Bangalore City

Situated at an altitude of 920 meters above sea level, Bangalore is the principal administrative, cultural, commercial and industrial center of the state of Karnataka. The city, which is spread over an area of 2190 square kilometers, enjoys a pleasant and equable climate throughout the year. Its tree-lined streets and abundant greenery have led to it being called the 'Garden City' of India. However, since local entrepreneurs and the technology giant Texas Instruments discovered its potential as a high-tech city in the early 1980s, Bangalore has seen a major technology boom. It is now home to more than 250 high-tech companies. Including homegrown giants like Wipro and Infosys. Consequently, now Bangalore is called the 'Silicon Valley' of India.

Climate

Bangalore city is located in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, in the southern region of India. It is 3,113 feet (949 m) above sea level, on top of a ridge in the Karnataka plateau. Bangalore is 998 km from Mumbai (Bombay) and 562 km from Hyderabad.

The climate of Bangalore is moderate and pleasant. Summers are mild (April-June) and winters are cool (October-February). The city experiences southwestern monsoon rains in June-August.

Although the weather of Bangalore is pleasant throughout the year, it is best visited in the winters.

Religions and Festivals

Bangalore celebrates regional, national and religious festivals like other parts of the country.

Yugadi :(March or April) The Kannadiga new year day of Yugadi that falls on the second half of March or early April is celebrated with devotion and delight.

Karaga :(March or April) is celebrated with great pomp and ceremony at the Dharmaraya Temple. The Karaga, an earthen pot that stands for the goddess Shakti, is taken out in a procession at night. The pot is immersed in the Sampangi Tank, which is 20 km from the city of Bangalore. (The sakti is worshipped as Draupadi, the daughter of Fire). To test their strength of character, devotees balance pots on their heads. In the main temple procession, held on a full-moon night, a priest dressed as a woman also carries a pot on his head. The procession includes a number of flower covered floats or carts and is certainly worth a photo.

Dussehra (September-October) The pride of Karnataka's festivals is Dossers and lasts for ten days. The rulers of Vijayanagara Empire used to celebrate Dussehra with remarkable brilliance and the rulers of Mysore continued the tradition. It is a unique and significant festival of the Hindus.

Kadalekeya Parishe (November or December) also known as the Groundnut Fair is held once a year at the Bull Temple. This festival is held by the local farmers to show their gratitude to the Nandi bull for staying away from their groundnut production, many years ago. A colourful festival including a ground nut competition it is worth seeing if you are in the area at the time.

National Festivals and Holidays Bangalore also celebrates the national festivals of Independence Day, the Republic Day and Gandhi’s Birthday. Religious festivals like Makara Samkramana, Sri Ramanavami, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Deepavali, Christmas, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha etc. are also celebrated and can prove exciting

Transport

Bangalore's HAL Airport (IATA code: BLR) is India's fourth busiest[32] and functions as both a domestic and international airport. Direct flights from Bangalore fly to destinations in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The liberalisation of India's economic policies has led to increase in the number of domestic carriers within India, with several low-cost carriers such as SpiceJet, Kingfisher Airlines, Jet Airways and Go Air servicing the city. Air Deccan, with its hub in Bangalore, has the most number of flights into and out of Bangalore.

Education

Bangalore is a hub for education for students from all over India and all over the world as well. Institutions here have excelled in the deliverance of high-quality education in various disciplines to enable students to be prepared for a highly competitive working environment after graduation. Whether you’re interested in studying a subject in the Arts, Humanities, Business, Medicine, Science or Computers you can be sure that Bangalore has something for you.

The standard of education is already high and rising rapidly to meet the standard of the new Internet Economy. In addition to the schools and colleges there are computer training centers like NIIT, Wintech, Aptech, Zap and many more to choose from. It’s evident that once you come to Bangalore to study you will be in the fast lane and learn about cutting edge trends in technology in addition to what you are studying.

Among schools some of the best ones are Bishop Cottons (for boys and girls), Baldwins(for boys and girls), Sophia High School for girls, Frank Anthony Public School, Bangalore International School and the Mallya Aditi School. These schools place emphasis on a good academic education as well as extra-curricular activities to provide a well balanced education. It is advisable to book your child’s place in these schools years in advance (maybe before they’re born) as the waiting list is considerably long.

