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What to see in Bangalore?

Discussion in 'Karnataka' started by Dharshik, Sep 10, 2016.

  1. Dharshik

    Dharshik New Member

    I am going to be staying for two weeks with my brother in Bangalore who is working there. I have asked him about the places to see there. He said he doesn't know much and won't have time to take me (it is because they all think I am small and so I wouldn't go out on my own). But I am old enough to be out in another town on my own.
    I don't have knowledge about Bangalore myself and just know it as an IT hub.

    I thought I might as well ask on a forum and find out what to see in Bangalore?
     


  2. briannagodess

    briannagodess Well-Known Member

    Hello, @Dharshik! Welcome to the forum.

    Having a pleasant climate almost all-year round, Bangalore is one of the rare metropolitan cities to have this unique feature. Thus, sightseeing around the city won't leave you tired or restless as the cool climate and winds can help your body cool down. The city is also a melting pot of different cultures, being home to Kannadigas, Tamilians, Telugites, Keralites and even other nationalities. Of course Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India but did you know that it is also home to many startups? The most notable startup companies that began here are Flipkart and RedBus.

    Of course, being a highly developed city, it's not devoid of problems like traffic and urbanisation. Perhaps the most notable issue here is the expansion of residential and commercial areas thereby occupying the lands once occupied by lakes. At one point, there were over 200 lakes in the city. Even the lands occupied by the Majestic Bus Station and the Kanteerava Sports Complex were once lakes. Still, despite these negative points, Bangalore is one of the best cities in the country to visit.

    Here are some of the best attractions to visit in Bangalore:

