The city of Bangalore is located in the Indian state of Karnataka, it is about 920 meters above sea level on the Deccan Plateau of Southern India. Bangalore, officially called Bengaluru, covers an area of 741 sq. km. There is also an interesting story behind the name Bengaluru, years back in the 12th century, King Veera Ballala got lost in a forest and he met an old woman there who served him boiled beans - thus naming the place 'Benda - Kal - Ooru' which means (the land of cooked beans), that changed to Bengaluru over time.
Bangalore due to its wide range of gardens and parks throughout the city also refers to as the Garden City of India. Today, Bangalore is home to many well-recognized colleges, private industries, software companies, telecommunications, defense organizations, aerospace, etc. Bangalore is also called the Silicon Valley of India due to its top position in IT Market.
It is also a tourist hub and some of the places to visit in Bangalore are Ranga Shankara, Wonderla, Guhantara Resort, Jakkur Aerodrome, Shopping Streets, and Pubs and Nightclubs. If you are traveling with children then Innovative Film City, Atta Galatta, Kutoohala, and Wonder La are some of the famous places to visit in Bangalore. It is one of the finest metropolitans in India. This city is one of the most important and busiest not only in Karnataka but also in total southern India.
Bangalore is India’s second-fastest-growing cosmopolitan city with the rapid growth of numerous industries (speciously in the IT sector). As a result of large-scale industrialization for the last few years, the population also increased rapidly. According to the last census report in 2011 India, approximately 8,443,675 people reside in Bangalore city which makes it the third most populated metro city in India.
The metro city of Bangalore is of Hindu predominant from the Indian ancient age. Moreover, 79% of the population follow Hinduism as their religion. Islam is another important religion in the city which comprises about 13% of the city population. Besides these, a small population of Christians, Jains, etc also reside in the city. Bangaloreans love to celebrate, and they celebrate a lot of religious festivals throughout the year. Among these Dasara and Bangalore Karaga festivals are two of the most popular in the city. During the festival times, Shopping Streets and fancy markets become Top Tourist attractions in Bangalore.
Top Attractions
1. Bangalore Palace- An epitome of fabulous architecture and beauty, The Majestic Bangalore Palace preserves in it the magic of old regal opulence. The palace built in the year 1878, reflects the Tudor style of architecture. This huge palace spreads over an area of 454 acres.
2. Vidhana Soudha- The first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru described it as a ‘temple dedicated to the nation', it houses the State Legislature and the Secretariat of Karnataka. Popularly known as the 'Taj Mahal of South India', it was inaugurated in 1956.
3. Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace- This palace is located in the Bangalore Fort which is situated in old Bangalore in the southwest Indian state of Karnataka is an exquisite example of Indo- Islamic architecture.
4. Iskcon Temple Bangalore- Located in the Rajajinagar area, ISKCON Temple is a famous shrine dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple was inaugurated in the year 1997 by Shankar Dayal Sharma under the guidance of Madhu Pandit Dasa.
5. Big Bull Temple- The Bull Temple is also known as ‘Nandi Temple’, is one of the oldest temples in the city. The temple is popularly called by the locals 'Dodda Basavana Gudi' and it is the biggest temple dedicated to Nandi in the world.
6. Venkatappa Art Gallery- Located in the premises of Karnataka Government Museum, situated on Kasturba Road, Cubbon Park it flaunts over 600 paintings. It is named after the most famous artist of Bangalore city - K. Venkatappa.
7. Devanahalli Fort- This mighty fort is known for its historical significance and archaeological brilliance, it is located 35 km north of the city of Bangalore. The fort is a living example of the many extensive battles fought and won.
8. National Gallery of Modern Art- Located in the heritage Manikyavelu Mansion on 49 Palace Road Bangalore, it was inaugurated very recently on the 18th of February, 2009. The gallery houses over 14,000 incredible works of contemporary and modern artists
9. St. Mary's Basilica- It is the oldest church in Bangalore, it was built in 1882. It is the only church in the state that has been elevated to the important status of a minor basilica. The festivities it holds during the St. Mary's Feast, in September each year are very famous.
10. Jawahar Lal Nehru Planetarium- It is a popular attraction in the city that is administered by the Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE). It operates intending to impart knowledge of the various aspects of earth and space in a fun and exciting way.
11. Bangalore Fort- It was originally a mud fort built by Kempe Gowda I in 1537, later was transformed into a stone fort by Haider Ali in 1761. In the year 1791, under the leadership of Lord Cornwallis, the British army seized the fort after killing 2000 men.
12. Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum- Located on the Kasturba Road in Bangalore, it was built in honor of Bharat Ratna recipient Sir M Visvesvaraya. It Spreads over an area of 43000 sq. ft and was open to public visit on the 27th of July, 1965.