Bangalore

Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of the Indian state of Karnataka, is the city of Bangalore (Bengalūru), the capital of Karnataka. It is India's third most populous city and fifth-most populous urban agglomeration. Bangalore existed in the shadow of neighbouring Mysore, the seat of the Wodeyar dynasty, which came under a scheming British Raj in 1881.

When the Bangalore cantonment was built, a lot of retired soldiers from all over the country arrived. Together with Poona, it was known as a retired soldier's retreat/home.

Bangalore houses many of the most well-recognised colleges and research institutions in India. Public sector heavy industries, software companies, aerospace, telecommunications and defence organisations have moved into the city. Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India as it is India's leading IT exporter. A demographically diverse city, Bangalore is a major economic and cultural hub and growing frenetically.

What to see
Vidhana Soudha, the legislative House of the State of Karnataka; Seshadari Iyer Memorial, constructed of red sand stone in Cubbon Park; Bangalore Palace, built by the Maharajahs of Mysore; Tipu Sultan's Palace, (1790); Omthara Kala Kuteera, an oasis of peace and tranquillity; the Bull Temple; the Maha Bodhi Society Temple; ISKCON Hare Krishna Temple; Maruthi Mandir, a Hanuman Temple; Cubbon Park, a 121 hectare, green lung in the centre of the city; the Lal Bagh.

Getting Around
Buses in Bangalore are cheap and frequent. Travelling on them can be very difficult if you don't know the system well. Ordinary city buses display the route number in English, with the destination and route information written only in Kannada, thanks to a myopic law passed by intractable policy makers in government. Everybody speaks English and buses have been traditionally considered infra dig since the British Raj. Autos are convenient, but do wear sun glasses as the air pollution level in the city is very high. Taxis in Bangalore are very convenient, comfortable, cheap and much safer than auto-rickshaws and operate only on cell phones. It takes one trip to understand this simple concept.

Where to Eat
Bombay Post; Blue Ginger; Cafe Mozaic; Grasshopper; Monsoon; Olive Beach; Koshy's; Sue's Food Place; 100ft Restaurant; Little Italy; Mainland China; and a host of other eateries. Also, all well-known, fast food places dot the streets of Bangalore.

 

How to Get There

By Air:
Bangalore has three airports: One belonging to the central government, which was used as its domestic terminal and which could not cope with the rapid increase in traffic. The second, Yelahanka, is an Air Force base that houses India's biennial air show. In May 2008, a new international airport was built at Devanahalli, 44 kilometres north of downtown Bangalore and 24 kilometres north of Yelahanka. It connects with Frankfurt, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, London Dubai, Paris, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Domestic flights connect Bangalore with all major airports in India. Commuting is easy, through buses every 15 minutes to Bangalore International Airport (BIAL). A total of 156 buses ply to and from the airport, 40 of which are air-conditioned Volvo buses, called Vayu Vajra. Post- and pre-paid taxi facilities, share taxis and self drive rented cars are also available and a high-speed 25-minute rail link is in the offing.

By Rail:
Bangalore has two major railway terminals which connect it to all of India. Mumbai to Bangalore is a full day's journey by train. Sleeper class (not air-conditioned) train travel from Mumbai to Bangalore is unbelievably cheap and you will have a view of some evergreen, lush forests and river valleys across western India.

By Road:
Buses are comparatively faster and take about 18 to 20 hours. Air travel is recommended for business travellers as it takes only 90 minutes from Mumbai. Low cost airlines charge the same fares as an air-conditioned train or Volvo bus, yet saves over 18 hours travel time!

Where to Stay
Grand Ashok Hotel; Taj Residency Hotel; Chancery Pavilion; Park Hotel; ITC Windsor Sheraton Hotel Oberoi Hotel; Taj West End Hotel; Leela Palace Kempinski, voted 'The Best Business Hotel in the World' by Conde Naste Traveller for 2009; Le Meridien; Hotel Royal Orchid; The Paul and the Oterra Hotel are high-end. Hotel Woodlands; Fantasy Golf Resort; Hotel Vrindavan; Church Street Inn; Best Western Capitol; 9 Marks Inn and the Bouvice are mid-range. All are online. Church Street Inn, Church Street/MG Road Budget Hotel; Silicon Suites; VSL Grand Serviced Apartments; Ajantha; Royal Regency Lodge and the YMCA are budget class.