As far as colleges is concerned there are many colleges that provide a decent education and hands-on-training. As far as medical colleges are concerned some of them are Bangalore Medical College, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Science and M.S.Ramaiah Medical College. Some of these are world-famous and offer exchange programs with the leading institutes in the world. Engineering colleges are also well known here and the leading ones are I.I.Sc. (Indian Institute of Science), BIT (Bangalore Institute of Technology), M.Vishweshwaraiah Institute of Technology, B.M.S., Ramaiah Institute of Technology, R.V. College of Engineering and U.V.C.E. They’ll really put you through the grind and teach you the art of engineering. Please scan our list of Schools and Colleges to find the one that best suits your purpose.

Shopping

If you enjoy shopping, you will enjoy Bangalore. From the air-conditioned ambience of super stores like Shopper's Stop and Kemp Fort to the bustling by-lanes of Chickpet, Bangalore has something to offer every kind of shopper. You could find yourself shopping for the some of the biggest brands in the world while strolling down Brigade Road, or you could be engaged in friendly haggling with a shopkeeper for an exquisite silk sari somewhere in the City Market. Whether you are looking for Kancheepuram silk or Swarovski crystal, chances are you will find it in Bangalore. You just need to know where to look.

Given below are some of Bangalore's more popular shopping areas:

Commercial Street

Commercial Street is one of Bangalore's busiest commercial areas. While garment, hosiery and textile stores are in a majority here, you can also find shops selling shoes, art supplies, stationery, novelties, jewellery, travel kits, sports and general goods.

Mahatma Gandhi Road

Known as South Parade in the days of the British, Mahatma Gandhi Road still retains its old world charm, while at the same time exuding the energetic, modern spirit of India's Silicon Valley. Here you can get everything from electronic equipment to books, magazines, photography supplies, silk saris, antiques, textiles, garments and general goods. Shopping Centres to look out for on M. G. Road are Shrungar Shopping Complex, Barton Court, Public Utility Building, Spencer's Super Market, the Coir Board showroom, Natesan's Antiquarts, Kids Kemp, Saree Kemp, Cauvery Arts and Crafts emporium and others.

Brigade Road

Extremely popular with the youth, Brigade Road is a beehive of commercial activity. You can get anything here from electronic equipment like TV sets and music systems to refrigerators, garments, pots and pans, toys, music and shoes. Also located on Brigade road is Poom Puhar, the Tamil Nadu handicrafts showroom.

Residency Road

On Residency Road you can find steel furniture and handicrafts in metal, clay and wood. Quite a few government handicrafts emporia are located on this road. Some of these are: Gangotri, the Uttar Pradesh Government Handicrafts (Ph: 5585055) showroom, offering brassware, wooden furniture, jewelry, etc. Mriganayani, the M. P. Government Emporium (Ph: 5582495), Utkalika, the Orissa Government Handicrafts Emporium (Ph: 5582744) and Gurjari, the Gujarat State Handicrafts Emporium (Ph: 5583425).

Leisure & Entertainment

“Silicon City”, today it has come to be a beautiful fusion between the traditional and the modern. It is a very accommodating city, which very readily accepts people from all walks of life without any discrimination whatsoever. Once you have been to Bangalore it gives you a feeling of belongingness. It feels as though you have been here from a long time and the charm of the place would make it very difficult for you to leave. It is a city where you would find your niche no matter who or what you are. This growth turned this “Silicon City” into a global destination, a city with a very rich cultural and historical background.

Bangalore offers an extensive array of ways to chill out and lighten up; watching the latest Hollywood releases in the placate of some of the best theatres in the country to parasailing at the Jakkur aerodrome, in Bangalore you can do it all. So whether you wish an outdoor bustle, pub hopping, eating out, dancing or just relaxing by the pool at a ritzy resort with your family, Bangalore offers you a host of choices. Theatres, nightclubs, poetry readings, Armani, and why not? good roads and uninterrupted power supply –  make the wonders for the travelers in Silicon city.

Amusement Arcades/Parks

Since the recent explosion of software companies in Bangalore, it has seen a rise in the number of western-style Malls, such as The Forum, Bangalore Central and The Garuda. These malls are evolving as the current "hang-outs" for both the young and the old, with trendy stores, restaurants and the latest crop of clubs. Another change has been the gradual decline of single-screen theaters and the increase of multi-plex theatres, hosted by the same burgeoning malls. The arcades offer facilities like video games, bowling alleys, karaoke parlors, cyber terminals etc. These are mainly places for family entertainment and they include facilities like huge swimming pools and water slides.

