taken in the tranquil lakes of the Brindavana Garden. Some small and medium lakes scattered in the city also offer boating opportunities.
Nightlife in Bangalore: The city has a vibrant nightlife which is also very aristocratic in nature. Family bars, pubs and discotheques all are located in and around the city which are easily accessible by the tourists also.
Shopping: Bangalore in a simple word can be termed as a shopper’s paradise. Expensive items to low-priced roadside items, ethnic to modern accessories one can buy anything he or she desires.
Best time to visit
Warm summer and pleasant winter welcomes visitors throughout the year. But the foggy wintry mornings have something more to offer its visitors. Therefore, months between October to February can be the perfect time to make a trip for Bangalore. Though the climatic condition of the city is ideal to visit anytime of the year, however, it is advisable to avoid the rainy seasons because nonstop downpour may spoil the charm of traveling.
History
The city of Bangalore has a very interesting history which is attached to its name. The city name "Bangalore" has undergone numerous versions. As per Indian history, the word 'Bangalore' was derived from the Kannad term 'Bengalooru'. Bangalore became the capital city of Karnataka during the post independence period. However, the growth and development we find there now was a initiated by the British during India’s the pre independence period. The IT capital of India officially became Bangaluru in the year 2006 though it is popularly being called as Bangalore till date.
Climate
Due to the high elevation and geographical background Bangalore observes a balanced and comfortable weather throughout the year. This capital city experiences three prominent season summer, monsoon and winter. Bangalore experiences a dry summer though not very hot in comparison to other Indian states. Winter is also not too extreme in this city. The highest temperature never exceeded 39°C and lowest temperature has never been recorded beyond 11°C. The southwestern monsoon arrives in the month August and lasts till October. The average rainfall recorded in Bangalore is 859mm and the weather never gets too humid in rainy seasons.
The IT hub of India boasts with a wide range of accommodation facilities matching the budget of every visitor. Well furnished five star deluxe hotels to economy guest houses the hospitality offered by Bangalore is probably the best in the country.
