Bangalore

Valley of India, Pub Capital of India, Air Conditioned City, and City of Gardens, Bangalore is known by several names. Bangalore is a beautiful amalgamation of past and present. The city, now renamed as Bengaluru, might not have any major attraction as other major cities of India, but the fact that it is a mixture of history, architecture, culture, spirituality and nature, makes it one of the top tourist destinations of India.

Tourist Attractions The Tipu Sultan Palace here is the grand summer palace which has now been converted into a museum. The palace boasts of magnificent figures, paintings and other artworks. The Bangalore Palace built by Chamaraja Wodeyar is another must visit place in Bangalore. The architecture of the palace is inspired by England’s Windsor Castle. The National Gallery of Modern Art on Palace Road is housed in a Colonial Mansion with a garden setting. With all its greenery, the Gallery is nothing less than an oasis. Rekindle your religious beliefs by visiting the popular Iskcon Temple (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) here. You can also visit this beautiful Lalbagh Botanical Garden that started out as a private Mughal-style garden for the city’s royal rulers. The garden is said to have the most diverse species of plants in the world. It was designed along the lines of the Crystal Palace in London.

Fairs and Festivals If you want to see the cultural life of Bangalore, make sure to be in the city when its numerous fairs and festivals are celebrated.

The Karaga festival is celebrated in the month of March-April. Karaga is the name given to an earthen pot, which symbolizes Shakti. Devotees place a karaga on their heads and join in the procession taken out at night, which comes to an end at the Sampangi tank, where all the pots are immersed in water.

Kadalekaye Parishe, also known as Peanut festival, falls in the month of November. It is held in order to celebrate the first groundnut crop of the year.

Ganesh Chaturthi is also celebrated with great enthusiasm here in Bangalore. Ganesh Chaturthi is a commemoration of the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha. It falls in the month of September and is celebrated throughout the country.

Ugadi festival marks the beginning of the Kannad New Year, along with the advent of spring season. It falls in the second half of March or first half of April and is mainly devoted to Lord Brahma.

Best time to Visit This IT Hub of India can be visited anytime of the year, as the city enjoys a moderate temperature throughout the year. The summers are pleasant in Bangalore. When the country is exhausted by heat, the temperature of the city never crosses 35 degree Celsius. Rains are also blissful but it’s better to avoid the monsoon season. The weather becomes the most pleasant during the winter season. The winter season is the best time to plan a visit as the city also hosts numerous music festivals.

Food Idli, a steamed, spongey rice cake, dunked into tasty sambar (lentil broth) or coconut chutney is the prime breakfast choice in Bangalore. Dosas savoury South Indian breakfast crepes made with rice flour, and eaten across India no matter the time of day come a close second. Similar but thicker is the Uttapam, chock-full of coriander, green chillies and tangy onion. And everyone down south adores deep-fried, doughnut-like lentil Vadas for snacking.

How to Reach Bangalore By Air - You can reach Bangalore via air at Bangalore International Airport which is located at a distance of 40 km from the city. Many national and international flights land on this airport making approachability of the city easy.

By Train - Various trains from all over India come to Bangalore Railway Station which includes Mysore express from Chennai, Karnataka Express from Delhi and Udyan express from Mumbai which covers many major cities in between.

By Road - Bangalore city is connected via major national highways which connect various other cities to it. Buses from neighboring state run on regular bases to Bangalore and Bangalore bus stand also runs various buses to major cities of South India.