Bangalore Travelogue

8/7/2019 Bangalore Travelogue

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My Bangalore experie

Spoken Languages: Kannada, English, HindiHot test - Ma rch t o Ma y,

Wet - June t oDecembe r,

Col dest - Decembert oJanua r y

Tel cod e : 08 0



The city, once known as Pensioner’s paradise has become t global map. No one would have imagined that this calm city in S

play a vital role in changing the face of the nation. The city is slobecoming the global IT powerhouse, with almost all global and Isetting up their operations.

I had hea rd that t hebest part o f Ban galo re isitsweathe r.And it isnot ahill

st ationeither.Anice b reeze g reeted me t hemoment Icame out o f the airc ra ft.It was

quiteawelcome chan ge, post thehot and humid cl imateofChennai.Ban galore isjust

45 minutesaway from Chennai, by fli ght .

Bangalorecity

mysore

Lalbagh Tippu'sfort

Ai r p o r t

vidhana soudha

mg.roadnandi hills

u l s o o r l a k e

140Km

40Km

3Km6Km

10Km

4Km

5 K m 4 K m

Bangalore is outgrowing itself fast, and was quite evident from theairport. Almost all leading airlines operate from here. My co-passethat an international airport is coming up by 2008. Good God. At lnot have to wait at the immigration counters. It took us a while bef

main road. The car driver told me that it will take at lto reach The Oberoi hotel, which is less than 8 Kmairport. That’s the price one has to pay for a fast p



The city has been getting shot-lived nicknames like the PensionCity, the Pub City and the latest being the Silicon Valley of India

my next visit, this fast growing city could get a new name the TEstate City.

The Oberoi Hotel (Ph: 91 80 25585852;www.oberioiblr.com) is a very nice property. It’s on

Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Road, the central nerve ofBangalore. The area has the cosmopolitan spirit.

Though I felt sad to see and hear about those beautiful h giving way to modern day glass buildings.

Places you can stay

There are many more good hotels in Banlike the: Leela Palace (25211253; Airport Rd; www.thTaj West End (Ph: 56605660; Racecourse Rd; www.taWindsor Manor (Golf Course Road), Le Meridian (PhSankey Road) Taj Residency (MG Road), The Park (M

A word of caution -Getting hotel accommodation in Bangis becoming a challenge. Thanks to the influx of visitors.I would suggest that you must get your hotel bookingsdone well in advance.



RestaurantsBangalore is a great place for foodies. If you are looking for sto treat your taste buds, you have the option of choosing restadelicious south Indian food to a restaurant which is famous foI would recommend you to try out Karavalli(Residency Road) for sea-fooSamarkhand (Infantary road) for Afghani flavour,Tandoor(MG Road) for NoIndian food,Mainland China(Church Street),Rice Bowl (Lavelle Road) or

Three-Quarter Chinese(Church Street) for Chinese cuisine,TGIF(Airport Road)Ebony(Barton Centre, MG Road) known for Thai, French anYou can even try out other places like:Queen’s Restaurant (Church St, Brigadenoon-3.30pm & 6-10.30pm). Mud walls, wood-beam ceilinQueen’s an earthly atmosphere; it was a classy Rajasthani v

Indian food they served was outstanding and the place is neIf you plan to give it a shot at spicy food thvisitingNagarjuna(Residency Road) for HyderabBiryani orBhima(Church Street) for Andhra foo

The pizza culture and the coffee culture have caught on big

the best known chains in the world setting shop, like McDonPizza Hut, Wimpy, Kentucky Fried Chicken, IndBarista, Café Coffee Day leading the wave.Don’t forget to taste the local Kannada chi

Maddur vada - sweet vada. I found this dish



PUBSThe best and the largest beer brewery Kingfisher is basein Bangalore. No wonder Bangalore is known as the pubcity. Most of the bars open before noon and shut at asadly early 11.30pm. I found all kinds of pubs in this city

Pecos- (Off Brigade Rd) and Mojo(Brigade Rd Jn) gives the 60’s

feel.Styx (next to Cauvery Handicrafts on MG.Rd). gives ylisten to some great heavy metal tracks but gets bit crow Purple Haze(Residency Rd) and

Legends of Rock(Koramangala) are popular fo rock where the beer drinkers head-b

I was told that there were other frequently like theGuzzler’s Inn, Koshy’s, Sparks, The Bunker, Pub Wo(Residency Rd)The spiffy bars and lounges have dance floors and the

Most of the places served every possible drink in the woAthena(Leela Galleria). Saturday nights are ‘commercial nighcrowd grooving to his tracks. Overall, a great place for a wSpinn(next to Brigade Rd circle) with the dance floor is ahappening place. If you are looking for svelte lounges theare places likeF-Bar(Le Meridian) a theme bar by F TV,Taika(Church Street) a huge dance floor with lounge area.



