Hotels in Bangalore

Car Rental in Bangalore

BANGALORE                              General Information of Bangalore

Bangalore-- where every season carries a holiday mood, a city called the Garden City of India, a city which has identified it self as the Manhattan of India, a city which keeps pace with the latest trends and fashion. Bangalore is fast emerging as one of the most industrialized city in India. The present capital of Karnataka, Bangalore was founded by the local Chieftain Kempe Gowda in sixteenth century. But Bangalore never came up on the scene till it was converted into the summer capital of Mysore by Tipu Sultan. The Wodeyars also contributed in developing the city through gardens and palaces they built. To the British goes the credit of making it into an administrative center.

The pleasant climate of Bangalore has been an attraction for one and all. Capital of a state which is rich in Sandal wood, Rose wood and Silk, certainly has more to offer than a day or two of sight seeing. Bangalore has always tried to keep itself peppy and jazzy. The numerous pubs and night clubs can compete with any modern city of America or Europe. It is a city which has adopted to the changing fashion trends in the world. A city which not only has large number of cinema halls but is also famous for its night life. The modern shopping malls full of brightly lit shops and showrooms not necessarily invite prospective buyers but are treat for the window shoppers too.

The greenery of the city is an added attraction with the climate. The numerous gardens and parks, streets lined with trees are very soothing in what would have been a jungle of concrete. The golf course, Tennis lawns and the Stadium are always the venue for some or other activity. Bangalore is a regular host to many events in dance, music and other exhibitions. Bangalore attracts a major chunk of Foreign investment in India. Already it was called electronic city for India but the establishment of the Silicon park on the out skirts of the city has converted it into the Silicon city of the world. With major players in the IT industry gaining footholds here, Bangalore is destined to emerge as the electronic hub of the world.

SHOPPING:   Bangalore is famous for the shopping malls which have some of the finest and biggest showrooms in India. This electronic capital of India has been attracting people for Sandal wood, Silk and hand woven materials. The Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation's 'Priyadharshini' Handloom House is located at various places. Bangalore is a good place to buy specialities from all over the state. Here one can find the fine Mysore silk and Sandalwood & Sandal wood items. The inlay work from Karnataka in Brass, Rosewood are any collectors hunt. Ivory artifacts and the Lambani Jewellery make good decorative as well as gift items.

Premier shopping areas are Mahatma Gandhi Road, Commercial Street, Brigade Road, Public Utility Building, Kempe Gowda Road, Jayachamarajendra Road, Jayanagar Shopping Complex, Russel Market, City Market, Avenue Road.

CLIMATE:   Bangalore is called the Air conditioned city in India . This garden city is very pleasant. The city has dry tropical savannah type of climate. The rains are very frequent and the summers are warm. Winters are cold. But no weather goes to its extreme. One can visit the city any time of the year and enjoy the salubrious climate but it is advisable to avoid the rainy season between July and September.

GETTING THERE:   After Mumbai, Bangalore is fast emerging as an important commercial city in India. With the Silicon park near Bangalore, it has been attracting huge foreign investment. This fast developing commercial hub of India is easily accessible from any where in the country. Bangalore has its own Airport with almost all the major domestic airlines catering services to the city. The airport is 6 kms from city centre. Few selected international carriers are also having their flights to the city. Bangalore has two railway stations, the Bangalore city and Bangalore Cant. The major trains from and to Bangalore terminate & start from the city station. Bangalore is well connected to all the major towns of India. Recently inaugurated Konkan railway is also serving the city and connects it from other places in the country. Rajdhani Express and other superfast trains are available from here.

Being the capital city of Karnataka, Bangalore has very good motorable roads to various parts of the state. Some of the bus services are also serving to the adjoining states. Both private and state transport run buses are available from the beautiful and well maintained bus terminus in Bangalore.

SIGHTSEEING:

Lal Bagh - One of the many gardens in the city, Lal Bagh is the most famous garden in Bangalore. It derives its name from the profusion of Red roses which are in bloom here.

