My Bangalore Trip and Places to visit !!

Well my trip was really hectic this time . Lot of places to cover and so less time.
I stayed at
Hotel :
Hotel Ajanta at 22-A, M G Road, Bangalore - 560 001
Phone no. 080-25584321

The Cab that i used this time
Cab : Mahesh : 9880589412
Full day : 8 hrs /80 kms – 775 Extra 7.75 /Km or 40 Rs /Hr.

Now for the sightseeing part

Bangalore Palace - The Remnants of a Bygone EraAnyone who sees the Bangalore Palace is bound to fall in love with it. Once you get over the initial shock of finding Tudor architecture surrounded by Indian urban scenery, it's quite an intriguing place which is worth exploring. It was built by Chamaraja Wodeyar, Maharaja of Mysore, in 1887. The Palace flaunts turreted parapets, battlements, fortified towers and arches. At that time it costed about Rs. One lakh to construct it. The land cost was Rs. 10 lakh. During a visit to England, Chamaraja Wodeyar was inspired by the Windsor Castle in London, and along similar lines he built this palace in the Tudor style. The palace was earlier surrounded by beautiful gardens in the midst of a vast open area, which have reduced considerably today.Spread over an area of about 430 acres, the palace is famous for its elegantly carved woodwork. It is right in the heart of the city. With a built-up area of around 45,000 sq ft, this 120 year old monument is a popular tourist attraction. It is surrounded by a garden, which almost gives it a fairytale setting. The structure has fortified towers complete with Gothic windows, battlements and turrets. This palace is largely constructed of wood, and is famous for its carvings and paintings. An exquisite door panel at the entrance leads to grand settings inside. Reverend Garret originally owned the land, on which the palace stands today. Located between Jayamahal and Sadashivanagar areas, the palace ground has become a venue for various exhibitions, concerts and cultural programs. The palace is truly an architectural splendour. The interiors have breathtaking floral motifs, cornices, mouldings and relief paintings on its ceilings. However, entry to the palace is restricted.Location: In Palace Guttahalli

Vidhana Soudha
The majestic looking Vidhana Soudha houses the State Legislature, and is the largest Secretariat in India. Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Chief Minister of the then Mysore State (between 1951-1956) was responsible for the concept, the structure and the setting of this magnificent building.Supervised and executed by engineers and architects led by the then Chief Engineer, late B R Manickam of the Public Works Department, the Vidhana Soudha is an arresting monument. The building project was started in 1952 and took five thousand labourers, 1500 chisellers, masons and wood carvers four years to complete. Built entirely from Bangalore granite in the Dravidian style, it has floral motifs on stone carvings drawn from the celebrated temple craft of South India. Total floor area: 5,50,505 sq ft. Length: 700 ft. Width: 350 ft. Height from floor level to top of central dome: 150 ft. The project begun in 1952 was completed in 1956.Location: In Cubbon Park

Attara Kacheri (High Court)Attara Kacheri literally means "eighteen offices" or departments. In 1864, Commissioner Bowring conceived and prepared the plans for setting up a full-fledged secretariat building, almost a century before the Vidhana Soudha was even thought of.It was earlier known as the Old Public Offices, housing the general revenue and secretariat of the State government. It now has the offices of the High Court of Karnataka.The Attara Kacheri building was completed in 1868 at a cost ofRs. 4.5 lakh. The work on the building was executed by Rao Bahadur Arcot Narayanaswamy Mudaliar. It is an impressive two-storied building of stone and brick, red in colour and has been built in the Greco-Roman style. Location: In Cubbon park
Museum

The State Archeological Museum is similar to the Attara Kacheri with the same red colour and architectural style. The original block was designed and built by Colonel Sankey in 1876. Several wings have been added on in the later years, all of which remarkably conform to the parent style. The original collection in the museum belonged to B L Rice of the Mysore Gazetteer. Location: In Cubbon Park