    Religious
    • ISKCON Bangalore - The ISKCON Bangalore Temple, with its white, brown and blue facade, is one of the main attractions in the city. It is regarded as one of the largest ISKCON temples in the country. It has six main sanctums but the main shrine is dedicated to Krishna and Radha. At the top of the temple, from the outside, you can spot the gold-plated flag post and the towering shikhara with exquisite carvings of Hindu deities. During night time, the temple is illuminated and glows at the darkness of the city. There's a small souvenir shop located inside the temple from which you can buy religious items as well. And at the end of your darshan, you get a free prasad which completes your pilgrimage to the temple.
    • Ragigudda Anjaneya Temple - Standing on top of a hillock, with its cream and red facade with imposing golden towers, the Ragigudda Anjaneya Temple is sight to behold in the city. Built around the 19th century, the temple is dedicated to Anjaneya (Hanuman), along with Shiva, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. There are also smaller shines dedicated to Ganesha and Navagraha. The stairs to reach the top of the hillock are quite steep. The elderly and smaller children can utilise the lift facility available within the temple premises though.
    • Dodda Ganesha Temple - As soon as you reach the Dodda Ganesha Temple, located just close to the Bull Temple, you would be greeted by the elegant entrance with intricate sculptures of Hindu deities. But the main attraction here is the main Lord Ganesha idol, which is quite huge in size (18 feet in height x 16 feet in width). This idol of Lord Ganesha was carved out of a single monolithic rock during the rule of Kempe Gowda. The temple itself was made around this huge idol and has quite beautiful gardens that you can also explore.
    • Bull Temple - The Bull Temple, located in Basavanagudi, just nearby to the Dodda Ganesha Temple, is dedicated to the vehicle of Lord Shiva, Nandi. Outside the main temple, you would find the huge statue of a bull. This statue was carved out of a single granite rock. The main temple itself is quite simple, with a white facade and interesting sculptures. As per legends, the bull used to be alive and used to enjoy eating ground nuts amidst the area. One farmer scared him away and though that he was gone for good only to find the bull the next day, already a statue. From then on, farmers here offer ground nuts to the statue as offering.
    • Surayanarayana Temple - This temple is located in Domlur in Bangalore. It is one of the very few temples dedicated to the Sun God, Surya, in the region. The combination of pure white and gold in its exterior gives it an elegant appearance. Its towering shikhara has intricate sculptures which add to the beauty of the temple. The main sanctum holds the idol of Surya but the temple also has other shrines for Brahma, Vishnu and Ganesha. During the month of January, devotees flock to the temple to celebrate the auspicious Rathasaptami Festival.
    • Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple - This rock cut cave temple is located in Bannerghatta in Bangalore. This temple has several unique features. For starters, it was cut out of a single monolith rock and has the main shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. But there are also other shrines here, one of which is dedicated to Agni, the God of Fire. This is the only temple in South India with such a shrine. Yet another unique feature of the temple is that the main sanctum, where the shivalinga is located, is illuminated by light only once a year. This phenomenon happens only in January which sees a huge surge in the number of devotees in the temple.
    • Shivoham Shiva Temple - This temple is located in Old Airport Road in Bangalore. However, the temple is highly commercialised and the entry fee here is quite high. It's worth a visit though since it houses the largest Shiva statue in the country. You have to read the walls leading to the statue as it will provide you some information about Lord Shiva. The temple is best visited during off-peak days though like weekdays so that you won't have to pay entrance fees nor be disturbed by the sellers or hawkers. Otherwise, it's still a great place to visit and learn about Hinduism.
    • Infant Jesus Shrine - From the outside, the church is very simple and unassuming with its white and light blue facade. However, the church is revered by many devotees due to the miracles believed to have happened here. Many devotees were healed off their diseases by praying to this church. The church was built around the 19th century and was expanded years later due to the growing number of devotees and visitors to the area. If there just for a visit, then avoid Thursdays as this day sees the most crowds.
    • St. Mark's Cathedral - This cathedral is one of the oldest Anglican churches in the region. Its exterior is pure, creamy white and its interiors are elegantly designed. You can find intricate woodwork and stained glass artworks inside. The church was named after Saint Mark, one of the disciples of Jesus. It was built around the 18th century but has undergone several renovations since then. There are still regular masses held in the church every Sunday so you can participate in that if you'd like.
    Historical
    • Attara Kacheri - Quite a contrast from the surroundings, the Attara Kacheri is also known as the High Court of Karnataka. Its imposing red facade is hard to miss in the city and stands out from the surrounding structures in the area. It was built around the 18th century, near to the ending quarter. It was once the location for the public and administration offices in the region. During the middle of the 19th century, the building became the location for the High Court of the region.
    • Vidhana Soudha - Just adjacent to the Attara Kacheri is the Vidhana Soudha. You would know that it is the Vidhana Soudhana because of its pure white facade. It took about 6 years before the building was completed in 1956. The building houses the legislative offices of the region, with over 300 rooms inside. Did you know though that over 5,000 convicts helped in the construction of the Vidhana Soudha? Once completed, these convicts were given amnesty. Aside from these convicts, over 1,000 workers were also hired to help with the intricate wood carvings and design of the building.
