Visiting Bangalore- Silicon Valley of India
Bangalore- Silicon Valley of India
Namaskara (Greetings in Kannada)
Once referred to as the Garden City of India, this huge metropolitan city has a wonderful vibrancy of both the contemporary and old world. It is one of the largest cities in the country and is home to the IT industry, hence the name Silicon Valley of India. The city has been recently renamed as Bengaluru and is well known for its numerous pubs, vast lakes and beautiful gardens. The gardens have been however on the diminishing side in the last decade or so. Situated at a height of 3000 feet above sea level, Bangalore is blessed with a magnificent climate and has been surveyed as one of the most liveable cities in the country. Bangalore is a huge cosmopolitan city and has a wonderful cultural blend making it one of the most eclectic cities in India.
Best season to visit Bangalore-
Bangalore has a tropical savanna climate and experiences moderate climatic conditions all through the year due to its elevation above sea level. The summer months from March to May are warm and the winter months from November to January are quite cool and nice. Monsoons hit the city in the months from June to August and are not very incessant. Tourists can visit Bangalore all year around due to these moderate climatic conditions.
Highlights (Things to do and experience in Bangalore)
Stroll along Brigade road in the evening and watch the world go by.
Go beer tasting at any of the many Bangalore pubs and micro breweries.
Revel in the electric nightlife of Bangalore.
Soak in the sereneness that the lovely Lalbagh and Cubbon parks offer. Lalbagh also conducts flower shows every year.
Walk along Ulsoor Lake, Sankey Tank or any of the many lake bodies spread across the city.
Enjoy live concerts that happen frequently at the Palace grounds. Many popular national and international bands perform in Bangalore.
Enjoy a traditional play at Rangashankara. There are numerous theatre groups that perform every weekend in the city.
Enjoy a walking tour and get to know more about the city’s history. There are numerous walking tours such as Victorian Bangalore walk, Lalbagh walk, etc. run by companies such as Unhurried and Bangalore Walks.
Visit the many fairs and shows that the city hosts. The popular ones are Peanut fair, Aero show, Sunday soul sante, etc.
Bring out the adventurer in you at Wonder La, a popular water theme park.
Be a part of the numerous short treks from Bangalore organized by a host of adventure companies. The popular treks are to Savandurga, Skandagiri, Antaragange and Makalidurga. Rock climbing is popular in Ramnagara, a short drive away from Bangalore.
Watch a cricket match at the Chinnaswamy stadium. Indian premier league matches are held in the months of April and May.
Taste the delicious traditional south Indian food at any of the darshinis spread across the city.
Enjoy a day at the creative and interactive Innovative film city which has a host of activities and shows for its visitors.
Indulge in the water sport facilities at Lumbini Park.
Hotspots (Things to see in Bangalore)
South Bangalore-
Bannerghatta National Park– This National Park offers a safari where one can spot numerous animals and is quite popular with tourists. There is also a zoo which has many caged animals. A butterfly conservatory near the park is another attraction.
Lalbagh Botanical Garden– This magnificent huge botanical garden houses innumerable plant species and many 100 year old trees. Additionally, it also has a deer park, an aquarium and a lake. The glass house and rose garden are quite popular. Flower shows are conducted every year at Lalbagh. Do not miss the opportunity to grab a snack and a cup of coffee at the nearby MTR restaurant, one of the iconic places to eat in Bangalore.
Gavipuram Gangadeshwara Temple – Take the lord’s blessings at the oldest temple in Bangalore. At more than 800 years old, this temple is located in the temple district of Bangalore.
Bull Temple– This is one of the most popular and visited temples in Bangalore and has a granite monolithic Nandi as its shrine. The temple ground also hosts the popular annual peanut festival.
North Bangalore
Bangalore Palace– This palace is the residence of the Wodeyar royal family. It has a beautiful exterior and is modelled on the Windsor Castle. A portion of it is open to the public and displays a wonderful collection of art.
Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat– It is one of the renowned art schools and museums in the country. It has a wide display of art works and also has an impressive alumnus. Frequent art fests are conducted here.
East Bangalore
Aerospace museum– This is India’s first aerospace museum and has a wide display of aeronautical photographs, aircraft models and gives detailed information about the history of India’s aerospace.
West Bangalore
ISKCON Temple– Run by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, this temple has very attractive interiors and also sells numerous temple paraphernalia and artifacts.
Central Bangalore
Holy Trinity Church– This 19th century church is built in English renaissance style and is a landmark building in the heart of the city.
Vidhana Soudha– Vidhan Soudha houses the state legislature and is a landmark building in the city. It has some wonderful exteriors and is built in Neo- Dravidian style. However, entry is not permitted.
Rangoli Metro Art centre– This small but wonderful gallery is the newest addition to Bangalore’s art galleries. Situated near the Metro station on M.G. Road, this art centre has a nice display of art work by various artists.
St. Mary’s Basilica– Built in gothic style with stained glass; this basilica has a wonderful external facade and attracts numerous devotees.
Tipu Sultan’s Palace– This wonderful palace of Tipu Sultan is adorned with nice architecture and frescoes. There is also a fort, a temple and a mosque in its surroundings.
Vishweshwaraya museum– This interactive industrial and technological museum is quite popular with both children and adults, and is well recommended while in Bangalore.
