Bangalore
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Contents |
Understand
The earliest records of a place named 'Bengalooru' were found in a 9th century temple in an area that is now known as 'Old Bangalore'. Once, while the feudal lord Kempe Gowda was hunting in the area, a rabbit turned and attacked his dog. This made a great impression on the lord and he named the place gandu bhoomi (the place of heroes) and in 1537, with the assistance of the local king, he constructed three districts protected by a walled fort on the site.
During the next three centuries, Bangalore existed very much in the shadow of its neighboring city Mysore, and control of the town changed hands many times. The year 1831 marked a major turning point for the city. Claiming misrule by King Krishna raja Wodeyar III, the British took control of the Mysore Kingdom and, possibly influenced by the city's mild climate, moved the administrative capital to Bangalore. New telecommunication systems were laid, rail connections built, fine government buildings constructed and the city's famous parks and gardens established. After independence, Bangalore maintained its position as Karnataka state capital and continued to flourish.
For many years, Bangalore was known throughout India as the most green, liberal and forward-thinking city. In recent years, these attributes have propelled Bangalore to the forefront of the high-tech industry boom in India, and it currently ranks as India's most developed city and one of the world's fastest growing urban areas.
The name Bangalore appears to come from an Anglicization of adaptations of the original name in Kannada - Benda Kaal Ooru, which roughly translates as boiled beans. Apparently this rather humble name was bequeathed to the city by King Vira Ballala. Once while lost in the area, he was offered boiled beans by an old woman, and it was out of gratitude that he named the area after this simple offering.
Districts
Bangalore is made up of two districts, Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural.
Epithets
Bangalore, called "The Garden City" during the 20th century, has now gained recognition as the Silicon valley of India has many other epithets to its credit, which may soon earn it the City with many epithets epithet.
Some Popular epithets
- Pensioner's Paradise: reminds Bangaloreans of the time when it was a sleepy old city with very little to zero pollution, no competition for its resources, low crime rate, wide roads lined with shady trees and pleasant weather all ideal for a quiet retirement.
- Pub City: With its many pubs and bars, and also with the city being the headquarters of United Breweries, makers of the popular Kingfisher Beer, Bangalore is a drinker's dream.
- Garden City: was once the epithet Bangalore proudly showed before rising population and pollution reduced the amount of greenspace and Bangaloreans quietly began referring to their city as the Silicon valley of India.
But of late, there has been an increase in parks around residential areas, which may see Bangaloreans proudly reclaiming this epithet.
Some Facts
Area: 365.6 square kilometers Altitude: 3000 ft. above sea level Geographical Location: Latitudinal Parallels: 12 degree 8' N Longitudinal Meridians: 77 degree 37' E Climate: March to May (warmest months) December to January (coldest months) June to September (rainy - South-West Monsoon) November to December (rainy - North-East Monsoon) Temperature: Highest maximum of 33 degree C to lowest minimum of 14 degree C Language: Regional Language: Kannada
Kannada, English, Hindi, Telugu and Tamil are widely spoken and understood Population: Around 6.5 million
Get in
By Air
Bangalore has a domestic airport and caters to certain international flights too. Among others, notable direct flights are between Bangalore and Frankfurt on Lufthansa, and Bangalore and Singapore on Silk Air (Singapore Airlines), Bangalore and Kuala Lumpur (KL) on Malaysian Airlines, Bangalore and London on British Airways and Bangalore and Bangkok on Thai Airways. British Airways has five flights a week to London and Lufthansa now has daily flights connecting Bangalore and Frankfurt. Recently, Air France has started operating flights between Bangalore and Paris.
Proposal for an International Airport in Bangalore has been accepted and construction is underway at Devanahalli, 30 km north of downtown Bangalore. The Airport will be ready in the first quarter of 2008.
Indian Airlines now renamed as Indian connects Bangalore with all parts of the country. In addition, Jet Airways and Sahara are other two major domestic airlines that fly into Bangalore from other major cities. Air Deccan is a popular no frills airlines that operates to most cities and large towns. [1] Kingfisher Airines is a Bangalore based discount airline company, offering regular flights between Bangalore, Delhi, Goa and Mumbai.
By train
The Bangalore City railway station is situated in the centre of the city, around the Majestic Bus stand and all trains, local and out-bound arrive and depart from here. A new terminal at the Yeswantpur railway station not very far away away from the main railway station is growing and there are a few outbound trains that regularly arrive and depart from it.
Bangalore also has a railway station in the Cantonment Area, called the Cantonment Railway Station - this is centrally located and in a better part of town. Not all trains stop here, though. However, there is a proposal to develop this into a new hub, in order to ease congestion out of the ever bustling Bangalore station.
Bookings can be done at either the railway station or at a few of Indian Railways booking counters at major residential areas. Booking can also be done online from the Indian Railways site. Note that if you are booking at Bangalore Central and are travelling to Mysore, there is a different line for travellers to Mysore and travellers to all other destinations. This is to cater for the large amount of travellers between Bangalore and Mysore. If travelling to Mysore on a Sunday afternoon, arrive early as there is usually a long line for buying tickets!
Make sure which railway station your train departs from.
And bring some patience for delays.
By bus
Bangalore bus stand is well-maintained and conveniently located opposite the city railway station. Officially named after the founder of Bangalore, 'Kempegowda' but more commonly known as 'the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus stand,' it handles buses that connect Bangalore to all major cities and states in south India. The main bus stand of 'the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) ,' which maintains bus services within the city, is located next to the 'Majestic Bus stand'.
There are frequent services of inner and outer-state buses. The standard of vehicles ranges from the most basic and economical to semi-deluxe and even plush Volvo buses.
By car
Get your own car, go to petrol station, fill the tank with speed high octane fuel and zip away. Petrol prices in India as everywhere in the world reflect world oil pr 2000 ices, so don't expect it to be cheaper than in western countries. In fact, petrol is more expensive in India than in the US (even after taking the recent hike in gas prices in the US into account).
