Bangalore
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Bangalore is the seventh largest city in India and is called the Garden city of India for its beautiful gardens and parks. The capital of Karnataka, Bangalore is one of Asia's fastest growing cosmopolitan cities. It is a hub of trade, industry, tourism and education. It is also called the Silicon Valley of India for the IT industry in Bangalore. Bangalore has a number of destinations that attracts tourists and these include Bangalore Palace and Fort, Bull Temple, Dargah Hazarath Tawakkal Mastan, Gandhi Bhavan, Gangadhareshware Temple, Government Museum, Lal Bagh, St. Mary's Church, Ulsoor lake and Vidhana Soudha.  The city enjoys a pleasant climate which attracts large number of tourists but the best time to visit is during October - March months.

Tourist Attractions

The Vidhan Soudha

The Vidham Soudha is the State Secretariat built in the year 1954 by Shri Kengal Hanumanthaiah, the chief Minister of Mysore from 1951 to 1956.  It is also called as Taj Mahal of south India. It is an architectural marvel and it combines traditional Dravidian styles with the modern trends of architecture. Tourists need to take special permission to witness the proceedings of the Vidhan Sabha. The foundation for the Vidham Soudha was laid by the then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, on July 13, 1951. The construction was completed in 1956.

Cubbon Park

The Cubbon Park has a history that dates back to over 100 years. The park was established by John Meade, the acting Commissioner of Mysore in the year 1870. The park was initially named after John Meade as a mark of respect for him, but it was subsequently named the Cubbon Park. The park is now officially known as Sri Chamarajendra Park and provides sylvan surroundings to the State Legislature building known as the Vidhana Soudha, the High Court Buildings called the Attara Kacheri and a number of other organizations located within the park.

Government Museum

There are two museums in Bangalore, the Government Museum and the Vishweshwaraiah Technological and Industrial Museum. The Government Museum is one of the oldest museums in India. Also called the State Archeological Museum it is close to the High Court. Although it was originally built by Colonel Sankey in 1876, several wings were added to it in later years. It has exquisite collections of coins, sculptures, old paintings, inscriptions and excavated items.

Vishweshwaraiah Technological Museum

The Vishweshwaraiah Technological Museum was built as a tribute to Sir M Vishwesharaiah who was a statesman who brought science and technology to the common man. Amoung the display at the museum are an airplane and a steam engine. Inside the museum showcases five galleries for different aspects of technology. There is an electronics section there which is worth a visit.

Lalbagh Botanical Garden

The Lalbagh Botanical Gardenm, also known as the botanical garden was made by Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore. It is located in 240 acres of land on the southern side of Bangalore. There are around 1,000 species of flora, most of the tropical plants were planted by Tipu Sultan, the son of Hyder Ali. The garden also organizes many flowershows throughout the year, the most popular flowershow being organised on 26th January. The added attraction of the garden is the glasshouse, modeled after the London crystal palace. At the entrance is the statue of Chamaraja Wodeyar of Mysore. The other attractions in the park include the surreal Floral Clock, the Lal Bagh Rock, one of the oldest rock formations on earth which dates back to around 3000 million years.

Tipu Sultan's Fort and Palace

Bangalore also houses the Tipu Sultan's fort and palace. Tipu Sultan was popularly known as the Lion of Mysore. The fort has intricately carved arches and has been built in the Islamic style. The fort also has a well-preserved Ganapati temple inside it. Within the fort stands Tipu Sultan's palace. The palace dates back to 1790 and was constructed as a summer resort of the King. Entirely built of teakwood, the palace is adorned with pillars, arches and balconies. Beautiful floral motifs can be found embellishing the walls and ceilings of palace.

Gavi Gangadhareswara Cave Temple

The Gavi Gangadhareswara Cave temple was built by Kempe Gowda. The temple is most popular for its four monolithic pillars. What is unique about this temple is the rare idol of Agni. There is an interesting phenomenon about this temple. During the 13th and 14th of January the sun rays during the time of sunset enters the temple through its window and passes between the horns of Nandi, the bull. Some of the other temples worth visiting in Bangalore are Venkataramanaswamy Temple and Someshwara Temple.

Travel

Air: Bangalore airport is situated 13 kms away on the outskirts of the city. There are direct flights to Bangalore from most national and international destinations.

Rail: There are direct railway links from major towns and cities of India and from far-off destinations like Jammu and Guwahati.

Road: Bangalore is well connected with all parts of Karnataka and neighbouring states.

Related Topics
Karnataka