BANGALORE
A
gracious and relaxed rhythm of life … Add to this some wonderful monuments,
stately palaces, marvelous greenery and a salubrious climate …and you have no
other city in India like Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. The palaces and
the sanctuaries of Bangalore offer an endless treasure trove of discoveries for
the discerning visitor. Being 1,000 m (3,300 feet) above sea level, the climate
is pleasant even in the summer... which is a good news for a tourist. For
others, good news for an investor or an entrepreneur…Bangalore is known as the
“Silicon Valley of India”, for many computer companies are situated here.
Bangalore was founded by Kempe Gowda in the year 1537 A.D. He erected a
small mud fort and constructed Gavi Gangadhareswara Temple at Gavipuram and
Basava Temple at Basavangudi. There are still remnants of this old fort,
rebuilt two centuries later by Hyder Ali and improved by his son Tipu Sultan.
Cubbon
Park and Museums
Located
in the centre of the city, this picturesque park was established in 1864. It is
named after the former Chief Commissioner, Mark Cubbon. Also check out the
Government Museum in the park, which has an enviable collection of Hoysalan
sculptures, antique arrowheads from Mohenjo Daro, coins and pottery.
Vidhana Soudha
Built in 1958, this is the Secretariat and used by the state legislature. It
is an impressive, neo-Dravidian structure built of Bangalore granite. It’s a
treat to watch it floodlit, on Sunday nights.
Gandhi Bhavan
Located at Kumara Krupa Road (Ph.2261967). A visit to the Gandhi Bhavan will
throw light on the simple and frugal life of the great visionary. You can see
his photographs, wooden shoes, clay drinking bowls and a collection of letters
he wrote to Roosevelt, Nehru, and Tolstoy.
Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace
Though called by Tipu Sultan as ‘Lask-e-Jannat’ meaning the envy of
heaven… there is not much to see here. This palace took ten years to complete.
Bull Temple (Basavanagudi Mandir)
Situated on the majestic Bugle hill, this temple was constructed by Kempe
Gowda, Bangalore’s founder. There is a huge Nandi bull here over 500 years
old. It is 5m (16.5 ft) high and 6m (20ft) long, carved from a single stone.
Also there is a Ganesh temple, with a large deity made of 110 kg of butter.
ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Temple
The ISKCON temple is situated at Hare Krishna Hill, 1 ‘R’ Block, Chord
Road, Rajaji Nagar. Situated in the midst of a beautiful garden, you can relax
in the sylvan surroundings of the temple and feel one with the almighty. There
are elevators to aid the handicapped and aged.
Lal Bagh
Acres and acres of terraced lawns, long stretches of greenery, century-old
trees, lovely lakes, lotus pools, rose beds, rare tropical and sub-tropical
plants, ornamental flowers… where nature communes with man … That’s Lal Bagh
Botanical garden one of the loveliest spot in Bangalore, spread over
240 acres. It was laid out in the year 1760 by Hyder Ali and developed by Tipu Sultan. There
is also a spacious Glass House situated in the midst of Lalbagh, flower shows
are held twice a year – in January and August. There is also a deer enclave
within the park. Many film shootings are held in this scenic paradise.
Bangalore Palace
It is in the midst of a well-laid-out garden in the high grounds north-west
of the Vidhana Soudha. It resembles the Windsor Castle of London.
Brindavan Whitefield Ashram (Sai Baba’s Ashram)
The Ashram is located in Whitefield, 16 kms from Bangalore, on Chennai Road.
Sai Baba’s main ashram is in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh where he spends most
of his time.
Nityagram Dance Village
This famous dance school is on Bangalore-Pune Highway, 30 kms west of Bangalore
(Ph:080-8466314). The school was established as an experiment by Protima Gauri,
one of the best Odissi dancers in India to propagate the nuances of the great
dance style. Students come from all over India to learn traditional Odissi dance.
Bannerghatta National Park
Come face to face with the wild cats, Indian leopards, lions, tigers and
elephants…watch them laze happily unaware of onlookers, in their natural habitat,
at Bannerghatta National Park, 20 kms south of Bangalore. You can drive around
on a zoo safari where the animals are fenced in. The park also has a snake and
crocodile farm.