There is more which you can barge during the after hourBar (Taj West End), Cosmo Village (Magrath Rd), Geof

and iBar (The Park Hotel,Off MG Rd). These are very pbeer, music, service and the ambience but turn up ‘propeNow a day tea is getting hip within Bangalorians. InfinitComplex, Cunningham Rd) is one of the better teahouse

Golf CoursesBangalore Golf Club

India has some of the finest golfing turfs and the one one of the oldest in India. The golf course is diverse a

interesting experience. The course spreads wide in theclimate makes it more quite unique. Fairways are dry turf is lush and well-manicured. Large number of flowas palm, eucalyptus and colourful gulmohar makes thbeautiful. It is compact with some part of the course b

fairway. You can even play in KGA (KarnaAssociation) - 1, Golf Avenue, Kodihalli, Off

B an g al o re G ol f Cl ubS anke y R o ad,

Hi gh G r o unds, H oles : 1 8,

Y a rd a ge : 6 7 0 3 /5 41 4, P a r : 71



Sight seeing...

V i d ha na S o u d ha

MG.road

2km

Thecolossal Vi dhanSoud ha ist he ci t ies most im posi n g bui l d in gs.Thebeaut iful

bui ld in gmad emes pell bound wheni t got i l luminated .Theneo-D ravi d i an st yle com pl e x

Getting around in Bangalore is not a problem. You have the

adventurous auto-rickshaw ride or a much safer prepaid taxis. I wAC cabs to have an enjoyable ride inside the city.

Te l 2 6 5 7 3 6 6 7 ; Ad m is s io n Rs 5 .L albagh Gardens...

240 acres of landscaped park is home to some very rare spmeticulously cared for garden has everything from lotus ponds, fstone formations. The magnificent Glass House, built in 1840, isCrystal Palace and is the main attraction of the park.The Rose Garden has 150 different kinds of roses.The delightful 97 hectare park has collections of rare tropical and subtropical plants. During the annual flower show, people flock into the park from all over the state.

houses houses the state legislature and the secretariat. It remaWithin walking distance are the Public Library and the Govern



This temple is built in the Dravidianstyle by Kempe Gowda, founder of Bangalore. It bull, made of gray granite which is 4.5 meters higmeters long. In Indian mythology, the Nandi bull the “vahana” of Lord Shiva. My driver told me th gets very crowded on Sundays.

ISK CO N T E MP L E

Consciousness (Iskcon); the Hare

H a r e K r i s h n a H i l l , C h o r d R o a d

8 k m

7 a m - 1 p m 4 - 8 .3 0 p m

B u l l t e m p l e

B u g l e H i l l,

B u l l T e m p l e R d ; 7 a m - 1 p m

& 4 - 9 p m

The temple is built on a hillock atop the scenic surroundings by

Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON); the Hare Krishnaultracontemporary and traditional style. The huge shiny cultura

stunning shrine of Krishna and Radha.



Cubbon P a rk...

Spread across 300 acres, Cubbon Park is the green lung and one of the largest green spot

in Bangalore. It has been named afterBangalore’s longest serving commissioner SirMark Cubbon. It’s was nice to come across

such a place in a city which is fast turninginto a concrete jungle. I sat under the shade

of one its many magnificent trees and watched the towering bamboo sway in the breeze.

On its fringes are the neoclassical High Court,

the State Central Library, the Government Aquarium, the Government Museum and theVenkatappa Art Gallery. Museum and the

Venkatappa Art Gallery.

T i p u ’ s P a l a c e

The sturdy little Tipu’s fort is at ththe bustling city market. It is a twornate wooden structure with pillaand balconies flanked by gardens

side of the palace. The fort was a defence structure built by Kempawas rebuilt in stone by Hyder Ali

Sultan in the 18th century. Much owas destroyed during the war aga

British troops. Tipu’s modest palac for its elegant teak pillars and an aThe palace is beautifully decoratedmotifs on the walls and the ceilingdeath of Tipu, the British used thi

as their secretariat till 1867.

