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akhila Bangalore City - A travel report by akhila
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Bangalore City,  India - flag India -  Karnåtaka
6568 readers

akhila's travel reports

Bangalore- the best of east and west

  22 votes
Home to 6 million people and over 10,000 industries, bangalore is the fifth largest and fastest growing city in India. This city has several nicknames- The Garden City and Silicon Valley are most common.


Traffic in bangalore - near the famous cable bridge.
Traffic in bangalore - near the famous cable bridge.
Bangalore is an amalgamation of some rich cultures and heritage from not only most parts of India but most parts of the world too. The city provides opportunity for growth and leaves an indellible mark on anybody who lives or even visits this place. A city where you can spot anything from the latest in cars, western outfits to the most traditional indian outfits and vegetables home delivered in hand-carts. The traditional Indian Kolam (Rangoli) is still painted every morning in front of most houses while most neighbours walk their dogs in the numerous parks built around the city. A city where there is equal participation in the traditional and the modern- Yoga vs Gym, Temples vs Pubs to name a few. The traffic in the city is ever growing, while the BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) is trying to keep up with new roads. Driving through the outer ring road, one can experience the real growth in the city, seen as the numerous newly constructed and upcoming flats and housing complexes - the Salarpurias, Mantris, Brigade group, Ittina to name a few builders.
Bangalore also houses some of the top educational institutes in the world- the Indian Insitute of Science, The Indian Institute of Management, NIMHANS (National Institute for Mental Health and Neurological Sceinces to name a few.
The history of Bangalore dates to as far back as the Mauryan empire (around 850 AD). The city (central bangalore) as it exists today was designed by Kemp Gowda I in the 16th century.
From Lalbagh- the 18th century garden in Central Bangalore to the new shopping complex at the Forum in the South, everything in this city is worth exploring.

Favourite spots:
Amman temple near malleswaram.
Amman temple near malleswaram.
LalBagh Gardens - the 18th century garden laid down by Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan. At the heart of the gardens is a glass house that is inspired by the Crystal Palace at London.

The Ragigudda temple, the overcrowded ShaniTemple, the SaiBaba temple and the small Ganesha temple in the south side of town are really great to see in the mornings or hindu festival days.

Evenings are best spent at MG Road or taking a walk down Commercial street while catching up on the latest Hollywood and Bollywood movies in some of the best multiplexes in India.

ISKCON Temple Complex - This temple is an exquisite blend of modern and traditional south Indian temple architecture. The serene and spiritual atmosphere of this place, the presentation theatres and vedic library leaves a lasting memory with all Indian and foreign visitors.

RaceCourse Road-Bangalore boasts some of the finest race courses in India. November-March and May-June are the racing season in Bangalore.

What's really great:
shopping at Kemp Fort.
shopping at Kemp Fort.
Shopping!!! Bangalore has a bunch of nicknames and one of them is Shoppers Paradise.
From A/c shopping Malls to street side bargain shopping- the city has it all. Super Markets like Big Bazaar, FabMall, fFolio are big hits with the young and the old alike.
Some main shoping centers are at:

Brigade Road- This is a popular hangout for young people, because there is a lot of entertainment and shopping options available. Some of the malls here are Fifth Avenue and Mota Royal Arcade, which are worth exploring.One can find a range of items and the stores range from low budget to exorbitant.

Mahatma Gandhi Road(MG Road)- Jamal's for china and cutlery. Gangarams for books, Nalli and Deepam for silks.For some great Sandalwood images go to Cauvery or Cottage Industries Emporium on M.G.Road where you will find some enthralling images of various deities. Sandalwood keychains are extremely popular and affordable.

Kemp Fort- 3 storeys of apparel/accessory and toys shopping.

Sights:
Big shiva temple adjacent to kemp fort.
Big shiva temple adjacent to kemp fort.
The Bull Temple at Basavangudi- An awesome temple hosts the monolithic Nandi (Bull - the mount of Lord Shiva, which is 4.5 meters tall and 6 meters long. This is one of the oldest temples in Bangalore.

Shiva Statue at the basement of Kemp Fort- The statue of Lord Shiva is around 60 ft. The statue looks majestic during the night with its lighting and a must see on the Hindu festival of Shivratri.

The Gavi Gangadhareswara temple - Another cave temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is an architectural and scientific marvel. On Makara Sankranthi day each year, a ray of sunlight passes precisely through the horns of the stone bull outside the temple and illuminates the deity inside the cave.

The Vidhan Soudha - This 46 meter high building, in temple architecture is made almost entirely with Bangalore granite. With 22 departments and 300 rooms, this building houses the legislative chambers of the state goverment. This is one of the most important landmark buildings in Bangalore.

Accommodations:
Elephant rides at the Bannerghetta national park
Elephant rides at the Bannerghetta national park
I lived at my parents home for most part but here are a set of good hotels I would recommend.

The Oberoi, Ashok, Windsor Manor Sheraton Towers, Taj Residency, Le Meridien and the Taj West End are 5 star hotels and prices range from 7000-12000rs per day.
Woodlands Hotel, Nahar's Heritage Hotel, Hotel Ramanashree, Nilgiri's Nest and Ivory Tower are semi luxury and prices may range from 2000-3000 per day.

The extraordinary spa/health resort at Ayurvedgram in Whitefield is a unique place with a spiritual/healthy environment and a wonderful resort to get Ayurvedic massages. Definitely worth visiting for a day at least.


Nightlife:
The Bangalore Club, Century Club and the Bowring Institute ae some of teh older clubs. The newer ones are California Resorts, Eagleton Golf Village, Karnataka Golf Association, The Club, Manipal County, and Club Cabana.

Some clubs for outdoor activities are Centre for Adventure & Rejuvenation of Environment (CARE), The Karnataka Mountaineering Association and the Bangalore Aerosports Private Limited

Restaurants:
I will pass this to a website that seems to have a neatly prepared list with food-type and addresses. http://www.onlinebangalore.com/tour/rest---urnt.html


Other recommendations:
twin towers in north bangalore.
twin towers in north bangalore.
The best thing about living here is- everything is just a click/phone call away. There are services like GharKaKhana that deliver homemade food at your doorstep. My favourite is the concept of the "BeautyParlour on wheels" - women can have Pedicures, Manicures etc. done at their own homes by just calling the professional service.

-- I will surely upload some pictures when I'm back in India --

**** Dedicated to all Bangaloreans *******


Published on Wednesday August 24th, 2005


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Sat, Jan 13 2007 - 11:46 PM rating by mrscanada

I enjoyed reading this very much. Thanks

Thu, Aug 25 2005 - 07:55 AM rating by gloriajames

thanks for the nice report.. perhaps you should consider adding some pics to make it more alive??

Thu, Aug 25 2005 - 04:54 AM rating by davidx

A wonderfully detailed report, which is on the verge of 5* - even without photos. Keep it up.
David

Wed, Aug 24 2005 - 08:23 PM rating by eirekay

Photos are about the only thing that could improve this report. Thanks for including lots of nice detail!
Eire

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