The huge shopping malls like the Forum, Multiplexes, beautiful parks and the skyline makes it comparable to any of the beautiful fast growing cities of the world. Bangalore is enriched by the presence of all the major global brands. All the world leaders in the retail consumer segment are present here. This provides the people with a very wide variety and range to choose from.

Sigma Mall on Cunningham road, Bangalore is an international standard family entertainment destination situated in the heart of one of south India's most dynamic city- Bangalore. The mall will offer an exhilarating environment that caters to a wide spectrum of markets- from leisure and entertainment to F&B and shopping. Professionally managed and engineered with the latest infrastructure support, Sigma mall Bangalore is all set to redefine the retailing business.

FORUM means “The Public Square or marketplace of an ancient Roman city that was the assembly place for judicial activity and public business”. This recently evolved shopping mall has given new face to the shopping trend in Bangalore.. Earlier people had Commercial Street, Majestic, Jayanagar 4th Block, MG Road (Mahatma Gandhi Road), and last but not least Brigade Road. People still freak out in Brigade Road on the weekends. This public Square has everything you ask for! Lets say… Eatery, Multi-Media, Grocery, Cool-Joints, Browsing Center, Gift Shop, Electronics, Clothing, Computers, Bakery, Theater, Fast Food, Video Gaming.

Music of the Bangalore City Musicians

Bangalore had it's own charm, being a Military Cantonment in the Colonial days, there were good chances that many musicians settled here to play in the Brass Bands, both at dances as well as in the Band-stands that can be found at Cubbon Park and Lalbaugh, apart from duties in the Regiment of performing for a March, Drill Parade, or just to keep the troops going! Guess, many of the talents were handed down from generation to generation, but basically it was a spirit of music in Bangalore that surfaced all the time.

The commercial invasion of music for the "generation", it's a mind-blowing experience, and a lot of hard cash, so one would think that music is for the rich, even if the talent could lie with the poor! But the 'vibes' are so strong.

Resorts and Spas

India, the land of beauty, has combined health and beauty. As a result, spa holidays have become popular here these days. The word "spa" originates from the Latin term "solus per aqua" which means health through water. This treatment, using natural remedies, gives entirely natural experience with full rejuvenation and recharge.

There are several popular spa resorts promoting spa tourism in India. These spas, away from the stress of the city, are the perfect place to optimize your well being. Here you can experience the magic of the medicinal mineral waters and rejuvenating treatments. This soothes your body, stimulate your mind and strengthen your spirit. At these spa resorts in India, you can enjoy in pure luxury with the world's best specialists in spa treatment

Hotels

Bangalore has cosmic range of hotels to suit every receptacle.  5 Star to semi-luxury and Economy Hotels, situated around the Sankey Road, Kasturba Road, and MG Road area, more over the restaurants and major shopping centers are within easy reach. Most of these hotels insist on a 12 Noon check-in/ checkout time but the budget hotels are more flexible in this regard.

Economy Hotels

 Berry's Hotel, Ashraya International, Hotel Algate,  and New Victoria Hotel etc. ae coming under economy class hotels. Tariffs range from Rs.1000 to Rs.2000 per day for a double room.

Semi-luxury Hotels

The Nahar's Heritage Hotel, Woodlands Hotel , Central Park, Harsha Hotel, Hotel Ramanashree, Nilgiri's Nest and Ivory Tower are  some of the semi-luxury hotels in Bangalore. A double room in one of these could cost anywhere from Rs.2000 to Rs.3000 per day.

5-starHotels

The Taj Residency, Windsor Manor, Sheraton Towers, Oberoi, Ashok, , Le Meridien and the Taj West End. Tariffs at these hotels range from Rs.4000 to Rs.7000 per day for a double room and Rs.7500 to Rs.12,000 for a suite.

House

Setting up a home in Bangalore can be a challenging experience, but comfortable accommodation can be arranged most anywhere.  A recent building boom, and the emergence of a moneyed middle class, has meant that good to excellent housing is widely available.  If you're a foreigner you cannot own land so you'll be renting a place.

