| Legend goes that King Veeraballa of Vijayanagara once lost his way in forest. Hungry and tired, he came upon a lone hut in the thick forest where he met an old woman.When he asked for food, she gave him baked beans ('Benda Kalu' in Karnataka).The King found this humble meal taste better than the richest fare.To commemorate this incident, he called the place "Benda Kalu Ooru" (place of baked beans). Bangalore today is getting popular though for a different variety of Beans-JavaBeans. |
| |
| Capital of the Southern state of Karnataka, Bangalore today is Asia's fastest growing cosmopolitan city. It is home to some of the most high tech industries in India. The I.T industry views Bangalore as the 'byte-basket' of India. Bangalore is also home to some of India's premier scientific establishments. Blessed with a salubrious climate, gardens & parks , natural lakes, architectural landmarks, shopping malls, the best restaurants and pubs in this part of the globe, business opportunities, Bangalore is the ideal gateway to India and beyond. Bangalore offers something for everyone-music and dance concerts (Western and Indian), dramas, exhibitions, carnivals, conferences and more. |
| |
| Located 949m above sea level in South India on the Deccan Plateau, Bangalore enjoys a salubrious climate throughout the year. The city boasts of spacious gardens, parks, tree-lined avenues, a profusion of flowering trees, lakes, and parks, earning it the sobriquet of "Garden City." The once-sedate cantonment settlement of the British has now spread way beyond the mud fort and the four towers constructed by Kempegowda in 1537. With its booming economy and racy lifestyle, the capital of Karnataka has metamorphosed from a sleepy Garden City into one of India's fastest growing, accommodating, technophiliac, and cosmopolitan cities. |
| |
| Go disco-hopping or pub-crawling, shop till your feet give away,relax in the swankiest restaurants or with your favourite movie stars-in the movie hall or simply tee off to glory. Welcome to Bangalore. |
| |
| Bangalore To Be Renamed As Bengaluru |
| Bangalore, according to state historians, got its name from Bendakalooru (the town of boiled beans) after a king strayed into the area during a hunting trip in the late 14th century. A woman offered him a meal of boiled beans which the king enjoyed so much that he named the town after the dish. Bengaluru is a transliteration of the original spelling, according to state historians. |
|
 |
| |
| The Bangalore Palace & Fort |
| The Bangalore Fort was built by Kempe Gowda and expanded by Tippu Sultan. Within its walls is the well preserved 16th century Ganapathi Temple. |
| |
| The Bangalore Palace was built by a Wodeyar king in 1887 on the 400 acre space. Inspired by the Windsor castle, this palace was built in the Tudor style, complete with Gothic windows, foiled windows, battlements and turrets resembling the Daria Daulat Palace in Srirangapatanam, this summer palace has been constructed largely of wood and is famous for its carving and paintings. |
| |
| In June 2005 Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar decided to open the palace to the public to meet its Rs 20 lakh annual upkeep costs. The special attraction is a gallery of nearly a thousand historical photos, including those of viceroys, maharajas and other famous personalities inside and exquisite carvings and paintings. |
| |
| Lal Bagh |
Hyder Ali laid out this famous botanical garden and his son added horticultural wealth to them by importing trees and plants from several countries. The garden today houses over 1000 species of flora which include rare and enchanting collection of tropical plants, trees and herbs. The Glass House, modelled along London's Crystal Palace, is the center of attraction in this 2400 acre park. Bi-annual flower shows attracting participants from all over India is held in the Glass House. In July, 2003 it was decided that the Department of Horticulture and Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) would jointly take up the development of Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens. |
| |
| Cubbon Park |
| Cubbon Park provides Bangaloreans with over 300 acres of sprawling greenery in the heart of the city. The park houses the State Library, an impressive, red Gothic structure, and is dotted with fountains, statues, flowering trees, and shady groves |
| |
| Cariappa Park |
| Preserved by the army this verdant green park of 22 acres is situated next to parade ground |
| |
 |
| |
| Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple |
| Built during Kempegowda's reign, this unique cave temple contains a granite moon; sun-disc monoliths; a stone umbrella; a Shivalinga; and three cave passages. Every year, during Makara Sankranthi, this cave temple witnesses a strange phenomenon when a ray of light passes precisely through the horns of the stone bull outside the temple and illuminates the deity inside the cave. |
| |
| Art of Living |
