Bangalore Travel Guide
Bangalore, Karnataka is a cosmopolitan city. It is full of charm for the city is amalgamated with indigenous cultural and western style. The way science and technology has prospered in the city capital has turned into an IT hub. It is also known as garden city of India due to the presence of many gardens covering huge areas, adding to the tourism potential and greenery of the city.
Its ideal climate adds to the systematic layout of parks and gardens amidst technology centers. There are many temples built in traditional architectural style. There are many buildings designed in Gothic and other exotic styles of architecture. It is also known for local products like silk and sandalwood. The Chinnaswamy stadium and golf courses make it welcoming for sport lovers.
Bangalore city was founded by Kempe Gowda in 1537. The name Bangalore is actually an anglicized version of Bengaluru, a Kannad term. In ancient times, a king of Hoysala dynasty named Ballala got lost in a jungle. There, he was served boiled beans by a kind lady. In happiness and gratitude, the ruler uttered the name of the city after the name of meal i.e. ‘bende kaalu ooru’ meaning the city of boiled beans. Recently the name Bangalore has been transformed to Bengaluru.
Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore was a feudal Lord working for the Vijaynagar Empire. Several other rulers ruled Bangalore in the succeeding years including Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. They also contributed to the development of the city in many ways. Under the rule of British, many modern developments started to take place. Many buildings in Bangalore are great specimens of foreign styles of architecture. Due to its development in IT Sector, Bangalore is known as the ‘Silicon Capital’ of India.
How to Reach Bangalore
- By Air – Bangalore airport is directly connected to all major cities including metro cities. Cabs or taxis are available to carry tourists to the main city and elsewhere.
- By Rail – The Bangalore city railway station connects the city to nearby areas like Mysore and distant places like Kolkata and Delhi. One can get pre-paid taxis, auto rickshaws and buses near the Bangalore station.
- By Road – Opposite the railway station is the bus stand where many government and private transport systems are available. These buses help tourists get a holistic view of the city. Interstate buses help tourists to reach nearby places like Mysore.
Distance of Bangalore from Below Places:
| Place | Distance (KM) |
|---|---|
|
Chennai |
348 |
|
Mangalore |
352 |
|
Kochi |
551 |
|
Mysore |
144 |
|
Mumbai |
983 |
Weather
Bangalore Temperature
- Summer (Mar to Jun) – Temperatures are relatively high and range between (18°C) to (33°C)
- Monsoon – (Jul to Sep) – With heavy rainfall happening at regular basis, this is not a good season for tourists
- Winter – (Oct to Feb) – Temperatures are mild and range between (14°C) to (27°C)
- Best Time to Visit – Bangalore has got mild weather all through the year. You can visit Bangalore all through the year though Nov to Feb is the best season for tourism
What to See In Bangalore
This is one of the main landmarks, signifying modernity of Bangalore. Solid granite is the chief building material. Vidhan Soudha is designed in Neo Dravidian style of architecture. Inside the storey building, are state secretariat and legislatures. At the entrance, one can find an ornately designed door made of sandalwood
Tipu Sultan's Palace
This fort has two floors, designer pillars and painted walls. Tipu Sultan used to relax and fice solace in this palace during summers. Since Tipu was a devout follower of Vishnu, there is a Vishnu temple in the proximity of the temple. The temple suffered several setbacks in the wars against rival armies especially the British. But Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan always mended the repairs, renovating it whenever needed. The walls are covered with intricate floral designs. On the second floor of the palace, there is a large centralized balcony from where Tipu Sultan used to address his subjects.
Banerugahatta National Park
Established in 1978, this sanctuary is well known for being the home of wild organisms like elephant, tiger, leopard, panther etc. In addition, there is a crocodile farm and a butterfly park. Tourists can avail Lion and tiger safari here. A natural rock formation called Uddiebange attracts trekkers. The land is moistened by the flow of the Suvarnamukhi stream emanating from the Suvarnamukhi hills. In the proximity of the hills, there is a shrine dedicated to Narsimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
It is an architectural marvel that has been achieved with great dedication and skill of human resources. In this temple, one can observe a rare mix of glass and gopuram. Infact the traditional royal styles have been merged with modern aesthetics to create a spectacular effect. ISKON is dedicated to noble causes like peace, sacrifice and spiritualism.
Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain
This fountain is an attractive and unique tourist spot owing to the amalgamation of music, architecture, engineering and technology. The motion of the highly advanced dancing fountain is monitored with the aid of latest multimedia technology and hence one gets to enjoy various patterns as per the tunes being played. Stills are played on a projector installed behind the musical fountain.
It is a very elegantly designed amusement park. The toy train forms its main attraction. Apart from the train, there is a dolls museum and a playing arena for kids. The dolls museum is a gallery of dolls assembled from different corners of the world. Films for children are showcased in the Vijayaranga theatre. Activity shows are organized in the park to motivate children to explore their hidden skills and talents in the fields of painting, crafts etc. A very old fossilized tree which was gifted by the Geological Survey of India adds to the scientific value of the park.
This park is typical example of Gothic architecture. The park was established by Lord Cubbon in 1864. Presently, it is one of the most peaceful areas of Bangalore.
