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Discover Magical Bangalore

Bangalore is the third largest city in India. Located in southern India on the Deccan Plateau, it is the capital of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India because of its role as the nation's leading information technology (IT) exporter

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» Bangalore Fort (Kempegowda's Fort)

This stronghold in the center of Bangalore is one of the best ways to access the city's historical roots. Though only one of the four constructed gates still remains, a stroll through this area tells the story of Bangalore's past and resistance to British rule. It was built by Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore, in 1537 as a mud fort to protect citizens during an invasion and was converted to a stone fort in 1761. It was then a stronghold of Tipu Sultan, whose palace still stands on the fort grounds. Captured by the army of the British East India Company in 1791 …

» Bangalore Palace (Bengaluru Palace)

The Bangalore Palace is one of the city's best-known landmarks and one of the former homes of the royal family of Mysore. Five generations of the Wadiyar family had ruled over a large part of South India for over 500 years during the powerful Mysore kingdom. A visit to the palace offers a glimpse into the private world of one of India's royal dynasties. The palace is situated in enormous grounds of over 450 acres and is set in a large landscaped garden …

» Bannerghatta National Park

Bannerghatta National Park is one of the largest and most well-conserved wildlife areas in India, home to both a zoo and a biological reserve spanning more than 25,000 acres. Visitors can interact with native wildlife through a number of facilities or on a guided safari through the area. Surrounded by the Talli Reserve Forest to the east and the Bilikal Forest to the south, the hilly terrain of the park is lush with forests, valleys and scrubland. Elephants often pass between the two forests, making for more frequent sightings …

» Chitrakala Parishath Art Gallery

This art institution promotes Indian cultural heritage throughout a total of 13 museums, each housing different collections. Exhibitions on both the state and national level range from traditional Mysore paintings and sculptures to folk and tribal art from across Asia. The galleries host a wide range of Indian and international contemporary art, including a collection of leather puppetry and an extensive display of Russian artist Nicholas Roerich's paintings of the Himalayas. Other notable collections include the works of Kejriwal, Kukke and Krishna Reddy …

» Cubbon Park

Cubbon Park is a 300-acre (121-hectare) oasis located in the heart of Bangalore just off the city's main thoroughfare, MG Road. The park is a hive of activity in the early mornings when people come here for their morning walks and then again in the early evenings when the walkers descend again. With close to a hundred different species of plants and trees, this is also a favorite haunt for nature lovers and birdwatchers. The park is painted a different color each season …

» Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain

This large computerized musical fountain, named after India' s only female Prime Minister, is the first of its kind in India. It has been delighting visitors with water synchronized to dance rhythmically with music since its construction in 1975. With a hydraulic pumping system that controls three distinct levels and recycles the water, the fountains produce a show of color, light, and sound that is a unique visual experience. There is a seating capacity of around 900 people, with an average of 500 visiting on weekends. Laser lights and a wide screen with additional visuals …

» ISKCON Temple

The ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness - also known as the 'Hare Krishna' movement) temple is a massive complex perched on a hilltop and one of the largest ISKCON temples in the world. Dedicated to the god Krishna and his consort Radha, its official name is Sri Radha Krishnachandra temple, but it's more popularly known as the ISKCON temple and is one of the city's best-known places of worship. The temple opened its doors in 1997, becoming not only the center of the ISKCON movement's spiritual, educational and cultural activities …

» Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium

Visitors to Bangalore's planetarium can view the night sky as seen by the naked eye, on a projection of the night sky on a 49 foot (15 meter) diameter dome. Projectors show constellations and other celestial sights in great detail. Daily shows exploring the solar system, or a visit to Mars, are available in the 'Sky Theater,' which is also used to teach astronomy. Managed by the Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE,) the planetarium holds frequent viewings of astronomical events such as solar eclipses, comets, and planetary transitions …

» Kaveri River

Known also by its English name Cauvery, this large river holds significance in Indian culture and history and provides extensive irrigation to southern India. The river covers a distance of about 475 miles (765 km) and flows through the Indian states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu before emerging in the Bay of Bengal. Many legends exist about how the Kaveri came into being. It is believed to meet up with the Ganges River and is considered sacred by many who believe it also has the power to wash away sins …

» Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

The Lalbagh Botanical Gardens provide a picturesque and peaceful respite from hectic city life. The 240 acres of green space are a paradise for the morning walkers and shy lovers who come here to stroll along paths lined with majestic trees, past lotus ponds and water fountains, and occupy the benches hidden under flowering creepers. The many tropical plants and exotic flowers are a delight for nature lovers …

» Mysore

This city of palaces was once the capital of the great Mysore kingdom which ruled over a large part of South India for more than 500 years. This small and charming city still has a regal air, with its wide tree-lined avenues and many magnificent palaces and heritage buildings which are the vestiges of its royal past. Mysore gets its name from 'Mahishuru,' which means 'abode of the Mahisha', the evil demon who was defeated by the goddess Chamundeshwari in a 10-day long battle …

» Mysore Palace

One of the grandest palaces in India, Mysore Palace is one of the most visited sites in India after the Taj Mahal. It is the former seat of the Wodeyar Maharajas, who ruled Mysore from 1399 to 1950. Though it was destroyed in a fire in 1897, the palace was restored by English architect Henry Irwin in 1912 and today retains its former glory. With its marble domes and 145-foot, five-story tower, it is one of the finest examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture in the country. Mysore Palace is also known as the Amba Villas and the 'City of Palaces' …

» National Gallery of Modern Art

Formerly the Manikyavelu Mansion and once property of the Mysore royal family, the Indian government opened this modern museum showcasing the trajectory of Indian art in 2009. Visitors can view works by Raja Ravi Verma, Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher-gil, Jamini Roy, Gagendranath Tagaore, and M.F. Hussain. There are various paintings, sculptures, photographs, and prints ranging from the 18th century to current artistic trends in the museum's permanent collection. Collectively the artworks show the development of modernism in Indian art …

» Ragigudda Anjaneya Temple

Up a hillock lies this ornate temple dedicated to the Hindu god Hanuman. Resembling a monkey, Hanuman is worshipped for various benefits, including health, wealth, happiness, and success. There are also shrines devoted to Shiva, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. It is believed that a heap of ragi (a food grain) was turned into a stone, giving the temple its name. It was then that the Hindu holy trinity Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva turned themselves into stone to remain at the temple site. These large stones now bear engravings representing this trinity …

» Srirangapatna

Srirangapatna (Srirangapatnam) is an island in the middle of the sacred Cauvery River. This is a place of great historical, cultural and religious significance. This was once a capital of the Kingdom of Mysore during the rule of Tipu Sultan and the site of many important historical buildings. Once a fortified city, the remains of Tipu's Fort can still be seen today. The fort is a complex housing several important monuments and buildings …

» Tipu's Summer Palace (Daria Daulat Bagh)

Set in beautifully landscaped gardens, Daria Daulat Bagh is the summer palace of Tipu Sultan, a former ruler of Mysore state, located in a scenic and peaceful location near the banks of the Cauvery river in Srirangapatna. Meaning 'the wealth of the river', an allusion to its proximity to the river, Daria Daulat Bagh was built in 1794 to commemorate the victory of Tipu Sultan's army over the British. The palace is built mostly of teak wood in the Indo-Sarcenic style …

» Tipu Sultan's Palace

Tipu Sultan's Palace was built in the late 18th century as a summer retreat for this former ruler of the kingdom of Mysore. Part of a larger complex which once made up the Bangalore Fort, the palace dates back to 1791 and is a superb example of Indo-Islamic architecture. The two-story palace is made mostly of teak wood, with many intricately carved double pillars and elegant archways. Four stairways climb up to the long, pillared porch and protruding balconies which overlook the peaceful gardens from which Tipu Sultan once addressed his subjects below …

» Vidhana Soudha

The Vidhana Soudha houses the legislature of the state of Karnataka and as the biggest legislative building in India. The locals are particularly proud of this important city landmark. This imposing building is made of granite in a neo-Dravidian style with a few Indo-Saracenic architectural elements thrown in, like its golden dome. Surrounded by gardens, it stands on a 60-acre site. The construction of the Vidhana Soudha started in 1951 …

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