In larger centers, you may even have a choice between furnished and unfurnished places, and short or longer-term rentals.  If you are here for a comparatively short time, the furnished option may be attractive, though you may have little choice in the style of décor.  Even if you are getting your own place, a short-term rental may be preferable to staying in a hotel for a few weeks while your place is found and kitted out.  Finding a place with a telephone already installed, and/or a cooking gas connection, is also useful.  Getting these basic amenities hooked up can be trying.

The rental process

The rental process is usually straightforward.  Houses are rented to companies or individuals on an 11-month basis (avoids legalities) with a lease agreement.  A rental deposit is standard and is unusually high by Western standards.  It varies with the city, the standard of housing, and the rental demand.  For example, the deposit expected equals 10 months of rent in Bangalore but only 2 or 3 months in Hyderabad.  The lease usually specifies an annual increase of, say, 10 percent.

In Bangalore you would we looking at Rs 15,000 to 30,000 if you were conveniently located in the Cantonment area.  Detached houses would be Rs 50,000 to 100,000.  The real kicker is the 10 months deposit most people want. It is not a cheap place to live

The Promised Land

 If you live to eat, this is the Promised Land. Japanese, Greek, Persian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Parsee are as familiar to the palate, as are Chinese, Thai and Italian. The restaurants catering to these cuisines are respectful of insatiable appetite for fine food that is served with taste and decency, not to mention theology and geometry.

 Haven’t read it? Haven’t lived then, have you? Can man live by bread alone? Not unless it is topped by the cheese of excess. But, Bangaloreans wouldn’t do for a wild party that goes on into the AM where one can commit the sins that good memories are made of, and accompanied by the wine of good taste.

Cuisine

The diversity of the cousine available, is, reflective of the social and economic diversity of Bangalore. Roadside vendors, tea stalls, South Indian, North Indian, Chinese and Western fast food are all very popular in the city. Udupi restaurants, are very popular and serve predominantly vegetarian cuisine. The Chinese food and the Thai food served in most of the restaurants are customized to cater to the tastes of the Indian population.

Some of the renowned traditional Bangalore vegetarian restaurants are MTR (Mavalli Tiffin Room), Vidyarthi Bhavan, Udupi Krishna Bhavan, Ramakrishna Lunch Home, New Krishna Bhavan, Janatha Hotel, Central Tiffin Room etc.

 Restaurants at Janardhana Hotel and Chalukya Hotel and Ullas to name a few. The masala dosa - rice pancake smeared with red chilly chutney and stuffed with potato curry, 'set dosa' - 3 medium sized dosas, 'benne masalae' - thick rice pancake prepared with butter - are some of the local favorites and few stake the origin of these dishes from Bangalore. Bisi Bele Bath, Rava Idli, the spicy Uppittu/Uppuma - served as Khara Bath in most of the restaurants are some of the other local favorites. Some of the bakeries in Bangalore are also quite popular for a quick snack.

Pubs and Clubs

The restaurants in Bangalore are second to none, what the city is really famous for are its pubs. Wherever you may be in Bangalore, a pub is usually just a stone's throw away. And whether it is a basic, no-frills kind of place or an up-market meeting place for the elite, you can be assured of good beer, good service and a good atmosphere.

Bangalore has an active night culture and is home to over 200 clubs and bars. The city is also referred to by many as the "Pub Capital of India". Popular nightspots in Bangalore include Pecos, The Club Inferno and TGIF.

Bangalore has a number of elite clubs, like the Bangalore Golf Club, Bowring Institute, Karnataka Golf Association, the Karnataka State Cricket Club and the bangalore Club which is so exclusive, it has a 25 year waiting list and counts among its previous members Winston Churchill and the Maharajah of Mysore. Recent times have seen the springing up of a number of weekend resorts in and around Bangalore.

Some of the older clubs in Bangalore are: The Century Club and the Bowring Institute.

Some of the newer clubs and resorts include California Resorts, Eagleton Golf Village, Karnataka Golf Association, The Club, Manipal County, and Club Cabana.

Movie halls

Movies are zeal with the people of Bangalore. There are more than 90 cinema halls all over the city, which screen movies in many languages. So if you enjoy watching films, Bangalore has a lot to offer you.

The Cinema of Karnataka encompasses movies made in the Indian state of Karnataka. Most of the movies are made in the Kannada language, with a handful of them in Konkani or Tulu. While not as large as Bollywood, Kannada films form an important component of the Cinema of India.

