Bangalore City Guide
Travel to Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka. Also known as the India's Silicon Valley', 'Garden City', 'Pub City', 'Shopper's Paradise', the Bangalore tour will make your holidays an enticing experience.
Travel to Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. Being the seventh largest city in India, your Bangalore travel will enable you tour some of the fascinating tourists spots. A city of contradictions, at one end, the Garden City is close to nature with its numerous beautiful gardens and parks and at the other end, this Silicon Valley is at par with the latest developments of the world. Though the origin of Bangalore is ancient, the present-day city was founded in the 16th century and has since continued to be an important administrative center. The city is also known as the IT hub in India. Bangalore city has some historical sites of immense interest too.
History
Bangalore derives its name from an ancient legend associated with it. According to the myth, King Veera Ballala, a ruler of the Hoysala dynasty, was separated from his troupe, while hunting in the jungle. Tired, he stumbled upon a tiny shack where an old woman gave him the only food she had - a plate of 'benda kaalu' or boiled beans. The king called this place as 'benda kaalu ooru' or 'village of boiled beans'. This was later converted to 'Bangalore', an anglicized form.
An air-conditioned city, the fastest developing city in the world, these are some of the attributes used to describe this beautiful city which has a lot to offer you.
Travel Bangalore and explore this happening city, with innumerable cultural events organized every evening, you can choose from a Hindustan vocal concert, of a Carnatic Veena recital, or fusion music to pure western classical music, a play, or an exhibition of a famous painter.
Few Facts About Bangalore
The main factor which pull thousands of toursists towards Bangalore is its pleasant climate (except in March - May) and its large, English speaking, modern-minded population. One sees a mix of different Indian linguistic groups here. Most of the local shopkeepers speak four to five languages. It is one of the few cities in India, where one can easily get by without knowing the local language. The rapid pace of development during the last few decades caused hundreds of thousands to migrate here from rural areas and other Indian states.
History of Bangalore
Legend says that the city is named after an old woman, who lived in this area and offered a humble meal of boiled beans to a lost Hoysala ruler. The city of Bangalore came into origin in the early 16th century, when Kempegowda, a local chief, built a small mud fort here. Bangalore gained prominence in the 18th century, when it became an important fort city, under the regime of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore. The British defeated Tipu Sultan and took over Bangalore city. In 1831, the British made it the regional administrative city and established a big cantonment here.
Tourist Places in Bangalore
- Apart from the numerous gardens, Bangalore also has some historical sites and other places of interest.
- The Vidhan Soudha or the State Secretariat, built in 1954, is the main attraction of this city. It is a marvel of modern architecture and a fine amalgamation of traditional Dravidian and modern styles.
- Cubbon Park, the 120-hectare park located near the Vidhan Soudha, has a number of neo-classical styled government buildings. The Government Museum of Bangalore (one of India's oldest museums) and the Visvesvaraya Technological and Industrial Museum are important museums within the city.
- The Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, which holds a number of flower shows is located on the southern fringes of the city.
- The 18th-century Tipu Sultan's Fort and Palace, the 16th-century, Dravidian-styled temple dedicated to Nandi the Bull, the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, the Gavi Gangadhareswara cave temple and the Someshwara Temple are other important temples in the city.
- The Ulsoor Lake is an important picnic spot.
- Bangalore city is also famous for it numerous Yoga centers that attract the tourists all round the year.
Climate in Bangalore
The air-conditioned city of India, enjoys pleasant climate throughout the year, with a maximum temperature of 37 C and minimum 16 C.
Fairs and Festivals of Bangalore
Bangalore is one such city that has a rich diversity of cultures and this is very much evident in the way Fairs and Festivals are celebrated in Bangalore. All the major Fairs & Festivals in Bangalore are celebrated with pomp and show. Some of them are:
Karaga Festival: Celebrated in March and April, Karaga Festival is celebrated by taking out an earthen pot embodying Shakti on a night procession with devotees balancing the pots on their heads in order to test the strength of their characters.
Makara Sankranthi/Pongal: Makara Sankranthi or Pongal is celebrated to mark the beginning of the harvest season. This festival also marks the change of season with people welcoming spring and bidding adieu to winters.
Ganesh Chaturthi: Ganesh Chaurthi is celebrated in Bangalore with the same zest and enthusiasm as in Maharashtra. This festival is celebrated in September on the day before Swarna Gowri.
Kadalekaye Parishe: Also known as the Peanut Festival, Kadalekaye Parishe is celebrated in November to celebrate the first groundnut crop of the year. Farmers visit the Bull Temple in Bangalore and make offering of groundnuts there on this occasion.
Varamahalakshmi: Varamahalakshmi Pooja is celebrated in August in Karnataka. On this festival married women make offerings of garlands of jewelry, cash and other valuable items to Goddess Lakshmi.
Dussehra: Dussehra celebrations lasts for up to 10 days in Bangalore. These celebrations were started by Maharaja of Mysore who used to hold a Durbar for 9 days and used to hold a procession on the 10th day.
Yugadi: Marked with ritual bath and prayers, the Kannadiga New Year day of Yugadi falls on the 2nd half of March or on early April. According to legends, it is believed that Brahma created the world on this day. Predictions for the New Year are made on the occasion of Yugadi.
Places Around Bangalore
The important tourist destinations of South India are easily accessible from Bangalore such as Mysore Palace, Nandi Hills, Coorg, Ooty and Kodaikanal hill-stations, Bandipur National Park and other reserved forest areas. Hampi and Hassan district's ruins of medieval sculptures, Jogfalls and other fascinating waterfalls, scenic backwaters and the ayurvedic relaxation centers of Kerala can be easily visited while on a tour to Bangalore. Some of the other places around Bangalore are:
Whitefield (16 km): Whitefield is renowned for being the location of Sathya Sai Baba's ashram Brindavana and the International Tech Park, one of India's first IT parks. The serene ambience of Brindavana attracts pious devotees in large numbers. The Tech Park plays host to some of the world's top IT companies.
Nrityagrama (28 km): Located northwest of Bangalore, this unique dance village was established by late Odissi dancer Protima Gauri to revive Indian classical dance forms. Upholding the age-old guru-shisya parampara, Nrityagrama offers long-term study of classical dance and allied art subjects. In February, during the annual fest of Vasantha Habba, there is an all-night dance and music performance when renowned Indian classical musicians perform.
Shivaganga (58 km): A popular excursion around Bangalore, the Shivaganga hill offers a panoramic view of the scenic valley beneath. The unique feature of the hill is that it looks like a bull (Nandi) from the East, a Ganesha from the West, a Linga from the South and a cobra from the North. A flight of steep steps will lead you to the shrines of Gavi Gangadhareshwara Cave temple and Honnadevi temple.
Things to see
