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Bangalore is one of Asia's fastest growing cities. Situated
at an altitude of 920 metres above sea level, Bangalore is
the principal administrative, cultural, commercial and industrial
centre of the state of Karnataka. Spread over an area of 2190
square kilometers, Bangalore enjoys a pleasant and equable
climate throughout the year. Tree-lined streets and abundant
greenery made it the 'Garden City' of India.
However, since local entrepreneurs and technology giant
Texas Instruments discovered its potential as a high-tech
city in the early 1980's, Bangalore has seen a major technology
boom and is now home to more than 250 high-tech companies,
including homegrown giants like Wipro and Infosys. The erstwhile
garden city has now been pegged the 'Silicon Valley' of India.
To give you a little background, Bangalore was founded by
Kempe Gowda in the early 16th century. Two centuries later,
it became an important fortress city under rulers Hyder Ali
and Tipu Sultan. The ruins of those periods can still be seen
on the Bellary Road, at Lal Bagh, Ulsoor and Gavi Gangadhareswar
Temple.
The people in the city are warm, hospitable and friendly.
Bangalore is generally regarded as a place that most visitors
like to chill out in. Not to say that it has nothing for the
people interested in history. Along with the modern day pubs,
discos and hangouts, one can still see remnants of the older
Bangalore. All in all, a lovely city to visit.
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Vidhana
Soudha
Located at the northern boundary of Cubbon Park, this majestic
building, with a total plinth area of over 5,00,000 sq. ft
is built in a Neo-Dravidian style. It houses the Secretariat,
the State legislature and several other Government offices.
The gleaming white domes, pillars and archways resemble the
architectural pattern of Mysore's old palaces. The huge, carved
doors of the cabinet room are made of pure sandalwood. The
entire building, when floodlight on Sunday evenings, presents
a truly breathtaking picture.
Lal Bagh
These 240-acre gardens were laid out during the Muslim era
(18th century) by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, 200 years ago.
They contain the largest collection of rare tropical and sub-tropical
plants with many awesome century-old trees. Fountains, terraces,
lotus pools, rose gardens and a deer park surround the magnificent
glass house built in 1840, on the lines of London's Crystal
Palace. The Annual flower, fruit and vegetable shows are regularly
held here. Lal Bagh also houses the offices of the Karnataka
Horticultural Society that renders free advice to those interested
in flowers and gardens. A giant Electronic Quartz Flower clock
is also in the garden.
Cubbon Park
Planned and laid out in 1864, this beautiful 300-acre park
contains the public library and the museum. The illuminated
"fairy fountain" and the elegant graeco - colonial
style buildings add to the beauty of this park. The imposing
red Gothic structure within this park is Seshadri Iyer Memorial
Hall, which houses the public library. Also situated here
are the High Court, the Government Museum, the Technology
Museum, the Govt. Aquarium and the Jawaharlal Bal Bhavan.
The Fort
Situated opposite the City Market, the Fort is noted for its
beautifully carved Islamic-style arches on the gate walls,
and for the well-preserved Ganesha Temple within its precincts.
One of the temple's outer walls carries an exquisite carving
of Sri Krishna playing his flute, and within, there is a fine
statue of Lord Ganesha. Originally built in mud by Kempe Gowda
in 1537, the Fort was extended and fortified by Tipu Sultan.
He preserved the Ganesha Temple as a testament to his religious
tolerance. It is open to the public from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tipu's Palace
Situated near the fort, construction of this palace was begun
by Tipu Sultan's father Haider Ali, and completed by Tipu
himself in 1791. It resembles the Daria Daulat Palace at Srirangapatna,
Tipu's capital. It was known as `Rashk-e-jannat' - the Envy
of Heaven. Constructed largely of wood, it is known for its
five elaborately decorated arches surmounted by exquisite
minarets, and paintings on the walls and ceilings. It is open
to the Public from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Venkataramanaswamy Temple
Bangalore has some beautiful temples. Adjoining Tipu's summer
palace is the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, a 300-year old temple
built by the Wodeyars and still in very good condition.
Bull Temple
South of Bangalore in Basavangudi, is the Bull Temple built
by Kempe Gowda. The deity is a massive 15-foot Basava or bull,
which was believed to have been the vehicle of Lord Shiva.
The cause for wonder about this Nandi is that it has been
carved from a single boulder.
Gavi Gangadhareswara temple
Another impressive temple is the Gavi Gangadhareswara temple,
an unusual cave temple. It has been designed in such a manner
that, on the festival of Sankranti, a local festival, the
rays of the sun pass between the horns of the Nandi placed
outside the temple, illuminating the image of Lord Shiva.
Someshwara Temple
Another temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is the Someshwara Temple
built by Kempe Gowda in Ulsoor.
