Bangalore is the capital city of Karnataka and IT capital of India. Kempegowda was a Palegar of Vijayanagar empire who found Bangalore by chance and named the city Benda kalooru (the place where the beans he carried were boiled). It lies at a height of 3,018 feet above sea level.
I have been visiting Bangalore since my childhood and have been living here for many many years. The changes that I have witnessed in the past 12 years are tremendous and Thomas Friedman’s book “The world is flat” would be the best reference to read about these changes.
Adjusting to the Bangalore culture took sometime, but the magnetism of the city was too great to reject and I became a willing prey to be absorbed as a Bangalorean.
Bangalore climate and job opportunities continue to attract people to settle down here, which explains the population and cost-of-living graph hitting north. Introduction of “Namma Metro” is well received and the next phases are eagerly awaited. Established and new education institutions and health care facilities here are recognized the world over. The hospitality industry supports the large number of visitors of all classes to have a comfortable stay in the city.
Shopping malls, fine dining, gardens, lakes, museums, exhibitions, pubs, architectural landmarks, sports facilities, dramas, discotheques, amusement parks, gaming arcades, music and dance concerts, are the range of options for people to indulge with family and friends.
History:
Kempe Gowda founded Bangalore in 1537 and the progress of the city was unstoppable from then onwards. There are historical evidence that the city existed in 900 AD as Benga uru. This is inscribed on a stone found in Begur in old Kannada script. Yelahanka is the native place of Kempe Gowda.
Bangalore was divided into two towns known as Chikkapete and Doddapete. Kempe Gowda’s successor built the four towers demarking the boundary of Bangalore. Now, the city has grown much beyond the imagination of the founders and the towers.
Bangalore was handed to the Mysore rulers after the British defeated Tipu Sultan.
It was the first city in India to get electricity in 1906 backed by the hydroelectric plant in Shivanasamudra.
During the silver jubilee celebrations of the rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV many parks and gardens were built. This beautified the city and earned its name “Garden city”.
In 1906, Bangalore became the first city in India to have electricity, powered by the hydroelectric plant situated in Shivanasamudra. Bangalore’s reputation as the Garden City of India began in 1927 with the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. Several projects such as the construction of parks, public buildings and hospitals were instituted to beautify the city.
Sir Mirza Ismail and Sir M. Viswesvaraiah contributed to the industrial development in the 1940s.
Festivals:
Bangaluru Habba
Kadalekayi Parishe
Karaga
Places of interest in Bangalore:
Bannerughatta National Park
Begur Temple
Madiwala Lake
Puttenahalli Lake
Nagawara Lake / Lumbini Gardens
Bhavani Shankar Temple
Sheshadri Iyer Memorial Hall
Sankey Tank
Pyramid
Cubbon Park
Bangalore Palace
Kote Venkataramana Temple
Bangalore Fort
Lal Bagh
ISKCON
The Bull Temple
The Gangadhareshware Temple
The Dharmaraja Temple
Dargah Hazarath Tawakkal Mastan
Jumma Masjid
Ravindra Kalakshetra
St. Mary’s Church
Ulsoor Lake
Yediyur Lake
Venkatappa Art Gallery
Visweswaraiah Technical Museum
Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium
Vidhana Soudha
Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace
Places of interest around Bangalore:
Wonderla
Innovative Film City
Hesaragatta
Big Banyan Tree, Ramohalli
Muthyalamaduvu / Pearl Valley
Ramanagaram
Devanahalli
Ramadevarabetta
Janapada Loka
Channapatna
Mallur
Savanadurga
Mekedatu
Chunchi Falls
Nandi Hills
Ghati Subramanya
Manchibele Dam
Bheemeswari Fishing Camp
Galibore
Doddamakali
Kokkarebellur
Place Statistics:
Type of place: City
Situated: Karnataka
Distance: 140 Km from Mysore
Transport: Well connected by road, rail, and air
Facilities: You name it, you have it
Useful contacts:
Department of Tourism,
1st Floor, ‘F’ Block
Cauvery Bhavan, K.G.Road,
Phone: +91-80-2215489
Tourism Information Counter
Bangalore Airport: +91-80-5268012.
Railway Station: +91-80-2870068
Govt. of India Tourist Office: KSFC Building,48, Church Street. Tel: +91-80-558517.
Conducted Tours
Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation Department of Tourism,
1st Floor, ‘F’ Block, Cauvery Bhavan,
K.G.Roadd.
Phone: +91-80-2215489
Tourism Information Counter
Bangalore Airport : +91-80-5268012.
Railway Station: +91-80-2870068
Govt. of India Tourist Office: KSFC Building, 48, Church Street. Tel: +91-80-558517.
Conducted Tours
Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) organizes a half-day Bangalore sightseeing tour. KSTDC Head Office-Tel: +91-80-2212901/2212902/2275883/2275869. Fax: +91-80-2238016