Get around
Pick up a copy of City Guide when you see it. It is generally available at a lot of places (hotels and stores), but not guaranteed to be found at any! It is a monthly publication, and is a mini yellow pages, but is up to date. Even an older copy is useful--so ask in Bangalore are cheap and usually frequent. There are 4 major Bus stands: Majestic Bus stand near Gandhi Nagar is close to the railway station and is quite neatly organised and is easily navigable. City Market is around 2 to 3 kms away from Majestic and could daunt newcomers, since it is very disorganised. Shivajinagar in the north and Jayanagar 4th Block in the south have Bus stands as well. Most Bus stops in the city are undergoing a revamp and have good display depicting the buses that frequent the stop and the name of the stop.
By auto-rickshaw
Autos are quite frequent and are usually found clustered near bus stands, prominent roads,etc., Autos charge according to the meter, and you should simply refuse to board if the meter is faulty or the driver refuses to use it. Autos add a 50% surcharge after 10 PM. Some drivers may demand 100% surcharge after 10 PM or 11 PM but one must refuse to board in such a case. Heavy luggage will incur an additional fare, usually around Rs.10 or 20. Nowadays a lot of auto-rickshaws come fitted with an electronic fare meter. If you want to take an auto-rickshaw, it is better to look for one with an electronic fare meter - these meters are generally accurate. A few auto-rickshaw drivers are ill-mannered, and you should be careful when dealing with them. Note that the new digital meters already show the corrected price for the trip (1.5x) after 10PM. Although Bangalorians are known for their polite and mild manners, auto drivers are an exception. Therefore to avoid conflict, consider taking taxis.
See
Landmarks
- Vidhana Soudha - The legislative House of the State of Karnataka, this granite building was built by Sri K. Hanumanthaiya, Chief Minister of the then Mysore state 1951 to 1956. The then Prime Minister Sri Pandit Jawaharalal Nehru laid the foundation on 13th July 1951. It was built at an expenditure of Rs 1.84 crores. Marvel of neo-Dravidian architecture and one of the most imposing building not only in Bangalore but in India. One of the interesting feature of this building in grand stairs in its front. The grand stairs has a flight of forty-five steps 204 feet wide 70 feet deep giving a direct access to the foyer of first floor leading to an Assembly Chamber. The architecture of the building is based on Dravidian style, comprising richly carved bases and capitals for pillars, deep friezes, kapotha cornices, chaithya arches, heavy pediments domical finials, etc; At the same time, the construction has been on modern designs, making use of the present-day materials like steel, reinforced cement concrete glass, plastic, etc.
- Vikasa Soudha - Is it possible to gild a lily? Well you judge for yourself. This ultra modern construction, adjacent to majestic Vidhana Soudha built in the same classic style, is supposed to come fitted with the latest gizmos to help govern the state. It was inaugurated sometime in February 2005.
- Seshdari Iyer Memorial is a distinctive building constructed of red sand stone in Cubbon Park. It houses a public library and the Bangalore High Court, while the grounds include a children's recreation area with a toy train, fairground and theater.
- The Bull Temple is a typical Dravidian style temple, and is famous for its mammoth bull statue that was carved from a single boulder. Legend has it that the temple was built to appease a marauding bull that stole local crops, and that the offering was effective with the bull subsequently leaving the area. Since then, local farmers have held an annual festival to express their gratitude.
- The Bangalore Palace a royal palace belonging to the Maharajahs of Mysore, for many years neglected as a tourist attraction is open to the public.
Parks
- The Lal Bagh is a meticulously cared for garden located on the southern fringes of the city. Throughout its 240 acres, there are lotus ponds, fountains, glass houses and stone formations that date back over 3000 million years. Described as the most romantic garden in India, it was laid during the 18th century by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. There is a small entrance fee.
- Cubbon Park is a 300 acre green lung in the center of the city. Sitting in the shade of one its many magnificent trees and watching towering bamboo sway in the breeze, it is hard to imagine that you in the heart of a metropolis of over 6,000,000 people and one of the world's most dynamic and fastest growing cities.
Get out
A tourist who travels to Bangalore will find an added bonus in a rich variety of activities that they can do close to and around Bangalore. There are lovely trekking spots, a wide range of waterfalls and scenic locations, picturesque drives close to and around this city. Some are mentioned below in detail.
Close and around
Supa Dam: Canoeing on Supa Reservoir The Back water of the Supa dam is formed on the Kali River . The river originates at Dighi close to Ganeshgudi and flows through the Dandeli wildlife sanctuary before it opens out into the Arabian Sea in Karwar. The water is warm and friendly.
Operators:
- Getoffurass 472, Sri Krishna temple street, Indira nagar 1st stage, Bangaloore 38. +91 80 51161600, +91 80 26722750. ( <contact@getoffurass.com>) [2]
Weekend Travel
- The most popular daytrip from Bangalore is Mysore. With a good guide, you can even combine this with a visit to Somnathpur. This small, off-road village hosts a wonderful temple from 1286 . If you have not visited India before and end up in Bangalore this is the ideal start to see some Indian culture and agriculture.
Other trips you can make are to
Yelagiri Hills
Yelagiri is a peaceful hill station in Tamil Nadu, 160 km from Bangalore. If you think that places like Ooty are mercilessly commercialised then Yelagiri hills is a peaceful, sleepy retreat where everything is in slow motion. It is a sleepy hill retreat as yet unspoilt by wanton commercialisation. One can find some 10 nice places of stay in Yelagiri. I would recommend Rainbow Resorts which is a cozy place tucked even further into the hillside. Budget travellers can check out Nigress hotel which provides comfortable rooms (with attached dining/sitting area, badminton court etc for Rs500/- [as in July 2005])
Getting There : Route is Bangalore -(40km)- hosur -(70km) krishnagiri -(40km) Vanayambadi -(20km) Yelagiri. (distances are approx) Highway branches after Krishnagiri and you need to travel on highway going left to reach vanayambadi. Do not be tempted to take the shortcut via Tirupatur as there is a stretch of mud road to navigate and 4 wheelers can get stuck there, plus you won't be saving much time.