Venkattappa Art gallery and museum– It is one of the oldest museums in the country and has a wide display of art works, sculptures, Tanjore paintings and artifacts. It also has displays of antiques from the Mohenjedaro and Harappa civilization.
National Gallery of Modern Art– This wonderful museum has an impressive display of contemporary art and is a must visit for all art lovers.
Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium– This planetarium has wonderful visuals, is informative and would be a great visit for children.
Neighbourhood-
Devanahalli fort– This fort is the birth place of Tipu Sultan and is located ahead of the international airport. It has a fort wall, a few temples and a village that lives inside it.
Channapatna– Channapatna is well known for its wooden toys, and one can also see the artisans in work. Make sure to buy a few of their wonderful creations.
Nandi Hills– It has been one of the favoured getaway destinations for a very long time for the residents of Bangalore. The hills offer a panoramic view, has temple on top, a stepped well and a rest house. It is quite windy and cool on top, and that brings a lot of visitors to this nice little hill fort.
Shopping in Bangalore
Bangalore has numerous shopping avenues and these include the modern shopping malls and also the shopping streets which have been ever popular for years.
Shopping Malls– Bangalore has numerous shopping malls with many branded outlets, department stores, cafes, pubs, restaurants and cinema theatres. The popular ones are Forum mall, Garuda mall, Orion mall, UB City, Phoenix market city and Bangalore central.
Brigade Road– Brigade road has been well known as a shopping/ walking street for decades. Lined with shops, pubs and cafes on either sides, this is one of the most preferred shopping areas of the residents. If you are keen on artifacts, there are a couple of good options such as Kaveri emporium on M.G.Road, which runs perpendicular to Brigade road.
Commercial street– This is the place to head to if you are not keen on branded items. With a huge line of shops, the street offers a wide range of options to choose from.
Indira Nagar– 100 feet road and CMH road in Indira Nagar has numerous brand outlets and is one of the best shopping areas in Bangalore.
Koramangala– With a host of stores, Koramanagala has numerous shopping avenues. It also has many huge branded outlets.
Malleshwaram Sampige Road and Gandhi Bazaar in Basavanagudi – You should head to either of these places if you are looking for a traditional shopping experience.
How to reach Bangalore
With both international and domestic terminals, Kempegowda International airport, Bangalore is the best means to reach the city as it connects to all the major Indian cities and a host of cities across the world. Many international airlines connect Bangalore with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuala Lumpur, Paris, Singapore, London, Bangkok, Colombo, Frankfurt and many other cities across the world. Pre- paid taxis and BMTC Volvo buses are easily available to take you to the central part of the city. The major railway station is Bangalore city station which is located opposite the Majestic bus stand (the main bus station). There are other railway stations at Yeshwanthpur, Bangalore Cantonment and Krishnarajapuram. Trains connect Bangalore to various big and small cities across the country. There are long distance buses, both private and government ones that ply to and from cities such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Coimbatore, etc. The major bus stations are at Majestic and KR Market. The city is well connected by highways and driving into Bangalore is also well recommended.
How to get around Bangalore-
By Metro– Metro is new to Bangalore and has limited connectivity. However, it is the fastest mode of transport between the CBD area, Malleshwaram and Indira Nagar.
By Bus– Buses are easily available and connects to all areas of Bangalore. There are many Volvo buses run by BMTC which are comfortable to commute.
By Autorickshaws– Autorickshaws or tuk tuks can be hailed on the streets and are easily available. Make sure to run the meters beforehand. Pre-paid autorickshaws are available at Bangalore city railway station.
By Car– One can also drive around in a self-drive car; though be prepared to handle Bangalore’s slow traffic.
By Taxi– Taxis can be booked in advance and is the best option if one needs to go to the outskirts of the city.
Top areas of Bangalore
Indira Nagar– This is one of the major commercial and shopping areas with numerous brand outlets, restaurants and pubs. A section of it is upscale residential area.
Koramangala– Koramangala is well known for its wonderful restaurants, cafes and pubs. This is another upscale area and houses many commercial buildings including the Forum, the city’s best shopping mall.
MG Road– M.G.Road and its perpendicular Brigade road form the crux of the CBD area. With numerous shops, brand outlets, office spaces, hotels, restaurants, cafes and pubs, this is the biggest commercial area in Bangalore.
Residency road– It is one of the major areas in Bangalore with numerous commercial buildings, hotels and pubs.
Ulsoor– Ulsoor is one of the premium areas of the city with many office spaces, hotels and residential houses. The very popular Ulsoor Lake is located here.
Marathahalli– With numerous shopping avenues, restaurants, cinema theatres and commercial buildings, Marathahalli is one of the top areas of Bangalore
Whitefield– In addition to the numerous information technology companies that are located here, there are also shopping malls, restaurants and numerous hotels in Whitefield. It is also a top residential area.
Jayanagar– Jayanagar is one of the premium residential areas of Bangalore and also has numerous shopping and dining options.
Old Airport Road– This area is well known for its commercial buildings and luxury hotels.
Gandhinagar– Located closer to the railway station and major bus station, Gandhinagar has numerous commercial buildings and hotels.
Dhanyavadhagalu (Thank you in Kannada)
