Bangalore - The Silicon Valley of India
Bangalore, now known as Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state Karnataka. Bangalore which is located on the Deccan plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka is a large metropolitan city. Bangalore ranks 3 rd among other Indian states for having the highest population in the country. Bangalore is also called the Silicon Valley of India because it’s India’s No.1 leading IT exporter. Bangalore also has many other nicknames such as Garden city, Pub City, City of cars and many more. Another interesting thing to note about Bangalore is that you can find diverse cultures here at one place.
Climate
One of the best things about Bangalore is its moderate climate which is maintained throughout the year. It’s neither too hot nor too cold here and that’s one of the many reasons why I have a liking for Bangalore. The coolest month is January and the hottest month is April.
Also the period from January to April is considered to be the best time to visit Bangalore.
Some of the best Places to visit in Bangalore
Cubbon Park is a very famous park in Bangalore. The park was created in 1864 and was named after Sir Mark Cubbon who was the longest serving commissioner of Bangalore. This beautiful, green and thick vegetative expanse which spreads over several hectares of land is a blend of natural and artificial landscape. A number of monuments as well as the Public Central Library can be found within the park.
Timings: 9 am to 6pm
Open on all Saturdays.
The Aquariumis one of the most exciting places to visit in Bangalore. The aquarium was established in 1983 and is situated at the entrance of Cubbon Park. This huge octagonal building houses 70 varieties of aquatic life and is the second largest aquarium in India. You can witness here the sight of many exotic varieties of fishes like catla, redtail shark, angel fish, goldfish and many more.
Timings: 10 am to 7:30 pm
Closed on Thursdays.
Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, which is located in the heart of the city, is considered to be one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in India. Lalbagh literally means Red Garden. It’s assumed that the garden was named so due to the enormous number of beautiful red roses which covered the garden during the times of Tipu Sultan. The Glass House which is located in the heart of the garden is one of the main attractions here. Flower shows are held twice every year: January 24th to 26th (Republic day) and August 12th to 15th(Independence Day). Other major areas of interest are the Lalbagh Tower and the Lalbagh Lake. The former is a very popular and favorite spot for relaxation.
Timings: Daily 6 am to 7 pm
Entry Fee: Free from 6am to 9 am and 6 pm to 7pm.
Rs 10/- will be charged at other times.
Bannerghatta National Parkwhich is about 20 kms from Bangalore is a natural forest and a beautiful home to many endangered species like leopards, tigers, bison’s, wild boars, deer’s, bears and elephants etc. Lion and tiger safari is one of the major attractions here. In addition to this, one can find here a butterfly park, crocodile farm and serpentarium. This zoological garden which spreads over 25000 acres of land is a popular spot for trekking and picnics.
Timings: 9 am to 7 pm on all days except Tuesday (holiday).
Entry Fee: Rs 325/-
Bangalore Palace is one of the major tourist attractions of Bangalore. It was built in 1887 by the king of Mysore, Chamara Wodeyar. The palace is famous for its beautiful woodworks, carvings and paintings. It is located inside the Palace grounds, which is mostly the venue for holding major events, festivals and rock shows in Bangalore. You can also find here a popular amusement park called the “Fun world” which also has a water park and a bowling alley.
Timings: 10 am to 6 pm. (Mon - Sat)
Closed on Sundays.
Entry fee: Rs 100/- for adults and Rs 50/- for children.
Bangalore Amusement and Theme Parks
Wonder La, Fun World, Innovative Film city and Lumbini Gardens are the 4 most popular amusement parks in Bangalore. Fun World is said to be one of the oldest amusement parks in Bangalore whereas all the other 3 are new attractions in Bangalore. The amusement and theme parks succeeds in attracting a huge crowd especially on weekends and holidays.
Ulsoor Lakeis a very beautiful lake located over a space of 1.5 sq.km. in east Bangalore. It extends over an area of 125 acres and a tower very much similar to that of Lalbagh can be seen beside the lake. The lake was earlier known as “ Halasur” or “ Alasur”. Boating and swimming in the nearby public swimming pool are the main attractions here. Apart from this,there are many other places you can see around Ulsoor lake.
For example, there are many good shopping centers, restaurants lounge bars and pubs in CMH Road and 100 feet road. Also there is a very famous temple called “ Someshwara temple” and a famous Sai Baba Mandir in Cambridge Road. Moreover, a walk through the Ulsoor market and you can buy everything from flowers to clothes to electronics.
Here, in this article, I’ve summarized a few of the most popular tourist attractions of Bangalore. There are many more cathedrals and museums which can be added to this list. To mention a few, Saint Mary’s Basilica, St. Marks Cathedral, St. Andrew’s Church Bangalore, Visveshwaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Government Museum and Venkatappa Art Gallery are some of the other major tourist attractions here.
Shopping in Bangalore
Shopping in Bangalore is one thing I enjoy doing the most in Bangalore. Commercial Street is the busiest shopping street in Bangalore and here it’s possible to buy garments, jewellery, decorative items, footwear and many other items at very cheap and affordable prices. In Brigade Road, you can shop for electronic goods, footwear, clothes and crockery. Here you can also find many brand outlet stores. However, if you want to go for some authentic and exclusive handcrafts, I’d recommend you to shop at Residency Road. Chickpet is also a famous market for silk sarees and dress materials.
Reaching Bangalore- The Silicon Valley of India
Air: Bangalore tops among the major cities of India and it’s thus made possible to arrive at Bangalore conveniently from any part of the country and the world. Bangalore has domestic as well as international airports. Bangalore is thus well connected to all the major cities of India and also international flights to Muscat, Sharjah and Singapore.
Rail: There are direct trains to and from Bangalore and is well connected to all major cities of India. There are two major railway stations in Bangalore: the city railway station and cantonment railway station.
Road: In Bangalore, there are good network of roads which connects the city to all other major cities of India. Local transport includes buses, taxis and auto rickshaws. The national highways 4,7 and 48 connects the city to the rest of the country.