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Bangalore- The Seattle of India

by: Bharat Darshan

The first thing that strikes a normal man’s mind when one speaks of Bangalore is IT and Software companies. Bangalore is so synonymous with the word IT and Software industry that is has earned a title as the “Silicon Valley of India.” Prior to this the city was known as “The Garden city” of India. Like other metros Bangalore is also struggling with the problems of pollution, traffic and population. Apart from being an IT hub of the country, it offers a wide and exquisite array of tourist places.

The city is flourishing with young students and IT professionals coming in from various parts of the country and the world. Some are attracted by the beauty and some are attracted towards the growth of the city. It is an important business center of India. Bangalore is house to various IT parks, Multi National Companies, Software giants etc. The central part of the city is the most hip and happening part of the city. It consists of places like Brigade road, MG Road, Vidhan Soudha, Commercial Street etc.

Today Bangalore is a large and growing metropolitan city home to various engineering colleges, research institutes, software companies, aerospace centers, telecommunication, and heavy industries and is known as “Silicon Valley of India” as it is the major and a leading IT exporter of the country.

General Information
Capital of: Karnataka
Area: 2190 square kilometer
Religion: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism
Altitude: 920 m above Sea Level
Bangalore, officially known as Bengaluru, is located in the south eastern part of Karnataka. Bangalore is the capital city of Karnataka state and an IT hub. It is spread over an area of 2190 square kilometer. The city has historical importance as well as it is a modern and growing metropolitan. The city is known as “The garden City of India”, “Seattle of India”, and most commonly as “Silicon Valley of India”. The city has various historical, religious and modern tourist spots which are easily accessible from anywhere in city.

Image credit: http://citizensalliance.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/new-picture-41.png

Best time to visit :
The city has moderate climate year long i.e. neither its too hot nor too cold. The months March, April and May are a bit warm as compared to rest of the months. The rainy season in Bangalore may stretch up to seven months i.e. from June – December. The months December and January mark winter in Bangalore and is the best time to visit. The climate is pleasant and comfortable.

Image credit: http://www.discoverbangalore.com/slideshow/bangalorePalace.jpg

How to Reach Bangalore:
There are numerous options available when it comes to “How to reach Bangalore?”. Being an IT hub and a famous tourist destination in Karnataka, India, Bangalore is very well connected to almost all the cities of India.

By Air: The Bangalore airport is connected to all the major airports in India and few of the international airports. Thus, the airport gets the service from all the domestic carriers and a few international carriers.

By Road: Just opposite to the City Railway station is the Bus Terminus that connects the city to various other cities with the road network. There are various National Highways that connect the city to the key cities of India.

By Rail: The Bangalore City Railway Station is directly connected to the key rail heads of the country.

Image credit: http://zyozy.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/bangalore.jpg

Accommodation:
Being a business hub of India, Bangalore has various options ranging from 5 star Hotels to service apartments to the Budget hotels to lodges and guesthouses. You can book your hotels in advance depending upon your pocket.

Image credit: http://www.internetindia.com/travel/wp-content/uploads/Bangalore-Hotels-hotel-le-meridien.jpg

Eating out in Bangalore:
There are various restaurants in Bangalore that cater to various tastes of the visitors and there are few specialty restaurants that cater to a particular cuisine. In Bangalore you will never fall short of eating options. There is a wide array of cuisines and restaurants. Here we have listed the main restaurants that can help satisfy your taste buds.

Multi cuisine restaurants:

The Regency (Ramanashree Chambers, Lady Curzon Road)

The Pink Panther (Ramanashree Chambers, Lady Curzon Road)

The Peacock (Residency Road)

The Only Place (Mota Royal Arcade, Brigade Road)

Orchids & Roses (Prestige Center Point, Cunningham Road)

Le Jardin - The Oberoi (M.G Road)

Koshy's Restaurant and Jewel Box (St. Mark's Road)

Jacaranda (Raheja Arcade, Koramangala)

Far Pavilions - St. Mark's Hotel (St. Mark's Road)

Ebony Restaurant - Hotel Ivory Tower (M.G Road)

South Indian Restaurants:

Bheema's Andhra Style (Church Street)

Nandini Deluxe (Minerva Circle)

Banjara (Kumara Krupa Road)

Amravathi (Residency Road Cross)

Continental Cuisine:

Windsor Grill (Windsor Manor, Sankey Road)