Cubbon Park - In the heart of the Bangalore city is a garden laid down by Lord Cubbon in 1864. The ambience of the city life is broken with presence of such a large park in the center of the city.

The Bull Temple - The 4.57 m high and 6.10 meters long image was built by Kempegowda in the 16th century. The image has been carved out of single granite rock. The original colour of Nandi bull was grey which has now turned black due to the application of coconut oil by the devotees. The statue of the bull has been carved out of a single rock. Non Hindus are not allowed in the temple. The temple is busy always with some ceremony or other going on. On weekends there are musicians who are performing at the temple.

Bangalore Palace - Built in the Tudor style and inspired by the Windsor palace, a Wodeyar king built this palace in 1887. This unique edifice stands in the heart of the city.

Vidhan Soudha - A marvel of neo Dravidian architecture and one of the most imposing building not only in Bangalore but in India, the Vidhan Soudha houses the state legislative assembly of Karnataka and part of the secretariat.

Tipu's Palace - The summer palace of Tipu Sultan was built in Bangalore. The entire structure is built in Teak wood. This double storeyed ornate structure was constructed in 1781-1791. This palace is beautifully decorated with floral motifs on the walls and ceilings. The structure is completed with pillars, arches and balconies. After the death of Tipu, this building was used by the British as their secretariat till 1867. In busy market place of the city are the remnants of this fort built by Tipu. What ever remains of the fort, reminds of the struggle by Tipu against the British. There is a small Ganesha temple among the fort ruins.

Sri Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple - The temple is natural monolith carved cave temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. On the 14 / 15 January every year a ray of light passes precisely through the horns of the Nandi bull and illuminates the deity inside. This unique phenomenon occurs every year on the Makar Sankranti day and attracts large number of devotees. The precision of the event shows advancement in the technical and scientific knowledge of our ancestors. The architect of this temple combines 'Vastukala' with astronomy which gifts the world an amazing phenomenon.

Ulsoor Lake - The 1.5 sq. km lake is dotted with islands. The picturesque lake is located on the North-Eastern fringes of the city and is an ideal place for boating and shopping. A Ganesh festival is organised in August / September. One of the Kempegowda watch towers stands nearby. There is also a swimming pool which has separate timings for males and females.

EXCURSIONS:

Ramohalli : This picnic spot is located 28 kms from Bangalore on the Mysore road. Ramohalli is a beautiful picnic spot with a KSTDC restaurant. The main attraction of the place is the 400 year old Banyan tree which has its branches spread over an area of three acres.

Bannnerghatta National Park : This lion and tiger safari park is set amidst a picturesque surrounding around 22 kms away from the city. The park is spread over an area of 104 sq kms. One can see the lions, tigers and elephants in closed enclosures. There is also a Crocodile and snake farm which attracts many visitors. There are regular bus services from the city to this place.

Nrityagram : This place was established as an institution for the classical dances. The famous Odissi dancer Protima Gauri had founded this place to preserve the ancient and classical dance forms of India. It is located 30 km from the city center. The dance village as it is called was designed by the award winning architect from Goa, Gerard Da Cunha. Apart from dance this place also teaches allied subjects like philosophy, music, mythology, paintings and choreography. Nrityagram welcomes visitors and guests.

Ramanagaram : This place is famous for the rocks formations and are great attraction for the rock climbers. It is 49 kms from Bangalore city. 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 17 m high monolith of lord Bahubali standing tall.

 Mysore : The erst while capital of the Wodeyars is 140 kms from Bangalore. This city has retained the charm it had acquired during the reign of Wodeyars. Mysore is also known as the city of palace. For centuries Mysore has been visited for Sandalwood and Silk. The Mysore palace is often compared with the Buckingham palace in England. The St. Philomena's Church and the Mysore Dussehra are added attraction to this place. Vrindavan Gardens on the KRS dam is one of the most visited gardens in India. The musical fountains here have fascinated not only the visitors but they have been taken on silver screen too.