The highway from Bangalore till Vanayambadi is a dream... You can cruise along at 120 kmph on 4 lane highway, some stretches of which are even better than US InterStates with 3 lanes + shoulder on each side separated by a wide median. The last 12 km from Vanyambadi - Yelagiri is lovely Ghat(mountain) Road which is wide enough and in good condition with very light traffic.
Things to do: Best is to relax in theme cottages at Rainbow Resort (or anywhere else), watching the misty hills in evening.
There is also a lake where one can enjoy boating ( I would suggest being at lake by 9:00 - 9:30 am to avoid the rush after 10 am).
Next one can move 5 km down on main road to reach the valley view point at SwamyMalai. You will have to park the vehicle at temple on l 2000 eft side of road and trek uphill for an hour or so. The trek is enjoyable passing through local farms with fruit trees near you (u can pluck a pomegranate or Shareefa/sitaphal to nibble upon). do not forget to carry water as there is no water up the hill.
There is also some waterfalls which I hadn't checked out. Ask your hotel front desk or at boat house for instructions about getting to the Falls.
Shivanasamudram
Shivanasamudram is the location of a HydroElectric project, but more pertinently it is also home to a few lovely water falls. The two falls are really majestic in the monsoon season ( I went in August) but there is water year-round.
Getting There : Route is Bangalore - kanakpura -malvalli - Shivasamudram (Approx 120 km) Take the Kanakpura road and drive peacefully till Kanakpura, traffic is slight compared to the other route and this route should be ideal for bikers. After Kanakpura there is a fork in road where left branch goes to Chunchi Falls, you need to take the straight branch (ask someone for direction to Malvalli). Drive through Malvalli is scenic with lush green paddy fields on both side.. (Young/new paddy shoots are the greenest-green you would see in nature.) Anyway take left after Malvalli, you would be reaching the falls in 20 kms or so...
Alternate Route : You can also drive along Mysore road till Maddur and take a left from there towards Malvalli and keep going straight till Shivanasamudram. A bit longer route though road condition would be much better (but you will find lot more traffic as well.)
Things to do: There are 2 falls about 2 km apart, the first one (Bhara Chukki I guess) has also got a Dargah near it. I was able to have a splash in the next fall (I think that one was Gagana Chukki) If the conditions are right (not too much water) then you can walk/trek all the way down to the falls and have a nice swim. Locate a nice shallow area and wade in...
PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN SELECTING A SAFE PLACE AS THERE ARE NO LIFEGUARDS AROUND!!
It would be a good idea to pack your lunch and water as not much is available apart from warm softdrinks.
Chunchi Falls / Sangam / Mekedatu
Around 90 km from Bangalore one can reach Chunchi Falls which are 'Bathable/Playable' falls, meaning that one can jump in and have fun. Non - swimmers can splash in smaller pools upstream from the main falls ( go to second or third upstream pool where depth is around 5 feet) BUT USE YOUR DISCRETION BEFORE TAKING THE PLUNGE. Normally you would get automatic company of small local boys who would escort you down to the falls/pools and expect Rs20-50, they can point out suitable pools and even dive in to show you the actual depth.
Getting There: Move out on Kanakpura road (it's on Banshankari side) and move past kanakpura, you will reach a fork in the road and take the left fork, after travelling 22 km or so on this left fork you would come across a gate sort of structure on the left with small cement board saying Chunchi Falls. The falls are 5 kms from this place. If you are starting from Outer Ring Rd/Kanakpura Rd junction, Kanakpura is 47 kms.
To reach Sangam do not take the Chunchi Fall gate and continue straight on the same road for another 12-15 kms. Around 2 kms stretch on this road is not in a very good shape. Here again the waters are shallow and bathing is safe (Again use your discretion). You can pay Rs 80 to get "Basket Boats" to cross the stream. The other side has a children park, better greenery and a track to walk along the stream.
It would be a good idea to pack your lunch and water as not much is available at Chunchi Falls (you can get omelettes, fish pakoras and cold drink etc at Sangam but not much else)
Nandi Hills
A range of craggy hills (the highest peak being 1,478 m) that hold the shimmering Amrita Samovar Lake and and offer walks of sylvan beauty. A popular health resort today, it was also the place Tipu Sultan and assorted royalty retired to when they sought to escape the din of battle and the heat of the plains. Nandi Hills
The hills are located about 60km north of Bangalore and about 3940 ft above sea level. The deviation road at Oordagere on the Bangalore-Tumkur Road can reach it. On the top of the hill, there are temples dedicated to Sri Ugra Narasimha and Sri Yoga Narasimha. On the lower hill there is a temple dedicated to Sri Bhoga Narasimha. There is a Traveler's Bungalow and a Kalyana Mantap on the top of the hill and a Forest Lodge and Taluk Board T.B. at the foot of the hill.
A flight of 1,175 steps leads from the base of the hills to the top. On top was Tipu Sultan's summer retreat and remains of Tipu's fort bear this out. Tipu's Drop, a 600 metre high cliff face, where prisoners were hurled down the precipice is an awe-inspiring sight.
Sir Mark Cubbon, when he was Commissioner of Bangalore made this his summer residence. Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Queen Elizabeth II were among the other dignitaries who enjoyed their stay here. More recently, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and the SAARC delegates chose this spot for a retreat after their international deliberations. For accommodation at the T.B., contact the Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Tumkur.