| Art of living was created by spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar and is active in more than 145 countries . art of living is headquartered Bangalore and have a sprawling campus at Kanakapura road, 15 kilometers from the city. Sri Sri Ravishankar ' sudarshan kriaya, is supposed to be one of the powerful meditation techniques. the art of living is involved in numerous philanthropic activities across the globe. |
| |
| ISKCON |
| Situated on Chord Road, it is a must visit temple in Bangalore. It stands over a small hill and is a very clean and well maintained temple. Akshaya Patra program sponsored by the temple is very popular. |
| |
| The Bull Temple |
| This temple, built by Kempe Gowda, houses the magnificent stone statue of the sacred bull, Nandi. It stands over 15 feet tall and is over 20 feet long . In Nov/Dec every year, when the groundnuts have been harvested, a groundnut fair is held near the temple. The first groundnuts are offered by the farmers to the sacred bull. |
| |
| The Dharmaraja Temple |
| Located at Nazarethpet in the suburbs of Bangalore, this temple is the starting point of the annual Karaga procession. The revered idols of this temple are the Shri Dharmaraja Swamy, hero of the Mahabharata and Lord Krishna. |
| |
| Dargah Hazarath Tawakkal Mastan |
| This Muslim shrine,located in Cottonpet, a suburban locality, is associated with the Hindu Karaga festival too. The procession annually visits the Dargah of this Sufi saint, Tawakkal Mastan. His tomb attracts both Muslim and non-Muslim pilgrims. |
| |
| Jumma Masjid |
| The Jumma Masjid is probably the oldest mosque in the city. It is an imposing structure with tall ornamented granite pillars adorning the elevated prayer hall. Scores of devote Muslim worshippers throng this masjid during the annual festivals of the Muslims. It is located in the busy market area of Bangalore, K.R.Market. |
| |
 |
| |
| Ravindra Kalakshetra |
| The Kalakshetra, built to commemorate Rabindranath Tagore's centenary, promotes cultural activity in the city. It has a superb theatre and houses the Cultural Akademi Offices. Next to it is the Gothic styled Puttannachetty Town Hall whose huge auditorium can easily accommodate over 1500 persons. |
| |
| St. Mary's Church |
| Established by a French missionary Abbe Dubois in 1811, St.Mary's church is the only church in Karnataka state to be elevated to the status of a minor Basilica. Every September, The Virgin Mary's festival is celebrated with a procession that attracts people of all faiths. The church is situated near the Shivaji Nagar Bus Terminal. |
| |
| Gandhi Bhavan |
| The Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, housed in the Gandhi Bhavan, houses a comprehensive picture gallery and other exhibits of Gandhiji which depict the life and times of Gandhiji. The Bhavan is open on weekdays(10:30 Am to 5:00 PM). |
| |
| Ulsoor lake |
| A picturesque lake with several tree-shaded islands in it, is an ideal picnic spot. You can go boating or go for a swim in the nearby swimming pool that is part of the recreational complex near the lake. You can also go to the nearby Gurdhwar, the largest Sikh shrine in Bangalore. |
| |
| Government Museum |
| Acclaimed as one of the oldest museums in the country, this museum houses an amazing collection of archaeological objects, including stone carvings, pottery, weapons, paintings, coins, textiles, sculptures, inscriptions, stone carvings, and weapons. |
| |
| Vidhana Soudha |
This splendid neo-Dravidian granite building that dominates the northern boundary of the Cubbon park, is the home of the State Legislature and the Secretariat. It took four years of work by 5,000 labourers and 1,500 craftsmen to finish this magnificent structure in 1956. It is a fusion of four architectural styles - Dravidian, Rajasthani, Chola and Kannadiga. It is a magnificent structure granite with 12 massive pillars, archways and a wide flight of steps leading up to its entrance. The Indian national symbol four lions stands atop the biggest dome. |
| |
 |
| |
| The Bangalore Race Course |
| The Bangalore Race Course is one of the finest in India, with racing events almost all year round (May to June and Nov to Mar). Some of the biggest field stakes in the country can be witnessed here. |
| |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium was founded by the Bangalore City Corporation in 1989. It is located on Sir.T Chowdaiah Road. Since 1992, it is managed by the Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE). BASE is devoted to dissemination of science among the public and the student community. On the premises there are the Science Centre and a Science Park. The Planetarium has a 15.0 meters diameter dome with a seating capacity of 210. |
| |
| Tipu's Palace |
| Built in 1791, Tipu Sultan's summer retreat is a two-storied ornate wooden structure with fluted pillars, cusped arches, and balconies. It now houses a museum that contains artefacts relating to the Hyder-Tipu regime. |