Around Bangalore
Nrityagram
35 kms from Bangalore at Hesaraghatta is the famous Nritya
Gram, a centre for dance that imparts extensive training in
seven dance disciplines and two martial art forms to residential
students. The Nrityagram celebrates the Vasantha Habba (the
spring) every year. Renowned artists are invited to come and
perform in a night-long gala, open to the public.
The Hesaraghatta Lake, a man-made lake, near the village is
also a popular tourist spot.
Bannnerghatta National Park
Just 21 kms from the city and easily accessible by road is
the Bannerghatta National Park. A part of the Bannerghatta
forest, the park houses a mini zoo, a crocodile farm, lion
and tiger safari parks. Situated 60 kms from Bangalore, at
a height of 1478m above sea level, is the Nandi Hills resort.
What used to be the favorite summer getaway of Tipu Sultan,
is now a popular picnic spot with its awesome fort, sprawling
lawns and two ancient temples.
Whitefield
The Shri Satya Sai Baba ashram is the chief attraction at
Whitefield. It is now more or less a suburb of Bangalore,
with increased access lines and more people moving into the
neighborhood. The ashram is called Brindavan and any public
transportation will take you there, though auto rickshaws
may make a bit of noise about the extra charge you ought to
pay. It is an interesting place, and the sage has quite a
few interesting aspects to his personalities. He is very revered
and many people believe him to be an incarnation of the earlier
Sai Baba of Shirdi, a Hindu saint of older days.
Nandi Hills
This is a hill resort near Bangalore whose
solitude has not been tampered by commercialization. The weather
is very pleasant and though a far cry from the
misty Himalayan hill-stations,Nandi Hills has a very pleasant ambience about it a nice
place to chill out in if you are in the vicinity. For one,
it has been a popular hill retreat right from the days of
Tipu Sultan who is said to have visited here occasionally.
Tipu's drop, a 600-metre high cliff offers a fantastic view
of the plains down below. Ideal picnic spot.
Ramohalli
A little away from the city is Ramohalli, a picturesque picnic
spot, that boasts of a 400-year old sprawling banyan tree,
spread over 4 acres. The region around Bangalore is dotted
with gigantic rock formations, the two notable ones being
Shivaganga (4599 ft. high) and Savandurga. The latter used
to be a fortress and the hideout of Kempe Gowda.
Mysore
Mysore is just 139 kms by road from Bangalore. It was the
capital city of Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and the entire Wodeyar
clan. Mysore's prime attractions are the Mysore Palace, the
Chamundi Hills, the famous Brindavan Gardens, the Jayachamarajendra
Art Gallery located in the Jaganmohan Palace, the Mysore Zoo
and St. Philomena's Church.
Srirangapatna
15 kms from Mysore is the old capital of Tipu Sultan, Srirangapatna.
Its fort bears witness to the Tiger of Mysore's last battle
against the British. His mausoleum, the Gumbaz, which sports
ivory inlaid doors and the famous tiger-striped emblem is
also nearby. Near Srirangapatna is the Ranganathittu Bird
Sanctuary.
Somnathpur
40 kms away from Mysore is the Somnathpur Temple, a star-shaped
structure built in 1260 A.D, an outstanding example of Hoysala
architecture.
Ramanagaram
49 kms from Bangalore city, Ramanagaram is famous for its
rock formations, a great attraction for rock climbers. Ramanagaram
is also an important silk cocoon market.
Shivaganga
50 kms from the city center is a hill which provides a breath-taking
view of the the nearby areas. There are two famous shrines
dedicated to Lord Gangadeshwara and Goddess Honnadevi.
Hassan
194 kms from Bangalore is Hassan, from where one can go to
Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is a
famous Jain pilgrimage with a 17m high monolith of lord Bahubali
standing tall.
International Technology Park (ITPL)
For those that have business and more business on their minds,
the International Tech Park in Bangalore offers a superb business
advantage to corporations seeking a foothold in India, one
of the world's biggest emerging markets. The futuristic Park
is built to exacting international standards, supported by
state-of-the-art infrastructure. Amidst a refreshing and aesthetically
appealing environment, the Park offers a one-stop solution
integrating office, production, commercial, residential and
recreational needs in a single location. The International
Tech Park is meticulously designed and built to suit the requirements
of international hi-tech companies in the field of information
technology, software development, electronics, telecommunication,
research and development, financial services and other non-polluting
hi-tech industries.
Electronics City
Electronics City is an industrial park spread over 330 acres
exclusively meant for electronics industries. It houses more
than a hundred industries, including IT industry leaders like
Motorola, Infosys, Siemens, ITI and Wipro. The area is maintained
by Keonics, which provides the necessary infrastructure.
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