The most popular actor in Kannada films was late Dr. Rajkumar or "Dr. Raj", as he is known to his fans. He had acted in over 200 movies and is a recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

Discos

The unparalleled IT rumbles in Bangalore has fascinated a great amount of young professionals to the city. Only just out of college and with a great disposable income, these teenagers consider in working hard and playing even harder. Come Friday night and they head towards one of Bangalore's many discos to dance their melancholy away.

Outdoor Activity

Then Bangalore is a good place for adventure activities. Whether your interest is rock climbing, white water rafting camping, trekking, kayaking, Para sailing, hang-gliding or parachuting, you can get all your thrills here.

Karnataka is a charming place with a combination of rich cultures, crafts, and heritage centers. Bangalore enjoys the reputation of being a modern, high-tech city; it still offers a lot of places of historical interest for the avid sightseer to explore.

A trip around the city can be a very interesting and provides a varied sightseeing experience. Palaces, museums, temples, churches, gardens, in Bangalore you can see them all. The Bangalore Race Course is one of the finest in India. Some of the biggest field stakes can be witnessed here. The racing season lasts from November to March and May and June.

 Lalbagh in Bangalore is a much-loved place for the famed annual flower show. Laid out in 1760 by Hyder Ali. The flower show is held every August at the 18, 000 sq. ft. Glasshouse in Lalbagh. The first show was held in 1922, and since then flower shows have engrossed visitors habitually on Independence Day and Republic Day. The pink cassias, golden acacias, purple jacarandas, flame-orange gulmohars and a huge variety of roses are a joy to behold.

Falls

Jog Falls: The Jog in Shimoga District is the tallest water falls in India where the river Sharavati jumps from a height of 293 mts. into four beautiful cascades. The best time to visit is only during July to October.

The Cauvery at Shivasamudra falls (in Mandya district) has twin jumps, Gaganachukki and Bharachukki, one km away from each other and their water has been harnessed for production of power from 1901. The river Shimsha, a tributary of the Cauvery, has its fall in Malavalli taluk in Mandya district.

Abbi Falls is 5 km away from Madikeri, Kodagu district that is a perennial hill-station. The Irrupu falls, 48 km from Virajpet in Kodagu District, is bounded by scenic locals.

Chikmagalur district has many waterfalls. The hill stations at Kemmannagundi have the Hebbe Falls jumping down from a height of about 500 feet. Manikyandhara is yet another waterfalls near the famous pilgrim center Baba Budangiri Dattatreya Peetha where water spills down like small balls giving the visitors a memorable shower bath.

Kallatti Falls, 100 km from Kemmanugundi at Kallattipura in Tarikere taluq is another beautiful fall with water leaping down from a height of 400 feet. There is an old Veerabhadra temple very near the fall.

Chunchanakatte Falls: The picturesque Chunchanakatte Falls in Mysore district is at the place of the same name, which also has an ancient temple of a Lord Rama close by Uttara Kannada, is famous for its Unchalli (Lushington) fall. Aghanashini River creates this water cascade, which screams down from a height of about 450 feet. It is near Yellapur (19 km. away) in Uttara Kannada Called `Mini Niagara', Gokak Falls is another fall known for its beauty. Cascading from a height of 170 feet, it is famous for its spread and shape. Gokak Falls must be visited in July-August when it will be in full bloom.

Forts

The whole range of ancient capitals of Bidar, Gulbarga, Bijapur, Vijayanagara, Badami, Basava Kalyan, Srirangapattan, Keladi, Chitradurga, Mysore, etc. had their forts.

There are hill forts at the Nandi Hill (Kolar district), Savanadurga (Bangalore district), Madhugiri, Pavagada, Midigeshi in Tumkur district, Ucchangi near Davanagere and Sandur (both in Bellary district), Jamalabad in Dakshina Karnataka, Manzarabad near Sakleshpur (Hassan district) and Kavaledurga (Shimoga district), Chitradurga Shahapur and Shorapur (Gulbarga district), Nargund fort built by Shivaji (Dharwad district) and Parasgad and Vallabhgad forts (Belgaum district), also raised by Shivaji.

Bangalore, Devanahalli, Magadi (Bangalore district), Aymangala in Chitradurga district, Chikbanavar in Hassan district, Belgaum have fortifications round part of the towns even now. The coastal island forts like Bahadurgad, Basavaraja Durga, Devagad and Kurmagad are as strong as they were in the heydays.

Enjoy your stay in Bangalore - India