There is a motorable road to the top of the hill. There is a fairly extensive plateau with a garden. There are well-furnished bungalows for lodging and good catering establishments. For reservation of accommodation, the Director of Horticulture, Lalbagh, Bangalore- 2, (Ph.90 - 080 - 6611925) may be contacted. Hotel Mayura Pine Top, managed by KSTDC is here. (Ph: 90 - 08156 - 78624).
Do
Learn
Buddhism
- The Maha Bodhi Society has a very active temple in Bangalore. There are teachings on the Dharma in English on the first two and last Sundays of every month from 9:30-11:30AM, while on the 3rd Sunday there is a meditation retreat. Anyone is welcome to attend. The temple also has a good library and a beautiful garden - a great place to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis outside. Address: 14 Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar. Tel:2250684.E-mail: mahabodhi@vsnl.com
Work
Buy
Handicraft
- The Cauvery Arts & Crafts Emporium, 45 M G Road. Tel:2558-1118 is a large store, offering a wide selection of some of Karnataka's best hand made products. The carvings made of Mysore sandlewood are an especially good buy.
- Central Cottage Industries Emporium (CCIE), M G Road - A government run store promoting traditional Indian hand crafts. The CCIE has major outlets in New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore and Chennai.
- Royal Arts & Crafts, 21 K.H. Road. Tel:2248-4797 has a particularly wide selection of silk carpets and papier mache products.
- Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation, 45 K.S.H.D.C Complex, M.G.Road. Tel: 2558-1118 - specializes in Karnataka handicraft.
Books
- Crossword, Opp. Taj Gateway Hotel, Residency Road
- Sapna Book House, Tunga Complex, Opp. Thribuvan Theatre, Majestic Area
- The Strand book stall, 1st Floor, Manipal Centre, Dickenson Road, Bangalore. Tel: 25580000. Best known for the latest releases in Art, Design, Architecture and at guaranteed lower prices. Run by the very warm and welcoming Vidya Virkar. More at: http://www.strandbookstall.com/
- Gangarams, 72 M G Road. Tel: 2558-6743, 2558-7277. Four floors crammed with books makes this book store one of the largest (as well the most organized) book store in India.
- Higginbothams, 68 M G Road. Tel:2558-7359, 2558-6574 - a good selection of maps, postcards, guides and novels
- Premier Book Shop, 46/1 Church Street (off M G Road). Tel: 2558 8570. Is a venerable Bangalore institution that has books on every conceivable subject literally stacked from floor to ceiling. Although the store may appear to be utterly chaotic, the owner knows where every piece of his stock lies - just be careful with those elbows, a slight nudge and the whole place will come tumbling down!
2000
- Landmark, in Forum Mall on Luskar Hosur Road, Koramangala - a modern bookshop. A good place to pick up the most recent publications. Various household appliances; CDs and DVDs of music albums, computer and video games (the quality varying from time-to-time) and movies can also be found on the next floor.
- Blossoms, near Coconut Grove Restaurant, Church Street (parallel to MG Road) - For those dreamy old books 3 full floors of them. You wont be disappointed for sure.
- Select Bookshop, off Brigade Road Behind Curzon Court Hotel, Brigade Road - Used to be the only old bookstore. Mr Murthy, who runs the bookstore, is one of the most knowledgeable people. His grandfather started the bookstore. He also has a collection of lithographs, stained glass paintings and collectors copies of real old books.
- Oxford Book Store, At the Leela Galleria (next to Hotel Leela Palace) - Has some of the latest collection of books and magazines but, doesn't offer any discounts on any of them. It has a Cha Bar attached offering 69 blends of tea.
Shopping
Many visitors come to Bangalore searching only for sandalwood carvings and silk sarees and so miss out on the true Bangalore shopping experience. Here is a low down on shopping - Bangalore style:
The M.G Road/Brigade Road area is the most popular place for tourists, and these two roads are filled with shops of every kind, whether it be tradational handicrafts or the latest western wear (this is especially true for Brigade Road).
Brigade Road was used to be where once British soldiers bought their necessities. How things have changed! Today Brigade road is the centre of yuppie Bangalore, you'll see hordes of college students on the road anytime of day or night. Some of the stores on Brigade Road include: Planet M (a huuge music store with everything), Louis Phillipe, Pepe Jeans, Levis,Lee, SanFrisco Jeans, Nike, Titan (great Indian made watches) just to name a few... There are also many eateries on either side of the roads and on the side roads that lead of Brigade road, so that you can refuel yourself for shopping! There are your fast food outlets: KFC (right at the entrance), Pizza Hut at the other end of the road and many cafes including the Indian Coffee Chain Cafe Coffee Day.Also includes a Tattoo parlor.
Commercial Street another legacy of the British is another shopping mecca, is again full of shops from international brands (similar to Brigade road) to small generic shops. Commercial Street has more of a bazaar feel when compared to Brigade Road.Also includes a few Tattoo parlors which also run as piercing centers for body piercing.
Malls in India are a recent phenomenon, the first opened back in 1999, since then there has been a boom with malls around every corner in large cities (now also in smaller cities). Bangalore is no exception! Here is list of the major Malls in Bangalore, but beware that there are at least a dozen in the planning and construction stages!
Forum ('The Mall') These days no trip to Bangalore is complete without a visit to the Forum on Hosur road in the upmarket suburb of Koramangla, which is fast becoming the shopping hub of Bangalore ready to throw the M.G/Brigade Road area of its throne. Again like other shopping areas, you can find anything at the Forum, high international brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Swarovski Crystals to traditional Indian Khadi clothing at the Khadder. Other brands with outlets include: United Colours of Bennetton (much cheaper here than in the west), Pepe Jeans U.K, William Penn, Wrangler Jeans, Weekender and of course Nike. The Forum incorporates the clothing from international brands as well as haute couture boutiques including: Mustard, Isis, B and the Chai shop. For books head straight to Landmark and huge store has everything from books to perfumes and music. On the top floor of the mall you will find a PVR multiplex comprising 11 cinemas. For eating there is everything, Fast food (KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Subway) Cafe Coffee Day and a food court with world cuisines including: Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexican and Italian and Indian. So thats that forum all your shopping needs under one roof! Its just a must see, especially the outside.