Orchids & Roses (Prestige Center Point, Cunningham Road)

Orange County (Dickenson Road)

Garden Café - The Taj West End (Race Course Road)

Nilgiri's Café (Brigade Road)

Lotus - Hotel Ashok (Kumara Krupa Road)

La Casa (Chintal Plaza, Jaynagar)

Chinese Cuisine:

The Red Pepper (Mota Royal Arcade, Brigade Road)

The Great Wall - Tycoons (Le Meridian, Sankey Road)

Shangrila Bar & Resturant (Brigade Road)

Noodles (Raja Ram Mohan Roy Road)

Memories Of China - Taj Residency (M.G Road)

Mandarin Room - Hotel Ashok (Kumarakrupa Road)

Chung Wah (Residency Road)

Chinese Hut (Palace Road)

Bangalore Mandarin (Double Road, Indiranagar)

Image credit: http://images.foxnomad.com/gallery2/d/44830-1/Le+Jardin_+Oberoi+Bangalore+_4_.jpg

Lal Bagh Garden :
The Lal Bagh garden is a Botanical garden. The major attractions of the garden are the Glass House, Aquarium and a lake. The Glass House hosts flower shows every year. The Garden surrounds a tower Named “Kempegowda tower” built by Kempe Gowda I.

Vidhan Soudha :
The building was built in the Neo-Dravidian architectural style and was built in 1954. Today is the Seat of State Legislature of Karnataka. The Vidhan Soudha building is the most magnificent and impressive building of Bangalore.

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Soudha.jpg

Cubbon Park:
A must see tourist spot in the Bangalore city is the Cubbon Park. It is located in the heart of the city and is spread over an area of 330 acres. The Park was established in 1864 by Lord Cubbon and hence it is named after him.

Bangalore palace :
The Bangalore palace is located in the Palace Garden of Bangalore. The Palace was built in the year 1887 by Wodeyar Dynasty. The inside of the palace is built in Tudor architectural style. The Palace was home to the Mysore rulers.

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/12/Bangalore_Palace.jpg

Venkatappa Art Gallery :
A must visit place for all the art lovers. Currently the gallery displays about 600 paintings throughout the year. As the name suggests the Venkatappa Art Gallery displays and exhibits paintings of K. Venkatappa. The gallery is located in the Karnataka Government museum.

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Tipu’s Palace :
The Tipu Sultan’s Palace and Fort both are a must see tourist places in Bangalore. The palace is a true example of the rich Mughal architecture and an imprint of the royal Indian history.

Image credit: http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/26079303.jpg

ISKCON Temple :
Built in Dravidian style of architecture, the ISKCON temple is a marvelous building. A must see tourist spot in Bangalore. The temple is well equipped with modern day facilities like preaching library, vedic library, computer aided presentation theater, and a multi-vision cinema theater.

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Shiva Statue :
This is one of the massive Shiva statues in the country. The height of the statue is about 65 ft. Being at the statue, you get a mythological feeling as the surroundings of Shiva statue gives you a feel as if you are in Kailash. The pleasant surrounding and the religious environment is relaxing and soothing.

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Siva_statue_Bangalore.jpg

Bull Temple / Nandi Temple :
As the name suggests the Bull Temple is dedicated to a bull who was the vehicle of Lord Shiva. The name of the bull was Nandi so the local people name it as Nandi Temple. The temple contains and idol of a bull which is 4.5 meter tall and 6 meter long. The statue of the bull was present at this location much before the temple was constructed.

Image credit: http://www.tamarindtours.in/view/destinationImages/Bangalore%20-%20Bull%20Temple.jpg

Aquarium :
The Bangalore aquarium is the second largest aquarium in India. The aquarium is set up in three floors and the environment is set similar to what the fish has in the natural habitat. The aquarium is located at the entrance of Cubbon Park.

Image credit: http://www.tamarindtours.in/view/destinationImages/Bangalore%20-%20Aquarium.jpg

Bugle Rock :
It is massive rock situated near Basavanagudi i.e. Bull Temple. It lies in the south of the city and is a major interest for the scientists. It is believed that the rock is 3000 million year old. In the earlier days four watch towers were built, in order to set limits for the Bangalore city, by Kempegowda II. Then one watchtower was built on the Bugle rock as well and today it is one of the major tourist attractions of the city.

Image credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/BugleRock1.JPG