Tipu’s Fort Palace
In the busy, crowded City Market area lies the remnants of Tipu's Fort. Originally this fort was built by Chikkadeva Raya and was later extended, dimantled and rebuilt by Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan. What remains now is part of the fort wall with a tablet marking the place where Cornwallis had breached it in 1791. In the courtyard is the Ganesha Temple that is popularly thought to represent Tipu Sultan's religious tolerance. The fort is noted for its beautifully carved arches on the gate walls.Top

Cariappa Memorial Park
As a memorial to Field Marshall K M Cariappa of Karnataka, the Cariappa Park was laid out in 1996 in a portion of the parade grounds between M.G. Road and Cubbon Road. Spread over 22 acres, the park has six segments, an entrance plaza and a seven-foot monolithic monument of Cariappa. There is a huge man-made waterfall and a pond that attracts birds to the park. At the bandstand which is an elevated lawn, six military bands perform every fortnight. The grassy dunes around the bandstand provide comfortable seating for the public. The garden is maintained by various divisions of the army. A play area has been scientifically created in military style to improve physical strength and mental co-ordination of children. There are sand pits, a spider web, Tarzan-swing, Burma bridge, zigzag tunnels and balance bars.A walker's track, paved with cobblestones, is 1.8 km long. About 3000 species of plants and trees, both indigenous and imported, can be found here. In an effort to be eco-friendly, no chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used for growth or maintenance of the plants. Cariappa Memorial Park is open to public on Saturdays between 1 pm and 7 pm, on Sundays between 9 am and 7 pm, and during the rest of the days between 5.30 pm and 8 pm. Eatables, drinks and pets are not allowed inside.

Lalbagh Park
Surrounding one of the towers erected by Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore, is the 240 acre landscaped Lalbagh gardens. Haider Ali, the warrior-king of Mysore, decided to create this garden in 1740 on the lines of the Mughal Gardens that were popular during his time. The park has some rare species of plants brought from Persia, Afghanistan and France. Hyder Ali's son, Tipu Sultan, added to the beauty of the garden by publicizing his wish to receive much-sought-after species of plants from visiting dignitaries.With an intricate watering system for irrigation, Lalbagh is aesthetically designed, with lawns, flower beds, lotus pools and fountains. Most of the centuries old trees are labelled for easy identification.During season, the rose garden is beautiful to behold. Apparently, when the young Tipu saw this profusely flowering rose garden he exclaimed, "Lalbagh!" and that is how Lalbagh got its name. While walking around, do not miss the Lalbagh Rock, one of the oldest rock formations on earth, actually dating back to 3000 million years! The Glass House, a later addition to the Garden, now hosts a permanent flower show which is in addition to the extravaganza held every year on Independence Day and Republic Day. The Lalbagh Botanical Gardens, as it is called now, is open to public from 9 am to 6 pm for a nominal fee of Rs. 2 for persons above 12 years. In addition, for the benefit of early morning joggers and fitness freaks, the gates are open from 6 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 7 pm, when entry is free of charge. Entry for school children and the disabled is also free.

Bannerghatta National Park
Going to a zoo can be a vastly different experience from seeing animals in the wild. Although the Bannerghatta Park is not on the scale of the Jim Corbett National Park, it does give nature lovers a glimpse of wild animals in their natural habitat. Situated 25 km from the heart of the city, its main attractions are bison, lions, elephants and panthers among other wildlife. It also has a Serpentarium and a crocodile farm. Being a picnic spot, it is always teeming with people. The park officials organize a Lion Safari for those interested.

Bal Bhavan
Bal Bhavan, within the Cubbon Park, is an imaginatively planned amusement park and recreation centre for the young. Children will enjoy the 1.5 km long ride on a toy train through the park. They can also visit the Doll's museum which has an interesting collection of dolls and toys from all over the world. A mini park has swings, horse rides and tree houses. To trigger the enquiring mind there is a 20 million year old tree, a gift from the Geological Survey of India. The Vijayaranga Theatre screens children's films and stages plays. Craft and hobby classes for children are also conducted in Bal Bhavan.

