Bangalore
INTRO
The Garden City. The Silicon Valley of India. The Prisoners' Paradise. The Pub City. The Place of Heroes. The Town of Boiled Beans. These are all the nicknames referred to the impressive city of Bangalore. Beautifully constructed buildings, magical temples and meticulously decorated gardens: to name a few of the landmarks of this fast developing modern metropolis. A combination of high-tech growth and relaxing natural scenery, Bangalore is truly a marvel of present India.
City Profile
City: Bangalore
Country: India
Area: 696.17 km2
Population: 5,280,000
Districts: 2
Mayor: Mumtaz Begum
Language: Kannada
Rating:
LOCATION
Bangalore is situated in the middle of the South-Deccan plateau in peninsular India and in the south-eastern part of Karnataka State. The city is spread between four regional districts and is easily accessible by air, road and rail. Its airport connects it to the major cities in the other continents and facilitates its economic and industrial present.
TIME TO VISIT
Bangalore enjoys a relatively mild climate throughout the whole year, unlike most areas in India where summers are extremely hot and unpleasant. The warmest months are from February to May with the highest temperatures of 38 degrees Celsuis. The coldest months are December and January while the monsoon rains occur in the autumn from September to November. Even though the weather from June to September is moderate, Bangalore is best visited in the winter, which is the time most of the traditional festivals are held.
POPULATION
The number of Bangaloreans exceeds six million people, making Bangalore the third most populous city in India. The majority of the inhabitants are Hindu but there are several minority groups such as Muslims and Christians. The city hosts citizens from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The official language in the whole state is Kannada but other languages are also widely used like Hindi, Tamil, Tulu and Malayalam. Apart from that, the city's workforce speaks mainly English.
DISTRICTS
The metropolis of Bangalore is divided into two main districts: Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural.
- Bangalore Urban is the central part of the city. This is the region where all the metropolitan landmarks, parks and entertainments are situated as well as all the government and administrative buildings. The city's cultural and commercial life is also concentrated here, including the academic and night life.
- Bangalore Rural district enjoys an enchanting landscape, dotted with a series of hills and natural waterfalls. There are also several temples and small villages there that contribute to its contrary to the rural district charm. More info at: http://bangalorerural.nic.in/tourism.htm
SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
The number of attractions that Bangalore has to offer is truly fascinating. Impressive buildings, exotic temples and palaces are among the many landmarks of the city. There are several places that are surely worth visiting when spending some time in Bangalore.
- Vidhana Soudha is the House of the State of Karnataka and was built in neo-Dravidian style in 1956. It is one of the most modern style impressive buildings not only in Bangalore but in the whole country and a must-see tourist attraction. More info on: http://www.kar.nic.in/kla/vds.htm
- The Lal Bagh Glass House is one of the most romantic gardens in India that was built by Tipu Sultan during the 18th century. The garden is meticulously taken care of and it represents the essence of romance with its lotus ponds, fountains, glass houses and stone structures. More info on: http://www.answers.com/topic/lal-bagh
- Bull Temple is a Dravidian style temple that, according to the legend, was built in order to appease a local bull that used to steal the crops. The temple houses a monolithic statue of the sitting bull that was there long before the temple was constructed
- The Iskcon Temple: the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Temple Complex is a fascinating building, incorporating the Dravidian and modern style architecture in its design. It was built to promote spiritual learning and cultural harmony. There is an annual Krishna and Balarama Rath Yatra that is attended by the natives.
- Tipu Sultan's Palace is the sultan's summer palace that dates back to 1790. There are also remains of the Palace's fort that presents the times of its construction. The whole design of the palace, made predominantly of wood and finely embellished balconies, gives a general idea of the previous lifestyle of its owners.
- Bangalore Castle was constructed in 1887 by Maharajahs of Mysore, inspired by the Windsor Castle in London, in Tudor style architecture. Its 800 acres territory is spread in the middle of the city and is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Bangalore. More info on: http://www.bangalorebest.com/discoverbangalore/sightseeing/banglaorepalace.asp
AIRPORT
The city of Bangalore is served by one domestic airport that caters to major international flights from Asia, Middle East and Europe too. There is a second airport under construction to support the future transportation needs of the city.
- Bangalore Airport is situated within the city limits. The easiest way to reach the centre is to use the prepaid taxi services. One option is to take a private taxi and the other is to use the cheaper government run service, for which you pay at the K.S.T.D.C. booth and get a receipt with your registration number. A tip of 20-40 Indian Rupees in more than enough. More info at: http://www.bialairport.com/
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
Bangalore offers several efficient ways of travelling around the city:
- Public buses are cheap and frequent. If you plan on using the bus all day it is better to buy a daily pass that costs Rs.25 and is issued either by the conductor or at the bus stand.
- Taxis are convenient and are either metred or you should negotiate the price. The cars are not marked with a "TAXI" signs, you should call for one. They charge Rs.35 for four kilimetres and Rs.9 for every additional kilometre.
- Auto-rickshaws, referred to as autos, are a fast way of getting around the city. They are metred so do not accept to ride on them if the meter is not switched on. There are additional fees at night. Fares: Rs.12 for the first 2km and Rs.6 for every proceeding kilometre.
- Private Car is a convenient option to explore the city. Taxis and auto-rickshaws are available for rent and the drivers will help you orientate. The prices vary from Rs.50 to 100 per hour for an auto-rickshaw and Rs.150 to 250 per hour for a taxi.
HISTORY
The present day city of Bangalore was established by a feudal lord, who served under the Vijayanagara Kings, Kempe Gowda I in 1537 who called the place his "Land of Heroes". At that time, the lord built a mud fort with three little towns inside it. Later, Kempe Gowda's heir built four watch towers to set the limits of the city. In 1638 the city was captured by Shahaji Bhonsle and some fifty years later it was conquered again and sold to the Wodeyars. They contributed to the city's history by building the famous Lal Bagh in 1759. The same year, Bangalore was transformed into an army town. Eventually, the city was incorporated into the British East Indian Empire after the defeat of Tipu Sultan and was given back to Krishna Raja Wodeyar III. Years later, due to Krishna's misrule of the region, the British took over the administration of the Mysore Kingdom and the city flourished with innovative facilities. The construction of palaces and parks marks history of the following years till Bangalore's present magnifying outlook.
CITY LINKS
- Deccan Herald, A Daily Newspaper in English: http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Jun262007/update.asp
- Bangalore Website: http://www.citybengaluru.com/
- Interesting Places in Bangalore: http://www.bangalorebest.com/discoverbangalore/sightseeing/ban-monuments.asp http://www.karnatakatourism.com/south/bangalore/interest.htm
- Useful Tips: http://wikitravel.org/en/Bangalore
UNIVERSITY LINKS
- The University of Agricultural Sciences: http://uasbng.kar.nic.in/
- Indian Institute of Science: http://www.iisc.ernet.in/
- Indian Institute of Science: http://www.iisc.ernet.in/
- Indian Institute of Management Bangalore: http://www.iimb.ernet.in/iimb/