|
With
its salubrious climate, numerous public parks, tree-lined avenues and a
profusion of flowering trees, it is not difficult to see how Bangalore-
the capital of Karnataka, earned the sobriquet ‘Garden City’. The city’s
real charm lies in the way it has elegantly blended its past as a sedate
British cantonment with its present status as one of the South Asia’s
most cosmopolitan and progressive cities.
Located 949m above sea level on the Deccan Plateau, Bangalore has a lot
to offer visitors. A vibrant cultural heritage, historic monuments,
handicrafts, antiques and silk stores, golf courses, discotheques,
amusement parks, wildlife safari and even weekend getaways and health
spas on the outskirts of the city.
A
visit to Bangalore cannot be concluded without sampling the
mouthwatering variety of the city’s gastronomic delights. From eateries
serving traditional vegetarian South Indian fare to fine dining
establishments that specialize in Indian, Oriental, Continental and
Middle Eastern Cuisine- the diversity is truly delicious.
Within
city limits, you have the Vidhan Soudha, pride of Bangalore. It
is one of the largest legislature-cum-offices building in the country
and houses the State legislature and the Secretariat of Karnataka. The
lawns are open to the public but prior permission is necessary to view
the interior.
Overlooking the Vidhana Soudha is Attara Kacheri that houses the
High Court.
In the same vicinity is Cubbon Park, spread over 300 acres and a
favorite with joggers and walkers. The park also houses the State
Central Library. Another large expanse of greenery is the Lal Bagh,
laid out by Haider Ali. Over 240 acres, it is also the venue of the
famous bi-annual flower show. The Sankey Boat Club and
Ulsoor Lake
are
perfect for boat rides and some peace and quiet away from the bustle of
the city.
Not too far from the city market is Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace
and the Fort of Haider Ali, now, a museum containing artifacts
from their days. Mysore was the state capital during the rule of
monarchs but Bangalore’s weather prompted the construction of summer
palaces here. The Tudor-style
Bangalore Palace
of the Mysore Maharajas was constructed in 1880 on the lines of Windsor
Castle in England.
For
the spiritually inclined, bangaloe has some well known temples like the
Bull Temple, famed for the monolithic statue of Nandi,
International Society for Krishna Conciousness ( ISKCON) and their
magnificent temple on a hillock, Gavi Gangadeshwara Temple and
the Shiva Temple. The Infant Jesus Church has devotees of
all faiths flocking here, especially on Thursdays.
The
Vishveshwariaya Industrial and Technological Museum has
exhibits representing the technological history of the country.
Adjoining it is the Government Museum, considered one of the
oldest museums in the country, featuring archeological and geological
objects. On the same road is the Venkattappa Art Gallery, venue
of many contemporary art shows. The HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace
Musuem, the first and only one of its kind in the country has
exhibits of aircraft simulators, air traffic control towers, and even an
aero-modelling club. The Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath,
Bangalore’s premier fine arts colleges is also the venue of many shows,
workshops and exhibitions related to visual and performing arts.
The
Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, a great place for star gazing also
houses a permanent exhibition on space and astronomy.
And,
it’s not for nothing that Bangalore has earned itself the sobriquet-Pub
City. The city has several pubs and discotheques that tare magnets for
party-goers. Then there are Bangalore’s glittering shopping malls and
bargain streets where you can pick up anything from the latest designer
wear to exquisite silks, traditional handicrafts and sandalwood
souvenirs.
If you
want to unwind with friends and family, there are some quick getaways
around Bangalore.
Around Bangalore
Bannerghatta National Park
(25km) sprawling over
104sq-km, this National park has a tiger and lion safari, a crocodile
farm, a snake park, elephant rides, and a nature camp for children.
Nrityagram Dance Village
(30km) Founded at
Hessaraghatta by the late Odissi dancer, Protima Gauri, this Dance
village offers the study of classical dance and allied subjects like
choreography, philosophy, music, mythology and painting. Guided tours
are organized for visitors. These include lunch, dance demonstration and
a short lecture.
Tel:
080-8466314
Brindavan, Whitefield
(18km) this is the
summer ashram of Sri Satya Sai Baba. The seer resides at this spiritual
and educational centre for here or four months each year. Electronic
gadgets are not allowed inside the ashram.
Big Banyan Tree
(28km) the huge banyan
tree sprawling over a few acres in Ramohalli is a botanical wonder. It
is also a great picnic spot.
Pearl Valley
(38km) situated down a
deep valley in the midst of hills, the main attraction of this
fascinating picnic spot is its waterfall, formed by thin jets of water
spurting down from a height of 90m. These jets of water converge at the
bottom to resemble pond of pearls, hence the name Pearl Valley.
Overlooking these falls is a small shrine dedicated to Shiva, adding a
religious aura to the place.
Mekedatu
(98km) a beautiful
picnic spot where the river Arkavathi surges through a gorge which is
narrow enough for a goat to leap over. Hence the name, which means
‘Goat’s Leap’.
Getting There
Road:
Kempegowda Bus Stand (Inter State) is the Central Bus Station, a 24 hour
hub with buses plying all over Karnataka and other states. There are
inter-state bus services to Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Pondicherry, Goa operated by various State Transport
Corporation and Private bus operators.
Bangalore is connected to some of India’s major cities through the
National Highways NH 4, NH 7 AND NH48.
Nearest Railhead:
city Railway Station
is 8km from M G Road, Cantonment Railway Station 3km from M G Road, and
Yeshwanthpur is 10km from M G Road. They are well connected to most
major cities in India. Bangalore is connected to all the major rail
junctions of the country.
Airlines operating in Bangalore:
Lufthansa- Six times
in a week from Frankfurt, Srilankan Airlines- Thrice a week from
Colombo, Malaysian Airlines- Twice a week from Kuala Lumpur, Royal Nepal
Airlines- Twice a week from Kathmandu, Air India- Daily connections from
Europe, Indian Airlines- Regular flights from Singapore, Bangkok and
Middle East.
Amusement Centers
Crazy Waters,
Bangalore. Tel:
080-26584910. Timings: Weekdays-10.00 am to 6.00 pm, Saturday, Sunday &
Holidays- 10.00am to 7.00 pm.
Fun World, Bangalore. Tel: 080-23430496. Timings: 11.00 am to
9.30 pm daily. Jaamba Jungle, Bangalore. Tel: 080-25092233.
Timings: 11.00 am to 10.00 pm daily.
Neeladri Amusement
Water Park,
Bangalore. Tel: 080-26524390. Timings: 11.00 am to 8.00 pm daily.
Sammy’s
Dream Land,
Bangalore. Tel: 080-51231444. Timings: 10.30 am to 7.30 pm daily.
Bowling
Megabowl,
Bangalore. Tel: 080-25229746. Timings: 12.00noon to 11.00pm daily.
Amoeba- Leisure & Entertainment Centre, Bangalore. Tel:
080-25594631.
FOR
FURTHER DETAILS OF HOTELS, SPONSORING AND TOUR PACKAGES CONTACT US AT:
info@mahamasthakabhisheka.com
info@jainheritagecentres.com
travel@mahamasthakabhisheka.com
Information Sources:
WWW.JAINHERITAGECENTRES.COM & DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM,
GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA
|