Garuda Mall Located on the corner of McGrath and Commissariat Roads, is the newest mall in Bangalore. This Mall is definitely catered to the upper class of Indian society. Many of the same brands as Forum are available as well as some that are not. One of the major draw points of this mall is that it houses the Indian department chain store: Shoppers Stop, which once stood across the road as a separate building but is now part of this new mall. The Mall also houses a INOX cinema multiplex on the top floor.
Bangalore Central Opened around the same as the Forum, Bangalore Central is more of a large department store than a mall with separate retailers. It still is must visit for shoppers in Bangalore. It is located in city centre on the corner of M.G and Residency Roads (Opposite Mayo Hall), so unlike the Forum it is walkable distance to the main M.G/Brigade Roads shopping area. It has a huge range of everything (like department stores in the west), clothing (Indian and Western brands), electornics, perfumes, accessories as well as a supermarket on the top floor and food court plus a Cafe Coffee Day. They have a altering service with in the store and can be done in two hours depending on the rush.
Safina Plaza Is sale central in Bangalore, located on Infantry Road. Every week there is sale going on of any type. One week it might be home furnishings and the next men's wear. Good place to find some bargains. Many exhibitions are also held here, although there are retailers (Dockers, Lee Jeans, Titan too name a few) here too. So for quiet shopping come here (much less crowded than the other malls). Its best to visit during end of season sales (summer, monsoon) or during festivals (New Year, Christmas, Ganesh Chaturthi).
Marathahalli Main Road and Factory Outlets Located a distance from central Bangalore (although not difficult to reach), is Marathahalli (a village in a previous life). The main road of this suburb is now a haven for factory outlets for all major brands: Nike, Adidas, Pepe Jeans, Killer Jeans, Louis Phillipe, Levi's, Reebok etc.. You can expect prices here to be cheaper than in the Malls, atleast 20-30% price difference but can be upto 50% cheaper when it comes to some of the major denim brands! As if India wasn't cheap enough. Although this is the best place to go to for factory outlet shopping, there are smaller factory outlets scattered across the city. Also look out for sales held by the major brands to get rid of end of season stock (again end of summer or end of monsoon), these are usually advertised in newspapers or look for signs posted on major roads.
Eat
Ethnic
- Biryani Merchant, 32, Castle Street. Phone: 51128081
- Tijouri: North Indian. Restaurant inside the Hotel Atria.
- Karavalli: Kerala and west coast. Restaurant within the Gateway Hotel on Residency Road.
- MTR Tiffin Room. Lalbagh Gate. Typical South Karnataka Fare. Known for its breakfast.
- Kamat Yatrinivas, Gandhinagar. Serves special N Karnataka meals with jowar(Sorghum) rotis
- Kadambam. Authentic Iyengar cuisine ranging from Puliogare, Sakkare Pongal, Thayir Sadham, of course Kadambam (which is actually a type of a heavenly concoction of Sambhar and rice, akin to Bisibele Huliyanna), and a wide array of traditional Iyengar sweets. It has two branches, one in Jayanagar 4th Block, not very far from the Shopping complex, and another just off West of Chord road, near Modi eye Hospital in Rajajinagar.
Fast Food
Bangalore literally has hundreds of fast food joints serving south Indian vegetarian food. They usually are identified with small round steel tables and diners standing around them having food. Dosas, idlis, vada's, curd rice, Vegetable Pulao, rice with sambar, lemon rice are usually standard fare. Quality widely varies, since most of them cater to working people. The following are recommended:
- The Adiga's chain of resta
2000 urants to the south of Bangalore. Prominent among them are the joints located in: Jayanagar 4th Block, take the road facing BHS First Grade College. Basavanagudi
- Sree Krishna joint a little further from the road connecting Lalbagh Westgate with Basavanagudi
- SLV chain of restaurants. Prominent among them are located in:
Banashankari 2nd Stage, opposite BDA park
- Vidhyarthi Bhavan, just off Gandhi Bazar in Basavanagudi - A gastronomic haven - offering some of the best Masale Dose in the world! This quaint little place is so famous that it has not even bothered to change it's age old sign board (who needs it anyway, the aroma wafting through the air is a good enough indication that you are in the vicinity of the place)!!! Get there early for a breakfast, there's always a bee-line for places to sit.
- Hotel Janatha, 8th Cross Road, Malleswaram - Makes some of the best Vade sambhar and Masale Dose in town.
- Central Tiffin Room (a.k.a CTR), Margosa Road, Malleswaram - Another landmark hotel, dishing out some divine 'Benne Masale Dose', which literally melts in the mouth.
- Hotel Dwaraka, Bull temple road, near BMS College of Engg. - Best Khali Dose's in the world. Must try...
- Upahara Darshini, on DVG road, Basavanagudi. Another of Bangalore's new found Darshinis dishing out top notch Masale Dose and Vade Sambhar
Continental
- Casa Picolahas interesting, tasty italian and continental food in a casual ambience. An old favourite for many locals, it has a few branches .
- Koshy's - St. Marks Road, below old British Council Library. (A Banglore institution)
- Grasshopper - #45, Kalenagrahara, Bannerghata Road, Bangalore - 76 Ph: 91-80-26593999
- Spiga - 76/A Vittal Mallya Road, Bangalore Central, ph: 91-80-22996781
- Friends Fast Food - Jyoti Nivas College Road, Koramangala (300m from Forum). Great conti food at college-prices. Casa Picola fans will like this one!