Tipu’s fort is at the

KR ISHNA R AJ ENDR A R D; A DMISSIONRS 5;T IMING 8A MT O 6P M,



I t hou gh t t he

Windso r Cas t l e has been

rel oca t ed t o Ban gal o re. Ban gal o re

Pal ace was buil t in 1880 b y t he

Maha ra jahs o f M yso re wi t h g rani t e

t u r re t s, t o we rs and ba t t l emen t s. The

pal ace is s p read ove r an a rea o f abou t

800 ac res, t he Ban gal o re Pal ace is

famous fo r i t s el e gan t l y ca rved

wooden in t e rio rs. Fo r man y yea rs t he

buil din g was ne gl ec t ed, bu t is no w o pen

t o t he publ ic.

P a l a c e R d .

T e l – 2 3 3 4 1 7 7 8

O t he r ma jo r a t t rac t ions o f t he ci t y a re

Visvesva ra ya Ind us t rial and Technol o gical

Museum, The Gove rnmen t Museum, Shiva

S t a t ue, Ul soo r Lake, Ja waha r Lal Neh ru

Pl ane t a rium, Aq ua rium t o name a fe w.



Shopper’sParadise

While the b ri gh tl y li t sho w rooms on one

side o f the s t ree t adds glam

o u r, and the g reene r y

on the o the r side gives the cha rm to the s t ree t. A f te r

d usk the pla ce reminded me o f

Sin ga po re s t ree ts. The bes t wa y to en jo y

this a rea is to pa rk yo u r ca rk and take a

s t roll.

M G Road This road pa cks eve r y th

in g you need as a visi to r.

Banks, Res tau ran ts, Sho p pin g mal l s, Co f fee -sho ps,

Pubs, C ro wd. You name i t and you wil l find i t. You

can even f req uen tl y find a fe w o f the tabooed thin gs

in mos t pa r ts o f India e g. men and women hol din g

hands, skim p y d ress and women hi t tin g

the pubs.

Ifyou a re looking fo r silkitems for your spouse Iwould suggest

you to visit Nalli orDeepam show rooms. Sho ps likeCentral Cot tage

Em porium or Cauver y are good placesto visi t if you want to take

back a few mementoes for your colleagues or friend s.



It’s just off MG Road. This littleneon-lit stretch, packs all the punches.It houses showrooms of all the leadingIndian and Multinational brands. Onweekends it gets very crowded.

B r i g a d e R o a d

The dazzling chaotic shopping areahas everything from crafts to sarishops to electronic goods. But for silk

Mysore Sari Udyog was the best.

Cunningham Road If you are looking for

buying beautiful Kashmiri c

and Indian handicrafts, doto visit this place.

C o m m e r c i a l S t.



NandiHills68 Kms, Admission Rs 5.It’s a nice place if you want to escape thcity life. The stellar views, good hikingtwo notable Chola Temples on this smahillock made my trip interesting. The bview I thought was the sunrise.

A r o un d B an g al o r e

M yso re 1 3 4 Kms. Tel e Cod e – 08 21,

Bes t t ime Oc t – Ma rch.

The cha risma t ic fo rme r ca pi t al o f

Ka rna t aka is ve r y wel l connec t ed t o

Ban gal o re. We zi p ped on t he M yso re -Ban gal o re hi gh wa y

and t he d rive was q ui t e scenic.

M y s o r e Mysore

M y s o r e



M ys o r e is kn o wn

f o r th e p al a c es, th e s and al w o o

d p r od u c ts and

th e in c ens e s ti cks. Th e s t r oll th r o u gh th e

ci t y ’s b e a u ti f ul p a rks

and th e sh ad y av en u es w e r e v e r y m u ch r el a xin g c om

p a rin g t o th e

p r evi o us d yn ami c d es tin a ti on –

B an g al o r e. B u t I am t old th a t

M ys o r e is a t t r a c tin g I T c om p ani es and

f e w c om p ani es h av e

al r e ad y m ad e h u g e inv es tm en ts

.

I f y o u pl an t o s p end a ni gh t a t M ys o r

e, y o u c an o p t f o r L ali th a

M ah al P al a c e ( I T D C, N a rsi p u r a Rd). th e R a j end r a Vil as P al a c e ( n e

a r

Ch am undi Hills) o r th e S o u th e rn S t a r ( Q u ali t y Inn, Vin ob a Rd).

