Bangalore - The Garden City
The foundation of present day Bangalore is attributed to the Magadi Chieftain, Kempe Gowda, who laid its foundations in 1537. According to local folklore the present name- Bangalore, derives from 'Bendakalooru' or the town of boiled beans, a name given by Veera Ballala, a king of the Vijayanagar dynasty, who having lost his way in the forests was given a bowl of boiled beans by a kindly woman here. The founding of the city is traced back to 1537 and it has seen the rule of the maharajas of Mysore mainly. One of the factors that have gone in to make Bangalore the fifth largest city in India today is its mild and healthy climate.

Often termed as a garden city, Bangalore's climate has also drawn towards itself a large number of industries like the HAL and the Indian Telephone Industry and has become a premier manufacturing and commercial center since the 1950s.

Amidst all this hectic activity, the city offers itself as an ideal base to explore the fascinating and culturally rich state of Karnataka. Visitors will find the ruins of the once powerful Vijayanagar Empire, the sculpted wonders of Belur and Halebid, the awesome mausoleum of Bijapur and much more within easy reach.

The city by itself offers extensive shopping opportunities, a rich fanfare of cuisine, hotels to suite all pockets and much cultural and other entertainment.

Attractions

Lal Bagh
The Lal Bagh was started by Hider Ali in 1760 and later completed by Tipu sultan. This 240 acre landscaped park is home to some very rare species of plants. The Glass House inspired by the Crystal Palace in London, is the venue of an annual flower show.

The Bull Temple (Basavangudi)
The temple is believed to have been constructed in the 16^th century AD. The gray granite sacred bull, Nandi, is the main attraction after which the temple has been named. The sacred bull has been carved out of a single granite block. It measures 4.57 meters in height and 6.10 meters in length. It has been built by Kempegowda.

Cubbon Park
In a city of gardens that Bangalore is, the Cubbon is a premier attraction for all those who seek some respite from the busy metropolitan life here. The 300-acre park was laid in 1864 - By Lord Cubbon.

Bal Bhavan
Jawahar Balabhavana - Bal Bhavan whizzes you in to Childhood. Skin along in a boat, trot up a pony ride. Chug around in a toy train, wander about in the fore ground, dress up your mind in the theatre. It's all there in Bal Bhavan - a grand package of entertainment.

Sri Gavi Gangadhareswar Temple
On January 14^th every year something extraordinary happens in Bangalore's Gavi Gangadhareswar Temple. On that day a ray of sunlight passes though an arch between the horns of stone bull that stands outside the temple and lights up the idol inside. It is a phenomenon that is proof of the technical excellence of ancient architects, of their knowledge of astronomy combined with great architectural skill. The temple itself is dedicated to Shiva and is a natural cave carved out of a monolithic stone.

The Planetarium
It is located on Saneky Road and has shows on all days except Mondays from 6.15 hours. Tel: 266084.

Aquarium
The Bangalore aquarium is the second largest in the country. It is an ideal place to see a large variety of aqua - fauna at close quarters. Aquarium, Kasturba Road, Tel: 577440. Open 10.00 to 19.30 hours except on Thursdays.

Ulsoor Lake
Centrally located Ulsoor Lake is spread over an area of 1.5 sq. kilometers. Dotted with picturesque tiny islands. An ideal place for sightseeing, boating and shopping. A center of attraction during Ganesh festival in August- September.

Government Museum and Venkatappa Art Gallery
Established in 1886 it's one of the oldest in the country. The Government Museum displays a collection of archaeological artifacts and the art gallery has a collection of the works of the noted artist of the country of Mysore - K. Venkatappa, Tel: 564483. Open 10.00 to 17.00 hours except on Wednesdays.

Visvesariah Industrial and Technological Museum
Kasturba Road, Tel: 5564563, Named after M. Vishveswariah, opens from 10.00 to 17.00 hours except on Mondays.

The Vidhana Saudha, and Tipu Sultan's palace are also main attractions in the city.

Excursions
Ramohalli : Ramohalli is a picnic spot located about 28 kilometers via Mysore Road and Kengeri with a KSTDC restaurant. The attraction is a 400 years old big banyan tree, the branches of which spread over an area of almost 3 acres.

Bannerghatta National Park: Located about 22 kilometers from Bangalore. The national park is spread over 104 sq. kilometers. Set in picturesque surroundings, it has a lion and tiger safari. It also houses a crocodile and a snake farm. A KSTDC runs a restaurant for tourists here. (Weekly holiday- Tuesday)

Dining Out
Bangalore offers a great variety of dining out option to the visitor. Apart from specialty and multi-cuisine restaurants in all major deluxe and standard hotels listed above, the city has no dearth of independent eateries. The udippi cuisine from south coastal Karnataka is available throughout the cities.

Shopping
Bangalore is a good place to shop for the various specialties of this state. Among these are Mysore silks, sandalwood and sandalwood items, inlay work with rose wood, brass and ivory artifacts, and lambani jewellery. Handicrafts may be purchased at: Cauvery Arts and Crafts Emporium. M.G. Road. Tel: 558118, at airport Sales Counter, KEB Complex, KG Road, For silk saris and cloth the Karnataka silk Industries Corporation runs show rooms at M.G. Road and K.G. Road. Similarly, the KHDC showrooms called Priyadarshini Handloom House at various places is an ideal place to shop for handlooms of this state. The other main shopping areas of the city are; Kempe Gowda Road, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Jayachamarajendra Road, Jayanagar shopping complex, Russel Market and commercial Street.

Places of Worship
Buddhist: Buddihst Temple, Buddhavihar, Coxtown.
Hindu: Banashankari, Bull Temple, Mallikarjunaswamy, Gavi Ganga-dhareshwara.
Protestant: St. Andrews and St. Mark's.
Methodist: All Saints church and Trinity.
Roman Catholic: St. Mary's church, Shivajinagar.
Jain: Digambara and Swetambara Temple, Chickpet.
Muslim: Jamia Masjid, KR Market.
Parsi: Fire Temple, Queen's Road.
Sikh: Gurudwara, Kensington road.

How To Reach
Air: Indian Airlines connects Bangalore by regular flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta, Hyderabad, Goa and Trivandrum among other cities.

Rail: Bangalore is connected to the rest of the country both by meter gauge and broad gauge rail services. It is an important railway station on the southern railway network.
Bangalore city Railway Station, enquiry Tel: 131, Arr. & Dep. 134 reservations Tel: 132.

Road: Bangalore is located at the junction of National Highways 4,7 and 48, which connect it to all parts of the country with good roads.