Bangalore

Overview:

There is an interesting story behind how the ‘Garden City’, Bangalore, got its name. Legend says that once the ruler of Vijayanagara was lost in woods, where he came across a lone cottage. The old lady who lived there could not offer the starving king anything but boiled beans, called ‘bendhakaalu’ in Kannada. Thus the place came to be known as Bendhakaalooru, ('ooru’ being the native word for city), and later, Bangalooru. The city, as we see it today, was designed in 1537 by Kempe Gowda. He built a mud fort housing small towns, with the aid of King Achutaraya. The four watch towers marking the boundaries of the city were built by Gowda’s son. The city was captured by Shahajirao Bhonsle in 1638, and sold to the Wodeyar’s for a paltry sum. In 1759, Haider Ali r eceived it as a ‘jagir’ from Krishnaraja Wodeyar II, fortified the southern fort, and converted it into an army town. After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the British returned the land to Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, but took it back in 1831 alleging misrule. Under the British rule, the city developed modern facilities like telegraph, railways, police and postal services, which laid the foundation for modern day Bangalore. Bangalore enjoys a pleasant weather all through the year as it is situated at an altitude of about 3000 feet above the sea level. Its good weather can also be attributed to the fact that the city has not lost its green sheen over the years, even as its population continues to increase. Bangalore is also known as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’. The booming IT sector in the city attracts quite a number of young professionals every year. Students and young professionals throng the city in their quest for a better future. The IT sector in Bangalore is booming and hence offers lucrative job opportunities. The city also has a number of good colleges and institutions that aim to help students realize their dreams. In addition, Bangalore also attracts numerous visitors owing to the various places of interest that tourists love to visit. Car rentals and cabs in Bangalore are the most common choices when it comes to travelling within and around the city. Apart from major tourist attractions like Lal Bagh, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, there are also a few waterfalls and picnic spots around the city that people can visit by hiring Bangalore taxis.

Places of interest:

Lal Bagh – Built by Haider Ali in 1740, Lal Bagh sprawls over 240 acres of land, housing 1800 species of medicinal, tropical and sub-tropical plants. There is also a rock formation inside the premises that is estimated to be around 3000 million years old.

The Bangalore Palace – This Tudor-style palace, built by Chamaraja Wodeyar in 1887, draws its inspiration from the Windsor Castle. Mainly made of wood, it is famous for its paintings and carving. It is now a common venue for shootings, concerts, exhibitions and cultural programmes.
Summer Palace – Tipu Sultan re-built Kempe Gowda’s mud fort in 1791 to serve as his summer retreat. There is an inscription on a wooden plank that calls it the ‘abode of happiness’, which, today, is in stark contrast with the crumbling ruins surrounding it.

The city also has a number of lakes, parks and museums that tourist love to visit. Bangalore also attracts umpteen numbers of tourists owing to a pleasant weather throughout the year. People reaching the city by railways or airways usually opt for a taxi cab airport taxi for commuting in and around the city. Car rentals in Bangalore also offer an easy and economical mode of transport for visitors.

While in Bangalore, you might also want to visit Electronic City, where most of the IT companies are located, and Whitefield, famous for its Saithya Sai Baba Ashram, both of which are quite far from the heart of the city. Bangalore has a well-connected network of roadways, which makes car rentals or cabs the best mode of transportation."

Things to do:

Commercial Street in Bangalore has gained a formidable reputation for being the best shopping region. Visitors and shoppers can splurge on a mix of funky nouveau ethnic western clothing or preferentially purchase stunning traditional hand embroidered silk saris. Swish and swanky stores line Mahatma Gandhi Road, which is at walking distance from Commercial Street. Bengaluru is a great place for buying authentic tribal jewellery, aromatic sandalwood and rosewood carvings, incense, brass and copper ware, silks, soapstone statues and lacquer work.

Bengaluru is famed for its pub culture. Bengaluru was infact the pioneers of Pub hopping concept in India. Each pub offers something different, and each has its own character and personality. While most of them are hang loose joints, a lot of the clubs require their patrons to be in proper clubbing attire. However, Bengaluru’s entertainment scene has much more to offer apart from its pubs and discotheques.

Trekking, camping, wildlife safari’s, birding, hang gliding, hot air ballooning, skydiving and paragliding among other outdoor and adventurous activities can be undertaken at places nearby Bangalore. Private companies organize these adventure activities during various months, round the year.

Bangalore is a haven for people interested in Drama and cycling. There are various clubs which regularly conduct workshops and exhibition for plays, while others organize long and short cycling trips in and around the city. Usually membership is free.

Eid, Dussehra, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Mahashivratri, Pongal, Christmas and Ugadi are celebrated with great enthusiasm and gaiety and are the prominent festivals of Bangalore.
The season from May-July and November-March brings the finest racing steeds from all across the country and abroad for horse racing.

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