FlyForSurgery » Destinations » Bangalore

Bangalore is where India is headed. Bangalore is India’s fifth largest city in India and is said to be the fastest growing city in Asia. Also known as Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka is the technological hub of India and is where the country’s new, confident and global identity is being forged. A once sleepy regional capital is today a modern, serene metropolis that will come as a big surprise to those who are arriving from other parts of the country for the first time. As wealthier Indians flock to live here, Bangalore has become a cosmopolitan city with a vibrant café and bar culture. The city might lack historical sites but more than makes up for it’s buzzing, relaxed and liberal atmosphere and a location that makes it a perfect base for exploring the beautiful temples and evocative palaces of the Deccan.

On Bugle Hill, is the site of the Nandi Temple (Bull Temple), (sanctum timings daily 7:30-11:30 and 16:30- 20:30). Built by Kempe Gowda, the object of veneration is a magnificent statue of Shiva’s sacred bull, Nandi, 15 feet tall and over 20 feet long, that is carved out of a single block of granite. The 16th-century bull is kept glistening by regular applications of coconut oil. In November and December every year, when the groundnuts have been harvested, a groundnut fair is held near the temple. Nearby is the Sri Dodda Ganapathi (Ganesha temple), which houses an enormous statue of the elephant-headed deity made of butter.

Bangalore Palace was built by Rev. Garrett to look like a smaller replica of Windsor Castle in England. It is the seat of Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Bahadur, the current Maharaja of Mysore, and head of the royal Wodeyar dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of Mysore between 1399 and 1950. Inside, explore the lavish interiors, some rooms are hung with a surprisingly large collection of nudes. The palace grounds are extensive and often are the site for live concerts – The Rolling Stones have played here.

The Vidhana Soudha is one of India’s finest pieces of architecture. Located in the north-west of Cubbon Park it is a neo-Dravidian granite structure and a blend of styles from across India and boasing the country’s most recognisable symbol – the four-headed gold lion of Ashoka, India’s celebrated early Buddhist king. Across the road is Karnataka’s High Court building, Attara Kacheri, with its impressive red brick and monumental Corinthian column façade.

Spread over an area of 240 acres, Lal Bagh park contains a variety of plants and trees, a deer park, and one of the largest collections of rare tropical plants in India. Conceived by Sultan Hyder Ali in 1760, his son, Tipu, expanded the gardens further, planting exotic plants from Persia, Turkey, and Mauritius. The British-built-Glass House, has an annual flower show.

Built toward the end of the 18th century entirely from teak, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace is an elaborately decorated relic of Bangalore’s royal past complete with arches and minarets. This palace was originally a summer retreat and it took ten years to plan and complete the construction.There is a museum detailing the life of Tipu Sultan, his military conquests and that of his father Hyder Ali Khan. Next door is the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, a 300 year old temple built by the Wodeyars. To the north are the ruins of Bangalore Fort, largely destroyed during the Anglo-Mysore War and bear the testimony of the struggle by Tipu against the British Raj in India.

Karnataka Tourism Khanija Bhavan, Race Course Road Tel: +91 (0)80 22352901and +91 (0)80 22275869 Opening hours: Monday – Saturday, 10:30-17:30http://www.kstdc.nic.in Government of India Tourist Office K.F.C. Building, 48 Church Street Opening hours: Monday – Saturday, 10:30-17:30 Tel: +91 (80) 25278570 http://www.incredibleindia.org