Cubbon Park
On a grassy expanse over a few hundred acres in the centre of Bangalore is Cubbon Park, planned and laid out in 1864 by Sir Richard Sankey, the then Chief Engineer of Mysore. It is named after Sir Mark Cubbon, Bangalore's longest serving Commissioner. Lawns with vibrant flower beds, shady bowers and flowering trees make this an ideal place for fitness freaks and the elderly to take their morning jogs or evening walks. The Park has elegant classical buildings like Attara Kacheri (the Karnataka High Court) and the Visveswaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Government Museum, Aquarium, Venkatappa Art Gallery and Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, all of which are well known. Besid es these, it also houses Bal Bhavan - an amusement park for children.Cubbon Park is open to the public at all times, but is closed to traffic from 5 am to 8 am every day.

ISKCONThe International Society for Krishna Consciousness or ISKCON Temple Complex of Bangalore is a marvellous building structure that has blended the Dravidian and modern architecture in its construction. The building has some of the modern facilities like the multi-vision cinema theatre, computer aided presentation theatres along with vedic library and a preaching library. The temple also has good accommodation facility for its members and non-members.

Shiva StatueThe statue is a 65 feet high depiction of Lord Shiva in a position of Padmashan or Lotus position. The statue is complete with Mount Kailash, the Lord's heavenly abode and the river Ganga flowing from his matted locks in the background. The entire area gives you a clear picture of the mythological legend related to it.

Bull templeThe Bull Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva's Vahana (vehicle), Nandi the bull. Here you can find a huge monolithic statue of the sitting bull that draws a large number of people to this place every day. The statue is 4.5 meters tall and 6 meters long and has been at this place long before the present temple was built. AquariumThe sight of the Aquarium, which is the second largest in the country, is quite fascinating. Built in a well-planned manner, the Aquarium has a good collection of a variety of aquatic life. The Aquarium remains closed on Mondays.Jawaharlal Nehru PlanetariumAmong the other places to visit, the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium is a must see. Visiting any of the shows here gives you a good view as well as factual knowledge on astronomy. Easily accessible from any corner of the city, the planetarium hosts daily shows of astronomy. It is a fascinating experience for the children.

Places to visit near Bangalore

For the travel-bugs I have compiled a list of places around Bangalore that are worth paying visit over the weekends. The places here are ideal for the ones who want to go somewhere but do not have enough time to travel long distances. They require a max of 4-5 hours drive. So, wake up on a Saturday morning and drive out. Anyone who can contribute with some other noteworthy places, please add to the list. i will also try to provide pictures for each of them. If you have any images, do add them

Bannerghatta National Park (22km)The park is situated in a picturesque surrounding with a variety of fauna, at Anekal Road. The main attractions are bisons, Elephants, Baboons, Panthers, Jackals and Lion taled Monkeys. The park has a snake park and lion and tiger safari.Open 0900 - 1200, 1400 - 1700, Closed on Tuesday. It covers a 100 sq km, has a lion and tiger 'safari' in a 'caged' car. The park also offers elephant rides.

Channapatna (60km)Channapatna is a wonder land of wooden toys. Every person in this town is involved in some aspect of making colourful lacquer wooden toys.
Mekedatu (98km)It is a beautiful picnic spot were river Cauvery offers an unforgettable site. It tumbles down majestically through a deep ravine, on top of which is a chasm around 5meters wide, narrow enough for a goat to leak across. Mekedatu is on Kanakapura Road.

Ramohalli (28km)A little away from the city is Ramohalli, a picturesque picnic spot, that boasts of a 400-year old sprawling banyan tree, spread over 4 acres. The region around Bangalore is dotted with gigantic rock formations, the two notable ones being Shivaganga (4599 ft. high) and Savandurga. The latter used to be a fortress and the hideout of Kempe Gowda.
Hesaraghatta (25km)Hesaraghatta has an artificial lake, a dairy and a horticulture farm. Baoting & windsurfing are the other attractions. Also here is the famous 'Nrityagrama' where young dancers are trained al disciplines of traditional dance.

