Bengaluru
India’s
Garden City
If King Veera Balalla had not lost his way in a hunting expedition some 800 years ago, there would perhaps be no city called Bangalore today. But, as legend has it, he did, and the die was cast.
• India: Rufaida Javid
Historically, Bangalore’s biggest draw has been its moderate climate. Located 920 meters above sea level, it is inundated with parks and gardens.
Wandering through the woods, hungry and thirsty, he bumped into a hut. And the kindly old woman who lived there offered him a meal of boiled beans. Touched by her generosity, he named the place “Bendakaluru” or the “place of boiled beans” in the local Kannada language. The place later came to be known as Bengaluru and, when the British arrived, they shortened it further to Bangalore. Recently, the Karnataka state government took the not-so-popular step of renaming the city Bengaluru. However, it continues to be known as Bangalore everywhere.
The “place of boiled beans” today is a teeming metropolis of more than 6 million souls. It is at the heart of India’s hi-tech prowess, especially the IT sector, which nets the country billions of dollars every year. It’s India’s fifth largest, and one of Asia’s fastest growing, cities.
Historically, Bangalore’s biggest draw has been its moderate climate. Located 920 meters above sea level, it is inundated with parks and gardens. So much so that the city has a 40 percent green cover, which makes for some great viewing during landing. This also makes Bangalore arguably the most beautiful city in India.
Sadly, epithets like “pensioner’s paradise” and “air conditioned city” are no longer applicable to Bangalore. The unprecedented growth of the past decade or so has inevitably led to a steep rise in the number of vehicles plying the city’s poorly maintained roads. The result: air and noise pollution and mind-numbing traffic jams.
The best place to base yourself in Bangalore is the tourist heart of the city: the M.G. Road-Brigade Road area. It’s the haunt of the young crowd, overflowing with cafés, restaurants, cinemas, shopping malls, currency exchange centers, book stores and discos.
Of course, Bangalore being the Silicon Valley of India, you are never far away from internet centers. This area perhaps has the largest concentration.
Getting Around
The public transportation system in Bangalore is overstretched and avoidable. The “radio” taxis are comfortable but expensive. So the best option for you is the ubiquitous auto-rickshaws. No South Asian experience is complete without a ride in these three-wheeled machines. You can flag one down anywhere, and ask for the location. It’s a cheap and efficient mode of transport.
Things to Do
If authentic traditional items and handicrafts of Karnataka is what you are after, then there is no place like the government-run Cauvery Emporium. Located smack in the heart of M.G. Road, even window shopping here will give you valuable insights into the cultural heritage of Karnataka.
Not far from M.G. Road, an architectural masterpiece, which is also home to the state Legislature, awaits your astonished gaze. The Vidhana Soudha is massive, and built in the neo-Dravidian style. On Sundays and public holidays, the building is lit up magnificently after dark. Many people come with their families here to spend a relaxed weekend evening on the lawns.
Bang opposite the Vidhana Soudha stands Bangalore’s glorious, blazing red High Court, built in 1864. This picture-perfect structure was constructed entirely of red brick.
Not for nothing is Bangalore known as the “Garden City”. Two of the city’s biggest attractions are the Lal Bagh Botanical Garden, laid out by the ruler Haidar Ali in the early 18th century, and the Cubbon Park, named after the British commissioner of Bangalore, Sir Mark Cubbon, during the days of the Raj. You can spend a whole day loitering around any of these two gardens.
While at the Lal Bagh, sample some of the 1,000 species of fauna found here. Also don’t miss the Glass House, which is a replica of London’s famous Crystal Palace. And while at the Cubbon Park, don’t miss the mini-train ride that takes you on an unforgettable journey across the park.
Bangalore has its share of historical monuments, not least Tippu’s Palace, in the heart of the old city. This was the summer home of the legendary brave heart Tippu Sultan (son of the aforementioned Haidar Ali) and built entirely in wood. Construction was completed in the late 18th century. While it pales in comparison to the grand Mughal monuments of northern India, it still is definitely worth a visit. VisasCitizens of almost all nationalities (except Nepal and Bhutan) need a visa to go to India, which can be had from the nearest Indian embassy or consulate. In Saudi Arabia, India has an embassy in Riyadh and consulates in Dammam and Jeddah.
Best Time to Go
October to March is the best time of the year to visit Bangalore. You can avoid both the searing summer heat and the wet monsoons.
Apart from Lal Bagh’s glasshouse, another famous replica of a British landmark in the city is the Bangalore Palace. Built in 1887 by the ruler Chamaraja Wodeyar, it is modeled along the lines of the Windsor Castle. It is said that on a visit to England, Wodeyar fell in love with the castle and wanted his residence to be constructed in a similar fashion!
A Little Angling?
The lifeline of Bangalore, and much of south India, is the River Cauvery. But this river holds other treasures, not least for the ardent angler. The famous mahseer fish, the pride and joy of many a rod-totter around the globe, is found in abundance here. But to dip the rod, you first have to get a license from the Wildlife Association of South India. This license is not issued during the monsoon (June to September) as it’s the breeding season for the fish. Besides, there are other stipulations: fish caught must be released into the water (after the customary weighing and taking pictures, of course!).