There are few interesting places to see in and aroundMysore Palace Timing – 10 am – 5.30pm, Time to visit-

festival (Oct), Guide charge – bargain, Camera – Rs 10.The domes, arches, colonnades of carved pillars and shinymake the Indo-Saracenic palace marvellous. The palace w1897 after a fire burnt down the old wooden palace. The s glass, wall paintings, ivory inlaid doors and the golden o

throne are beautiful. The jewel encrusted Golden Ttaken out during the Dasara festival. Must see palace are the Gombe thotti (Dolls’ pavilion)

has some magnificent paintings all done in rteak and stained glass, cast iron pillars from Glasg

carved wood ceiling, chandeliers and etched glass windows.



Brindavan GardensThis is India's first irrigation dam, built in 1924. Sir. M

Vishweswariah, the engineer who designed and built thishown his acumen in converting a dam site into a beauti garden with colourful fountains and ponds downstreamis named after the then Maharaja of Mysore, KrishnarajWodeyar, who financed this novel project. Krishnaraja S(KRS) represents a marvel of civil engineering achievem pre-independence India and was among the first in the w

use automatic sluice gates. Brindavan Gardens is one o gardens in South India. Spread over 150 acres, Brindava

Gardens has since the 1960s provided the backdrop for many Indian films.

Special attractions include the'Dancing Fountains'. If you are inMysore, you must visit this place. But be ready to

SrirangapatnamThe fortified island site is on theKaveri River, it was a home forthe religious reformers and military conquerors & was theheadquarters for Tipu Sultan.

12 kms from MyCode – 08236,

Timings: Monday-Friday: 6:30 PM - 7:Saturday-Sunday: 6:30 PM - 8:25 P



The ferry ride to the fort was very much exciting. Thedelicate minarets of Jama Masjid and the temples gave a

charm to the fort. The KTDC Hotel Mayura River View is theonly good place around for staying and eating. The taxi horsecarriages gave this small quaint town the historic charm.

Bandi purNat ional Park

An interesting aspect of thsanctuary is, it is located wthe Eastern and the WesterGhats join. It is a populardestination not only for theenthusiasts but also with gholiday goers. These areas1500mm annual rainfall mthe prettiest evergreen forethe area. Vegetation in rest jungle is scrubs.

11 0 km My s o r e ( S o u th )

O o ty R d,

B e s t tim e - N o v –M a r

ch,

Rangnathittu Bird Sanctuary Island-

3km Srirangapatnam, 8.30am-6pm,Best time- April- July.The sanctuary is on one of the 3 islands on the Cauvery River. It is a great place for the bird lovers. It’s abird lover’s paradise and I caught a glimpse of ibis and spoonbill. The boat ride took me to the personal lives ofour feathery friends. The best time tobe there is early in the morning orlate in the afternoon.

The only way to get to the sanctuary is by road. The juthrough the forest, going up and down over small hills a

off to the sanctuary, the guide told me, it was a bison proved to be true. Ahead of me and to the right of thmale bison, I stopped and watched it move into the b



You have a few interesting place to spend the night iadventurous kind. I stayed at Bandipur Safari Lodge (0 3km outside the park. The view from the balcony was bare the Forest Department Bungalow (0821-2480901)

(080-2318024).I left the sanctuary I left the sanctuary with a sad hear resolve to return someday, preferably during the best pMarch, and explore it to my hearts' content.

Other animals I got to see during the night safari wereand then some sambar deer. The park is however know population of elephants, which I did see the signboardthe roadside. Other than these it also have tigers, leopa jungle cats, sloth bears, mongooses, civets,Malabar giant squirrels, wild dogs, flying squirrels, mvarieties of deer and antelope. That’s not all, the park a

excellent population of birds, over 215 varieties.

Coorg(Kod agu) 2 5 7 k m B an g al o r e, B es t t i m e- N o v - M ar ch



I decided to hire an Enfield instead of a cab and the ride wof an experience. You can also hire a cab but you may misimportant places to visit around Madikeri Abbi-Falls a beaBhaga-mandala and finally Tala-Kaveri-the birth place of

astoundingly beautiful place which is surrounded by moun

1525 m above sea level lies Madikeri, the district headquarters of Kodagu. Coorg orKodagu(originally called Kodaimalenadu) means'dense forest on steep hill'. Dubbed as theScotland of India, this town has a lot to offer tothe tourist.Misty hills, lush forest, acres and acres of tea andorange groves, undulating streets and breathtaking views

an unforgettable

(Rice Dumplings), Kozhi Curry (Chicken curry) cake) and Kozhi Curry and Nooputtu (Rice Noodshoots/sprouts preparations. The Coffee is extremis home-grown. The owner of the house will give made wines – made of betel leaves, pineapples and