Shivaganga(56kms)An interesting hill with four faces, rising to a height of 4599ft looks like a Nandi from the East, Ganesh from the West, A Linga from the South and Cobra with it hood spread from the North side. It is accessible by road.

ShivanasamudramThe picturesque waterfalls, the Ganganchukki and the Bharachukki, cascade down 90 meters. These falls are the source of Asia's first Hydro Electric Power Statin called "Shimsa". The falls are in full splendour during July-August. The falls are 22 km from the Bangalore.

Hogenekkal Falls (140km)These are also known as the 'smoking rocks' because of the mist. At the bottom of the 90ft water falls, one can ride in a coracle.

Devarayanadurga (60 kms)This is a hill station of Tumkur road perched at a height of 3940 feet. A few kilometers from foot of the hills is a natural spring called "Namada Chilume". On the Bangalore /Mumbai national Highway near Dobbospet (50km) take a right turn and proceed to devarayanadurga.

Kolar Gold Fields98 Km east of the city and south of Kolar town. Prior permission is required to visit the field. Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation, Banglore can arrange the permission. Visitors are Permitted only on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from October to February. Children below 10 years are not permitted. It is world's deepest gold mine. It is 2,400 meter below the surface and oldest in the country.

Srirangapatna15 kms from Mysore is the old capital of Tipu Sultan, Srirangapatna. Its fort bears witness to the Tiger of Mysore's last battle against the British. His mausoleum, the Gumbaz, which sports ivory inlaid doors and the famous tiger-striped emblem is also nearby. Near Srirangapatna is the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.

Somnathpur40 kms away from Mysore is the Somnathpur Temple, a star-shaped structure built in 1260 A.D, an outstanding example of Hoysala architecture.
Ramanagaram49 kms from Bangalore city, Ramanagaram is famous for its rock formations, a great attraction for rock climbers. Ramanagaram is also an important silk cocoon market.Hassan194 kms from Bangalore is Hassan, from where one can go to Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is a famous Jain pilgrimage with a 17m high monolith of lord Bahubali standing tall.

Uttara Kannada Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka is nearer to Goa which shares the boarder at North east direction. The district headquarter is Karwar and has got an excellent beach resort. The distance between Bangalore and Karwar is nearly 530kms towards west. The journey will be through thick western ghats. Below are some important visiting places in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka state.

Murdeswar is Located at west coast, famous for shiva temple and huge statue of Eshwara, sea journey for island visit is available. Bhairavakshetra in Yana is a pilgrim place where shrine of Bhairaveswara is located, trecking place. Banvasi (border of Shimoga) is famous for Madhukeswara temple, Veerabhadra temple, Buddhist stupa, Jain icons and idols. Chennabasaveshwara temple at Ulavi is a pilgrim centre. Honnavar is a coastal area famous for Apsara Konda falls, Idagunji Ganapathi temple. Wild life sanctuary at Dandeli is spread over 205 Sq.kms. This area is also famous for Suspension bridge, caves and Sykes point. Kali river valley is a gorgeous place for viewing the river belt (boating on this river available at Karwar). Magod, Lushington and Sathodi water falls. Natural Shivalinga at Kavala Caves. Gokarna is famous for Ganesha, Ravana, and Mahabaleshwar temples (which is considered next in sanctity to Kashi Vishwanatha temple). Kudle, Om, Baithkola and Dev Bagh beaches have a spectacular sea view and resorts are also available in Dev Bagh. All the beaches are picnic spots. Udupi Udupi is also one of the west coast district of Karnataka state. The famous Chandramouleshwara temple is situated here. The name Udupi came from the name Udupa meaning Moon. The district headquarters Udupi is known as pilgrim centre. The place is also known for its delicious cuisine and the restaurants all over the country. The district headquarters is 420Kms from Bangalore towards West. Nearest airport is Mangalore.