    • Tipu Sultan Fort and Palace - Although named after Tipu Sultan, the fort was organist built by Kempe Gowda during the 15th century. Then, Hyder Ali conquered the fort and it was his son that added in the palace, Tipu Sultan. Amidst the modern city of Bangalore, you'd find this historical gem that gives you a glimpse of the past of the city. This was the summer residence of Tipu Sultan and although comparatively smaller than other palaces, it's still quite beautiful in its own way. The palace was made using teak wood and you would find its walls and ceilings intricately designed with floral motifs. You can also visit the museum inside the palace which features the artefacts collected from the era of Tipu Sultan.
    Parks/Gardens
    • Cubbon Park - Providing some greenery to the city and surrounding buildings, the Cubbon Park is a breath of fresh air, not only to the tourists but also to the locals. The park has a long history behind it having been established in the last quarter of the 18th century. Inside the park, there are several statues of prominent British individuals like Sir Mark Cubbon and Queen Victoria. The park is also home to many species of plants and trees which add to the greenery and serenity of the place. For the families, there is a small amusement park located within the park that children can certainly enjoy.
    • Jayaprakash Narayan Park - One of the largest parks in the city is the Jayaprakash Narayan Park. What sets it apart from the other parks is that it has statues depicting rural and village life, like women with children, cows and farmers. The park also has about four ponds and jogging tracks. For the children, the park also has a mini children's park with slides and swings. During night time, the musical fountain show is a must watch within the park. It's not rare to find the park crowded whether it's early morning or evening as it's one of the best attractions in the city.
    • Lal Bagh - Built during the reign of Hyder Ali, around the end of the 17th century, the Lal Bagh is the biggest garden/park in Bangalore. Its name was derived from the abundance of red roses in the garden (lal which means red & bagh which means garden). Over the years, the garden has been expanded and renovated. Some of the added attractions here are the glass house, a flower clock and a lake. Aside from the flowers, there are also ancient trees and plants around the garden which add to its natural beauty.
    Widlife
    • Bannerghatta National Park - At about 34 kilometres away from Bangalore, the Bannerghatta National Park is a great excursion from the city. The national park is home to many species of animals like lions, tigers, gaurs, sambars, chitals, black bucks and sloth bears. To view these animals in their natural habitats, you can opt for a safari ride across the national park. There's also a zoo here, with an in-house auditorium and museum that you can visit. There's also a separate butterfly park for seeing the beautiful butterflies. If you'd like to stay in the national park, the government operates forest lodges for guests to sleep in.
    Lakes/Reservoirs
    • Kaikondrahalli Lake - This is one of the cleanest lakes in Bangalore and thus, it is not unusual to find several migratory and resident birds in the area. Around the lake, there's a jogging track that you can use for an early morning run. There are also some benches around the lake to relax in. There's also a small butterfly park that you can visit beside the lake. Because the lake is maintained by private individuals, it has been properly managed and thus has remained clean for many years now.
    • Hebbal Lake - Also one of the less polluted lakes in Bangalore is the Hebbal Lake. There are two islands situated in the middle of the lake that serve as breeding grounds for migratory and resident birds. For a while, the Hebbal Lake was mismanaged and polluted but it was only restored a few years back. There's a jogging track here as well which runners can use.
    • Sankey Tank - This reservoir/lake was built around the 18th century. The best activity that you can do here is boating around the lake. The Mayura Sankey Boat Club has several boats for hire for guests which include pedal boats, row boats and motor boats. If boating is not something that you enjoy, then a walk or stroll along the tracks in the lake side can also be a relaxing activity. Since the lake was renovated and cleaned, it has also been the home to many resident birds and the nesting place for many migratory birds.
    Theme Parks
    • Wonderla Bangalore - Wonderla also has a branch in Bangalore. This theme park has numerous dry rides and water rides to keep the visitors busy the whole day. The dry rides include bumper car, ferris wheel, glider and 3D cinemas. The water rides consist of fun slides, wave pools, rain disco and lazy river. There are also rides fit for the adventure seekers like the flash tower, equinox and hurricane. There are also separate rides for smaller children. The park is open all days of the week and even on national holidays. It's definitely worth a visit especially if you're with friends or family.
    • Innovative Film City - A more exhaustive theme park with various sections like a zoo, a cartoon city, aqua kingdom and haunted mansion, Innovative Film City is more than just a theme park, it's a destination in itself. Aside from these sections, you can also indulge in adventure sports like zip lining, bungee jumping, go kart riding and dirt biking. There are also museums here that you can visit like the Wax Museum, Fossil Museum, Tribal Museum and the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum. The park is also open everyday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. Although the entry ticket includes all the attractions, the adventure sports have different rates.
    Museums
    • Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum - Although the museum caters mostly for the children, it can also spark the interest of young at heart and the science lovers. The great feature of this museum is that it tackles science concepts at quite easy to understand means. Thus, children can learn these concepts easily from the museum itself. There are different exhibits here explaining different concepts like the air cannon, the pendulum in motion and a model of the 1903 airplane of the Wright brothers. There's also a life sized model of a dinosaur here which can surely get the attention of the younger ones.
    • Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum - This museum is a must visit for aviation lovers. There are plenty of exhibits here highlighting the history and development of the aviation industry in the country. There are also exhibits for the specific military aircrafts of the Indian Aviation Department. There's even a motion simulator here wherein you get toe experience flying an aircraft.
    I hope this helps you!:)