- Cafe Y - Langford Road (Near Prestige Elgin, Hosur Road-Langford Road junction) Phone: 51144561. Amazing sizzlers and steaks, nice ambience.
- Indi Joe - Carlton Towers, 1 Airport Road. Phone: 51113636, 51121234. Offers fondue, pizzas, steak and Mexican food. Their Lunch buffet is good.
- Herbs & Spice - Off CMH Road, Behind Domino's. Great desserts!
- Casa del Sol - Residency Road. Very Attentive!
South Karnataka
- Coconut Groove - The Taj West End, Race Course Road. Phone: 2225-9281, 2225-5055
- Dakshin - Windsor Sheraton, Opp Golf Course, 25 Sankey Road. Phone: 22269898
- Karavalli - Gateway Hotel (Mangalorean, Goa, Karwar, Kerala style), Residency Road. Phone: 2558-4545
- Konkan (Mangalorean, Goan style) - 6th cross, 6th Block, Koramangala. Phone: 25521530
- Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR) - 11 Lal Bagh Road. (2222-0022 / 2222-1706). One of the very old traditional breakfast places in Bangalore. We know a few people who have been having their breakfast at MTR for the past 15 years EVERY DAY!
- Vidyarthi Bhavan - #32 Gandhi Bazaar, Bangalore - 560004, Ph. 91-80-2667 7588. Another very old and traditional breakfast place, exclusively known for its Masala Dosa. Similar to MTR, you can find people who have been having breakfast here since times immemorial!!
- The Palms - Highgates Hotel (Mangalorean, Coorgi, Malabari style), 33 Church Street. Phone: 25597172
- Janatha Hotel - 8th Cross, Malleshwaram, Bangalore. Another great place, famous for its Butter Masala Dosas and Vadas.
- Halli Mane - 3rd Cross, Malleswaram, close to Malleswaram Circle - truly authentic and top notch traditional Kannada fare
Andhra
- Amaravathi Restaurant - 45/3 Residency Road Cross. Phone: 25913718
- Bheema's, Church Street. Phone: 2558-7389
- Gongura's Group of Restaurants - Airport Road. Phone: 2526-9419
- Gongura's - 100 Feet Road, Koramangala. Phone: 2552-5944
- Maurya Andhra Style Restaurant - JC Road. Phone: 2670-9222
- Nagarjuna Residency, Residency Road. Phone: 2591-3717
- Nakshara, 27, Lady Curzon Road. Phone: 2559-0777
- Nandhini Palace - Rajajinagar (2335-0055/2310-2939), Gandhinagar (2220-3842/2220-8306), Sankey Road (2344-8985/2336-6099), Indiranagar 100 feet Road (2528-8881/2521-0888), Jayanagar 4th block (2699-1199/55), Koramangala (2563-0202/1212)
- Plantain Leaf, New Thippasandra Main Road. Phone: 2529-7407
Chinese
- Aromas of China - 19 Richmond Circle. Phone: 2212-4275, 5111-3355
- Bamboo Shoots - Museum Inn, Museum Road. Phone: 2559-4001
- Beijing Bites - Richmond Road. Phone: 2207-5060
- Shezan Chinese Hut - 4105/4106, High Point, 45 Palace Road. Phone: 2226-7364
- Chung's Culinary Art, Varthur Main Road. Phone: 2854-0049
- Chung's Pavilion - 3047, 80ft Road, HAL 2nd Stage Indiranagar. Phone: 25254142
- Chung Wah - 45/1 Residency Road (2558-2662, 2555-0053, 2558-0708), 43 Church Street (2559-8598), Koramangla (2553-7447) Continental Restaurant - Centre Point, 56 Residency Road. Phone: 2559-7756
- De Noble House - Infantry Road. Phone: 2558-0208
- Mahjong Room - Windsor Sheraton, Opp Golf Course, 25 Sankey Road. Phone: 2226-9898
- Mainland China - 15/16 St. Mark's Road. Phone: 2227-7722, 2224-5864
- Mandarin Room - Grand Ashok Hotel, Opp Golf Course. Phone: 22250202, 22269462
- Memories Of China - Taj Residency, 41/3 M.G. Road. Phone: 2558-4444
- Outhouse China - 26 Wood Street, Off Richmond Road, Ashok Nagar. Phone: 2530-6555
- Schezwan Court - The Oberoi, 37-39 M.G. Road. Phone: 2558-5858
- Shangrila, Brigade Road. Phone: 2558-8994
- Shangrila Bar & Restaurant - 182 Brigade Road. Phone: 25588994
- Silk Winds - The Atria, Palace Road Phone: 2220-5205
- Silver Wok - Sheriff House, No 85 Richmond Road, Near Lakme Beauty Parlour. Phone: 2224-2288, 2221-1081
- Taipan - Krishna Manere, 14/1 Wood Street, Richmond Road. Phone: 2554-5637, 2536-5913
- The Oriental Haveli - 100 ft Road, Koramangla. Phone: 25536239
- The Rice Bowl - 40/2, Lavelle Road (Below Rama Hotel). Phone: 2224-0216, 2224-0437 *
- Three Quarter Chinese, 2 Church Street (Below Amoeba). Phone: 2532-7982
Bengali
- Bangaliana - Authentic Bengali Delicacies (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) Restaurant, Take-away, Catering. Specialities: fish, mutton chicken and, of course, sweets. 355, 1st 'B' Main, 7th Block, Koramangala, (Opp. HDFC Bank), Bangalore. Tel:25711058, 9845366458
- Sonar Bangla - The restaurant undertakes orders of authentic Bengali food for gourmets who fancy a whole meal and also delivers it at the doorstep. Fish is considered sacred in the coastal state and is consumed universally. So, all fish lovers can take heart as the non-vegetarian cuisine is delivered, but not served at the restaurant. Sonar Bangla is at 88/1, Shubh Arcade, 1st floor, 16th Cross, Margosa Road, Malleswaram. Phone: 3367622
- Cinnamon - CMH Road
Coorgi
- Coorg - Grand Ashok Hotel Tel: 080 - 2250202 / 2269462
- Windsor Pub, Kodava Samaj. Near Mount Carmel College
Japanese
- Dahlia - G-37 & 38 Brigade Gardens, 19, Church Street.