Orange County Resort is the best place to stay. This fairy tale villag 300 acre Coffee Plantation bordered on one side by River CauveryGreat Dubare Reserve Forest. Don’t miss to enjoy Coorg delicaciecooked in loads of Ginger and Garlic) and Kadambut



Nagarhole Wild Life SactuaryThe place derives its name from the winding river - Naga

river" - which flows through the park. The 640 sq km of gat the foothills of the Brahmagiri hills is covered with thicswamps and numerous rivers and streams. The park and acountry's first "bio-sphere reserve". This huge forest coveleopards, cheetahs, elephants, deers, sambhars, wild India

birds big and small.The open jeep jungle safari through the lush green forest wsafari was arranged by the resort. During the safari I manasambhar, wild gaurs and elephants. The elusive cat familyThe average sighting of the cat family is expected to be o

wasn’t my lucky day in the forest.Next day I went for bird watching & a coracle ride and it even visit the elephant camp or the Tibetan monastery. In caught a cacophony of sounds and saw a flurry of colourfthrough the muddy road can kill your back, but I was read(08222-246022) the place where I stayed had a welcomincamp fire and cosy rooms were exceptionally good. The ris 35 km from the park reception on the Hunsur Rd.



Jog falls XXX KMs Tel code- 08186, Best Time: Nov- Jan

JOG falls is an AMAZING place. That is just insufficieWhere else can one see the Sharavati valley in full beauty

The Jog falls is set in the wild and unspoilt surroundingsbeen disturbed for the tourist tappings i.e unneussary consof trees. The sharavati river crashes nine-hundred feet dowThe highest is the Raja (King) fall which falls 250 m below

pool. Next to it is the Roarer, while a short distance to the is called so aptly because it spurts great shafts of water o

contrast the Rani (Queen) over the rocks gracefully. The wthe falls for the hale and hearty is recommended and one c pool created below by the falls, during the dry season. Jus

season or rainy season the falls are a magnificient and awe

There is a Hotel Mayura run by KSTDC close to the good food. Tasted pretty well and unlike the food you get food, I decided to get down to the base of the falls and hav

amazing sight that was there in front of me.

4 5 0 km s B an g al o r e

B e s t tim e - O c t - M ay

,

Gokarna



Gokarna, the place is a small town, known more as a pilgrimas a beach. Which is a pity, really- because Gokarna, with it

its blue seas and clean sands, is perfect for an idyllic vacatioSituated along the Karwar coast, in northern Karnataka, it isif you're looking for minimal luxury but maximum privacy,the surf and the seagulls for company.

I took a cab from Gokarna to Hampi in theevening. It was almost 8 hours journey and I reach Hampi at about 2 pm. HAMPI, the seat of the famed VIJAYANAGARA empire was the

capital of the largest empire in post-mogul India, coverinAlthough in ruins today, this capital city once boasted richethe shores of India. The ruins of Hampi of the 14th Centuryabout 26 sq. km area, amidst giant boulders and vegetation. re-establishment of Indian culture, its support for music, arAfter freshening up, armed with a map I set out for the Qu

rather elaborate structure for a bathroom. Curved ornatebalconies overlooked the main bath area and there were

several open archways.

Hampi

T e l c o d e : 0 8 3 9

4



Strewn over a large area (about nine square miles) the ruinsthe tourists a remainder of the greatest land in the whole wevery path and every monument at Hampi speak the same l glory and beauty.At one end of the Hampi Bazaar is the town’s largest structVirupaksha Temple. At about 6.00 pm, I headed towards Hthe beautiful sunset. As I looked around, all

I could see for miles around me was just rocks of all shapes and sizes. And then there’s the moon toomaking an appearance. At the bottom of the hill is atemple with a large Ganesh statue inside. It looksbeautiful lit up in the night. That’s the last monument for th

back to the hotel.You can catch the best sunrises in the world. -point on Matthe east of Hampi Bazaar. Hampi, is also a birder’s delight.I caught sight of pretty spotted doves, a coucal, parakeets, henthusiastic and curious peacock!

Other attractions are the Stone Chariot, Mahavahana DElephant Stables and the Hanuman Temple afte

had dinner at Mango Tree. You can stay at Rama Guest house, Shanti Guest house, Vic

Hotel Shambhu. Rama Guest House (

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