Below are the brief details of visiting places in and around Udupi. Lokanatha and Sri Siddivinayaka (Ganapathi) temples at Hattiangadi. Kollur is famous for Goddess Mukambika (Mookambika) temple, a Hindu pilgrim centre. Mahalingeshwara and Mahaganapathi temples at Padubidri. Anantha Padmanabha temple at Perdur. Beaches at Thrasi, Maravanthe (resorts available) and Malpe (Balarama temple is situated at Malpe). Durga Parameshwari temple at Kamalashile. Trekking at Kudlu Teertha, Arasingaundi (water fall is also present) and Belakal Teertha. Panchalingeshwara and Bette Vinayaka temples at Barkur. Janardhana and Mahakali temples at Ambalapadi. St.Lawrence Church at Attur. Ancient temples and light house at Kaapu. Manipal is famous for educational institutions and is a medical centre. Institute of Yakshagana is situated here. St.Mary's island is a very famous picnic spot where Vasco Da Gama first landed in India. Bhairava temple at Udyawara (a stone pillar called Sthamba Kallu is situated here). Sri Krishna Math, Temple Chariot, Sri Ananthasana Temple, Malpe port, Manipal Museum are located near the Udupi town. Chamarajnagar Chamrajnagar was one of the Taluk headquarters under Mysore district before it became an independent district head quarters. Now, the Chamrajnagar is well known for its hill stations and the temples situated in these hill area. Chamrajnagar is 60Kms from Mysore towards South. Below are some important visiting places in around Chamrajnagar.

Biligirirangana Hills is considered as the Wildlife Santuary, vast hill area with valleys and Biligiri Rangaswami temple is situated here.

Malai Mahadeshwara Hill, famous pilgrim centre, Mahadeshwara temple surrounded by 7 hills. Bandipur is a Wild life Sanctuary, Gopalaswamy Betta (hill) is nearer and spectacular view of Madhumalai and Wayanad forests are visible. Gundal dam constructed between two hills near Biligiri Rangana betta and one more adjacent hill, a picnic spot.

Mandya Mandya district is in between Bangalore and Mysore and on the way from Bangalore towards west. Rich in ugricultural lands as many number of major rivers in southern Karnataka pass through the district. Below are some of the important visiting places in Mandya district. The major attraction in the list of places to visit in this district is Brindavan gardens. This place is also called Krishnarajasagar (KRS) having a dam on the river Kaveri which is one of the biggest dam in India. KRS is only 15 Kms from Mysore district. Balmuri, a picnic spot and nearer to KRS (on the way). Shrirangapattana, famous for Sri Ranganatha temple, Tipu's palace, Tipu's Darya Daulat Bagh, Lal Mahal. This place is very nearer to Mysore on the way to Bangalore. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is also nearer to Mysore and just beside Shrirangapattana. This is on the river Kaveri. Shivanasamudram also called Bluff or Shimsa is famous for Gaganachukki and Bharachukki falls. Melukote, a religious centre, famous for Cheluvarayaswami temple.


You can get more Information on KSTDC and its activities at ;
Karnataka State Tourism Development CorporationNo. 49, 2nd Floor West Entrance, Khanija Bhavan, Race Course Road, Bangalore - 560 001. KARNATAKA, INDIA.Telephone: 91-080-22352901/ 22352902/ 22352903,Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am through 5:30 pm
Fax : 91-080-22352963e-mail:- For General Information: kstdc@vsnl.in

KSTDC Central Reservation Counter Badami House, N.R.Square, Bangalore - 560 002.KARNATAKA, INDIA.Tel : 91-080-2275869 / 2275883 / 22212098. Fax : 91-080-2238016.

KSTDC Central Information Counter City Railway Station, Bangalore - 560 009. Karnataka, India.Tel : 91-080-2870068.

KSTDC Central Information Counter Bangalore Airport,Bangalore 560 008. Karnataka, India. Tel : 91-080-5268012.