- Harima - 4th Foor, Devatha Plaza, 131, Residency Road. Ph: 51325757/57688222
Barbecues
- Pool Side Barbecue (Taj West End)
- The Royal Afghan
- The Greens
- Windsor Grill
Fast Food, Ice Cream Parlors and Coffee Houses
- Barista - 4 St. Marks Road, Brigade Road, Koramangala, 100ft Road, M.G Road, Walton Road
- Casa Picola - Devatha Plaza, Residency Road (2221-2907), CMH Road, Indiranagar (2525-8823)
- Westminster, Cunningham Road (2220-3330), Behind Jyoti Nivas, Koramangala (2553-9333)
- Cafe Coffee Day - Brigade Road, Bombay Stores (M.G. Road), Bangalore Central, Forum Mall, Whitefield, Koramangala, Airport Road, Jayanagar, Basvanagudi, Banashankari Satge II, Lavelle Road, Cunningham Road, Frazer Town, Commercial Street, Sadashivanagar, Indiranagar, 100ft Road.
- Corner House - Residency Road (2558-3262), BTM Road, Airport Road
- Ice Station Jaamba - Dickonson's Road. Phone: 2509-2233
- Indiana Fast Foods, Residency Road. Phone: 2558-5966
- Koshy's Restaurant - 39, St. Marks Roa
2000 d. Phone: 2221-3793, 2221-5030, 2221-3140
- K.F.C - 4 Brigade Road, Indiranagar, Forum Mall, ITPL
- Lake View Milk Bar - MG Road. Phone: 2558-7410 : Really old place, really nice ice creams
- McDonalds - Forum Mall
- Movenpick of Switzerland - The Forum Mall 21, Hosur Road. Phone: 2299-6855/66
- Pizza Corner - Brigade Road (2559-5393), Koramangala
- Pizza Hut - Cunningham Road (2228-2410), Airport Road, Monarch Plaza: Brigade Road, Jayanagar, Forum Mall, Edwards Road, RT Nagar, Sadashivnagar, Indiranagar, Sigmasoft Tech Park: Whitefield Main Road.
- Subway - Mota Royal Arcade, Brigade Road, Forum Mall, Garuda Mall
- T.G.I Friday's - Carlton Towers: Airport Road
- U S Pizza - Church Street. Phone: 2559-9347
- Wimpy's - Brigade Road. Phone: 2558-2583
- Bombay House - CMH Road. Phone: 5111-3377
- Coffee Workers Co-op - M.G. Road
Indian
- Angeethi - Museum Road. Phone: 5111-3333 OR 5111-3340
- Golconda Chimney - Airport Whitefield Road. Phone: 2847-5532
- Grills-N-Oodles - 8th Main, Malleswaram. Phone: 2346-4517
- Herbs & Spices - Whitefield Main Road. PHone: 2845-2803
- Jamavar - The Leela Palace, Airport Road. Phone: 2521-1234
- La Casa - 4th Block Jayanagar. Phone: 2691-0732
- Lotus - Grand Ashok, Kumara Krupa Road. Phone: 2226-9462
- Maharaja Multi Cuisine Restaurant - 80 feet Road, Koramangala. Phone: 2552-6408
- Monsoon - The Park, M.G. Road. Phone: 2559-4666
- Moksh - The Chancery, Lavelle Road. Phone: 2227-6700
- Raaga - CMH Road, Indiranagar. Phone: 2525-2189
- Ramana's - Cunnnigham Road. Phone: 2226-3200
- Samudra - Gangamma Circle, Jalahalli East. Phone: 2372-1042
- Shiv Sagar - Narayan Pillai Street, Off Commercial Street. Phone: 509-8892 (Don't get fooled by the location! Too good a place to eat)
- The Monarch Hotel - 54 Briagde Road. Phone: 22559-1915
- Samarkand - Gem Plaza, Infantry Road. Phone: 25523901-4
- Wanley Restaurant - 17th F Cross, Indiranagar II Stage. Phone: 2525-3463
- Tandoor: Grilled, clay oven. On Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Road.***
- Coconut Groove: On Church Street you could try the Appams and Kerala Parottas with any Chicken Gravy Dish.
- Bay Leaf : Raheja Arcade, Opposite Forum, Kormangala. A real nice place in the mid-range.
Italian
- I-Talia - The Park, M.G. Road. Phone: 2559-4666 (Very expensive)
- Little Italy, 100 feet Road, Indiranagar. Phone: 2529-7482, 2528-9126 Ragoo's - 16 K.R. Road. Phone: 2676-2940 Sunny's - Kasturba Cross Road. Phone: 2224-3642
- 100 ft Boutique - 100 ft Road, Indiranagar(After fabmall when you are travelling from CMH road side). Good Italian food and drinks, but a bit pricey.
Thai
- Lemon Grass, 32, Castle Street, Phone: 2536-1167.
- Shiok Far-eastern Cuisine, 2nd Floor, #12 CMH Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore 560038 Phone: 5116 1800. http://shiokfood.com (By far the closest you will come to South East Asian food in Bangalore)
Vietnamese
- Blue Ginger, Taj West End. The setting is beautiful and the food is good, but probably this is one of the most expensive places in Bangalore.
