Home :: South India Travel Destinations :: Bangalore India

» Location : Karnataka
» Significance : Capital Of Karnataka
» Founded by : Kempe Gowda
» Languages : Hindi, Kannada, English

Introduction to Bangalore
Bangalore is the capital city of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It is the seventh largest city in India. It is also known as the Garden City because of its many beautiful gardens and parks. The nandi hills in Bangalore is not to be missed by the pious. Though the origin of Bangalore is ancient, the present-day city was founded in the 16th century and has since continued to be an important administrative center. Because of the high concentration of IT industry, it also called the Silicon Valley of India. There are a number of good hotels in Bangalore like the Ashoka Hotel in Bangalore that make your stay in the Garden city comfortable.

Location of Bangalore
Bangalore city is located in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, in the southern region of India. It is 3,113 feet (949 m) above sea level, on top of a ridge in the Karnataka plateau. Bangalore is 998 km from Mumbai (Bombay) and 562 km from Hyderabad. The climate of Bangalore is moderate and pleasant. Summers are mild (April-June) and winters are cool (October-February). The city experiences southwestern monsoon rains in June-August.

History of Bangalore
Legend has it that the city is named after an old woman, who lived in this area and offered a humble meal of boiled beans to a lost Hoysala ruler. The origin of the present-day city of Bangalore can be traced to the early 16th century, when Kempegowda, a local chief, built a small mud fort here. Bangalore gained prominence in the 18th century, when it became an important fort city, under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan of Mysore. This area witnessed the struggle between Tipu Sultan and the British. The British defeated Tipu Sultan and took over Bangalore city. In 1831, the British made it the regional administrative city and established a big cantonment here.

Places to visit
Vidhana Soudha
A magnificent building housing the State Legislature and Secretariat. It was conceived and executed by Kengal Hanumanthaiya, the then Chief-Minister, in 1956. It is built entirely of Bangalore granite in the Neo-Dravidian style.

Attara Kacheri
This elegant two-storeyed building is directly opposite the Vidhana Soudha. It houses the State High Court. Within walking distance are the Public Library, the Government Museum, the Visveswaraya Industrial and Technological Museum and the Venkatappa Art Gallery.

Cubbon Park
This beautiful park, sprawling across 300 acres, was laid out by Lieutenant General Sir Mark Cubbon in 1864.

The Lalbagh
The Lalbagh was started by Hyder Ali in 1760 and later completed by Tipu Sultan. This 240 acre landscaped park is home to some very rare species of plants. The GlassHouse inspired by the Crystal Palace in London, is the venue of an annual Flower show.

Bangalore Palace Inspired by the Windsor Castle, this palace was built in the Tudor style by a Wodeyar king in 1887. Bull Temple
One of the oldest temples in the city, built by Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore. The temple is dedicated to Nandi, the sacred bull.

Tipu's Palace
One of his summer retreats built in 1791, this is a two-storeyed ornate wooden structure with pillars, arches and balconies.

Ulsoor Lake
It is a perfect getaway dotted with picturesque islands. You can enjoy a boat ride here or swim in the nearby pool.

Excursions
Bannerghatta National Park
Located 22 kms. South amidst sylvan surroundings, this park has a crocodile farm, and a tiger and lion safari.

Nanjangud
It is 23 kms south of Mysore.

Hesaraghatta
25 kms away, has an artificial lake and a dairy and horticulture farm. Boating and windsurfing are the other attractions here. Here also is the famous dance village - Nrityagram, where young dancers are trained in all disciplines of traditional Indian dance.


Ramohalli
28 kms west, is a popular picnic spot, famous for its 400 year old Banyan Tree. The giant tree spreads over an area of 3 acres.

Muthyalamaduvu - (Pearl Valley)
40 kms away - is known for its verdant surroundings and beautiful water falls. This is a favorite picnic spot.

Ramanagaram
49 kms southwest, this beautiful landscaped spot is popular with rock-climbers. It is also an important silk cocoon-marketing center.
About 53 kms from Bangalore, near Ramanagaram is the Janapada Loka, a subsidiary of the Karnataka Janapada Parishath, dedicated to the preservation and promotion of folk culture. Sprawling across 15 acres, the complex has an art gallery, an open-air theater, a studio and a museum.

Shivaganga
50 kms north - is a conical hill which offers a breathtaking view from the top. There are two shrines dedicated to Lord Gangadeshwara and Goddess Honnadevi.

Channapatna
60 kms southwest, this town is famous for its lacquerware and hand-crafted wooden toys. It is also a silk center.

Nandi Hills
60 kms north, is Nandi Hills, a small hill station. It was one of the retreats of the Tiger of Mysore. Tipu's Drop - a 600 m high cliff face - offers a magnificent view.

Mekedatu
98 kms south, is a beautiful picnic spot where the river Cauvery squeezes through a narrow gorge.

Best Time to Visit Bangalore
Although the weather of Bangalore is pleasant throughout the year, it is best visited in the winters.

Where to Stay in Bangalore
Bangalore offers a range of accommodation option to the traveler. Ashoka Hotel Bangalore is one of the leading hotels in Bangalore. The bus terminus area at the heart of Gandhi Nagar, the MG Road, and the City Market area offer a number of economy hotels. MG Road area and the Racecourse area offer mid-range hotels, while high-end hotels can be found in MR Road, Sankey Road and the Racecourse area.

We offer excellent accommodation facilities in and around Bangalore.

How to Get There
By Air- Bangalore is accessible by air, road, and rail. Bangalore Airport is 13 km east of the City Station. There are number of daily flights to important cities like Calcutta, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Goa, Kochi, Mangalore, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram. Bangalore has direct international flights to Muscat, Sharjah and Singapore. It is also a stopover for many international flights.

By Road - Bangalore has a large bus terminus, which is near the railway station. There are two railway stations in Bangalore. The main station is well connected to all major Indian cities. There are number of daily express trains from Bangalore to other cities of India.

We would provide you all India tourist permit vehicles for the local transportations and also for the intercity drives too.