The Holy Trinity Church is an architectural masterpiece developed in the pre-independence era. Its construction began in the year 1848. The exterior of the church with tall towers and uniquely designed pillars is eye catching. The interior part of the church consists of very intricately sculptured idols of legendary personalities. By visiting this church, one will have an insight into world history and historical legends. The roof of the church comprises of three pairs of angels which are meticulously carved out of wood.
After 1960, many educational and charitable institutes were established in the vicinity of the church
It is grandiose tourist destination for being an outstanding gallery of theme marks, museums and other educational spots. Kids will love to watch the Cartoon City and the Wannado City. The Ode to Earth is a novel feature introduced in the Innovative Film city. It provides realistic experience of traversing through the history of earth with the aid of multiple screens and audio visual display. The Wannodo City is an exciting hub where children can assume different heroic roles like pilot, news reporter etc. The Miniature city with replicas of seven wonders of the world is worth a visit. In addition to these exciting spots, there is a tribal museum and a wax museum.
Viswesvarya Industrial and Tech Museum
This is a large scale exhibition of technological inventions, innovations and discoveries worth watching for students, technocrats or lovers of technology. In this large building many areas of science has been explained in graphical and multimedia styles to make the viewer more inquisitive regarding science and technology. The interior of the building constitutes classic working models on various principles of applied sciences and engineering. Its special features include a prototype of the Wright brothers’ first flying device. This device along with the flying simulator provides spectacular and memorable insight into the facets of science. The ‘Science on a Sphere’ is a multimedia enabled presentation on climatic data.
Situated in Basavanagudi, this temple was built by Kempe Gowda in reverence of Nandi, the mythological ‘vahana’ of Shiva. This is one of the oldest temples and is a specimen of Dravidian style of architecture. A huge statue of Nandi, the bull which is carved out of a single rock, forms the prime figure of the temple. Devotees say that Vishwabharati River had originated from feet of Nandi. Behind the bull, one can find statues of Surya and Chandra riding on their chariots.
According to legends, farmers suffered huge crop losses due to a mischievous bull that was eating away all crop products. In order to calm down the bull, the big statue was built. With the grace of God, the bull no longer created any disturbances, much to the joy of farmers. The event was celebrated in huge fervor and groundnuts were distributed in a festival called ‘Basavanagudi’.
These historic hills were initially built as a fortified area to protect against rival armies. The salubrious and majestic atmosphere upon the hills makes it a popular resort.
In addition to being a green this garden is a scientific and research based area for horticulturists. Many rare varieties of fauna can be seen in the garden. This garden was firstly laid by Hyder Ali, the great ruler of Mysore. Later, his son developed it further. Recently botanical garden has been acknowledged as a major research centre for zoologists and environmentalists. The glass house where flower shows are held biennially is a major attractive feature of Botanical garden.
Built by Abbe Dubois in 1882, St. Basilica church is the oldest church in Bangalore. In 1882, it was renovated by L.E. Kleiner using imported stained glass windows. The renovated building is classic of the Gothic architecture.
Hindustan Aeronautical Laboratory (HAL) Museum
The HAL museum exhibits collection of aircrafts including indigenous varieties like Kiran and the Canberra bomber. The MIG aircraft, made with foreign assistance is also a thing to watch. Enthusiasts can also play with live simulators.
Other Details
What to Do
- Visitors can relax among the green garden spread throughout the city.
- Devotees can offer prayer in the temples and churches.
- Students can discuss their experiences to gain greater insight into the city.
Where to Eat
Bangalore is a foodie’s paradise. There are very special south Indian varieties of food available in all restaurants of Bangalore. These include Masala dosa, Idli, upma, sambhar vada. Some other exquisite dishes are Baale Muruku(Banana Fritters) and Gojjavalakki(Poha sweet sour upma). The restaurants also serve many international dishes especially Chinese, continental, French and Italian delicacies.
There are many high profile restaurants in the city including:
- Leela restaurants: These are famous for classic collection of delicacies that involve Pan Asian, Italian and French varieties. In addition, the decorum and ambience of the restaurant is quite amiable.
- The Lalit Ashoka Bangalore: It offers many varieties of cuisines according to taste and occasion.
What to Buy
Bangalore is famous for indigenous products like Bangalore silk, sandalwood products and handicrafts. The premier areas of shopping are:
- Commercial Street: It is one of Bangalore’s busiest shopping areas. In Commercial Street, one can find wide collection of dresses, accessories, foot wears, jewelry items and knick knacks.
- Chickpet: It is famous for diverse varieties of sarees including indigenous varieties like Bangalore Wholesale dress materials are also available. One can get bangles and musical instruments too.
- Avenue road: There are many beautiful heritage buildings around this place. Tourists can get all sorts of items like textiles and even those items which are rare in other locations.
- City market: Here, one can get colorful and fresh vegetables, flowers and fruits.
Get Around
Visitors can go around in cabs, air conditioned buses and long route buses to have a view of the important destinations in the city as well as adjacent areas like Mysore and Ooty. Regular Auto and cab service is also available in plenty.
Top Destinations - Karnataka
– Bangalore
– Mysore
Popular Tour Plans - Karnataka
4-6 Days
1. Bangalore-Mysore-Ooty (6N/7D)