Sea Food
- Chillies - Opp Bangalore Club, Residency Road. Phone: 2207-5050
- Kabini - Infantry Road. Phone: 2286-8673
- Konkan - Coles Road, Frazer Town. Phone: 2506-6613
- Kubay - Koramangala Club Road , Phone: 2552-1530
- Oasis Restaurant - 1 Church Street, Off Brigade Road. Phone: 2558-6081 / 2665
- TigerBay - 3rd Floor, The Bombay Store, M.G. Road. Phone: 2555-0888
Dhabas
- There are hundreds of Dhabas catering to all tastes. Both South and North Indian fare is available at most places and is clean and cheap. A special mention is the green park dhaba on the outskirts on bellary road and Golconda Chimney on the airport road. Try the Chicken Katti rolls and the Biryani.
Kerala
- Coconut Groove, MG Road and Koramangala.
- Kairali - Near to Christ College, Diary Circle www.kairalirestaurant.com)
- Empire - Bus stand road, Shivaji Nagar
- Imperial - Near ICICI Bank, Indira Nagar; Off Residency Road;
- Paramount - 80 Feet Road(Opp Forum), Koramangala
Drink
Bangalore is home to numerous pubs and bars - earning it the epithet the Pub City of India.
Fresh coconuts are abundant in Bangalore, and the juice drunk straight from the nut is a healthy, enjoyable and cheap way to quench the thirst.
Budget
Mid-range
- Pecos, off Brigade Road, known for its very 60's retro feel.
- Guzzlers Inn - Rest House Road, off Brigade Road.
- Nasa - Church Street.
- The Pub - The Inn, Museum Road.
- Styx - next to Cauvery Handicrafts on M.G. Road, known for the heavy metal and hard rock music played there. Happening on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
- The Bunker - off Residency Road.
- Purple Haze - Residency Road. Popular for the classic rock that's played there.
- Sparks - Airport Road (presently closed down).
- Ego's - Castle Street, off Brigade Road.
Splurge
Most hotels have spiffy bars with every imaginable concoction of drinks available.
- F-Bar (Fashion Bar - a theme bar by FTV) inside Le Meridien, I-Bar inside the Park Hotel, Geoffrey's on airport road, Opium again on airport road, The 13th Floor on M.G.Road, etc are just to name a few.
Sleep
A relatively comprehensive list of hotels (roughly sorted by price) can be found at http://www.karnataka.com/tourism/bangalore/hotels.shtml. Some of the more expensive hotels have different rates for foreigners and Indians.
Budget
- In the "Majestic Area" near City Rail and Bus Station is a good, cheap hotel called the Sri Rama Krishna Hotel. Rs. 170 (close to $4) per night will get you a very secure single with morning hot water, TV, phone in room and a good views if on upper floor (request). However, if you have a problem with cockroaches, then you'll probably want to look else where. Also, make sure you bring mosquito netting as there are vents that are impossible to close. The hotel also has a very popular, large restaurant serving South Indian food.
- Ajantha, 22 MG Road. Good simple hotel with veggie restaurant. Tel:25584321
- YMCA, Nrupathunga Road (near Cubbon Park), no-frills hotel. Tel:22211848
Mid-range
- Berrys Hotel, 46/1 Church Street (behind MG Road) 2558 7211 & 2558 7431 - around 700Rs for a single
Splurge
The Park Hotel on MG road is very nice and has many restaurants. Also has massage and gym.
Talk
The most commonly spoken language in Bangalore is Kannada. Other languages include English (also very common) Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Below are some local expressions:
"Chennaagidira?" Are you fine? (equivalent of Hope you are doing well?)
"Yen aagoithu ninge? " What happened to you?
"Sumne nodu!" Keep quiet and see!
One common expression probably peculiar to Bangalore would be the "By two coffee" meaning a coffee shared between two people. Mostly overheard at the stand-and-eat darshinis.
Contact
- The dialling code for Bangalore is 080. When calling from overseas, dial +91 80 XXXX XXXX
Stay Safe
Bangalore is considered the safest of all India's major cities. However, having said that, it is not advisable to walk along deserted alleyways or lanes after dark. Rising incomes has brought an influx of people from outside the city, which has resulted in a rise in crime.
Avoid using an autorickshaw if the driver is not alone.
Cope
Groceries
Besides the local trader found on most main roads and in most residential areas, there are a few supermarkets in most areas. Prominent among them are Foodworld with outlets in Basavanagudi, Jayanagar 4th Block, Malleshwaram, M.G.Road and new ones coming up in prominent areas. Other chains with a less prominent presence include Nilgiris(M.G.Road), Dmart(D.V.G Road), etc.,
Body and Soul - Near Purvankara-Riviera (Marath halli) - expensive and not good
Hospitals
List of Major Hospitals:
- Manipal Hospital - Airport Road
- St. John's - Koramangala
- M S Ramiah - Mathikere
- Indira Nursing Home - Banashankari IInd Stage
- Shekar Nursing Home - Hanumanth Nagar
- Sai Baba Hospital - Whitefield Road
- Mallya Hospit
2000 al - Richmond Road
- HOSMAT Hospital (Sports and Orthopedic Medicine) - near MG Road
- Sagar Apollo Hospital - Tilaknagar
- Wockhardt Hospital - Cunningham Road and Bannerghatta Road
- Apollo Hospital - Bannerghatta Road
Plus a whole lot of smaller hospitals in every area.
Laundry
Band Box on Brigade road . Snow white on Mission road Also You can find almost one laundry shop in every major road.
Shoe Repair
Moochis on Brigade Road You'd find the regular cobbler on every street corner.
Pharmacies
Pharmacies are dime a dozen and you should not have any problem locating one. You do not need any prescription for allopathic Over the Counter drugs and ayurvedic medicine(proprietary and traditional), which are available for most common ailments like fever, headache,etc., But you will need prescription for other medicines, which are categorised as Schedule H drugs.
