Bangalore may not look like it has many sight-seeing options, and, compared to a lot of other cities, choices are limited. But, if you scratch the surface, there are enough and more options to entertain you for 2-3 days. Bangalore is also blessed with many day-trip and weekend trip possibilities within easy access. Consider this - I travel more often than the average person, yet, I still have many places to see and enjoy my weekends in. Read this to get an overview of modes of travel in Bangalore.
Explore quintessential Bangalore - the garden city & erstwhile pensioners' paradise. After taking in its history & culture, unwind by focusing on what makes it a lively city for the youth: shopping, pubbing & entertainment.
Cultural performances
Bangalore is
always abuzz with activity: dance performances, music concerts, plays &
art exhibitions. With culture hubs across the city, take your pick from free or
paid events. These are listed in the local newspaper & in magazines like
‘Time-out Bangalore’. Definitely attend an event while you are in the city, to
understand what Bangalore’s about.
Festivals & shows
Bangalore
hosts many festivals & shows; some quirky, but, all fun. Enjoy the Kite
festival, Groundnut fair, Mango festival, Flower show, Cake show, Aero show or
Art & handicraft shows, to name a few. Religious festivals like Ugadi,
Sankranti, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Diwali, Id & Christmas are
celebrated with much fervour. Visit markets & places of worship at the
time, to partake the merriment. Do check if any of this is on while you are
here.
Pubs
Bangalore is
known for its pubs and going to one is one of the ways to feel the pulse of
the youth. From pubs playing heavy metal to rock to college classics to even
Bollywood numbers; there is a pub to suit every taste. Pubs are most crowded on
Friday & Saturday nights. Weekdays are more relaxed with people dropping in
after work, with colleagues or friends. Expect loud music, dim lighting,
finger-food, head-banging & singing along to your favourite songs.
Attractions – the usual suspects
Mg road
Erstwhile
South Parade is Bangalore’s shopping & entertainment hub, along-with nearby
Brigade road, Church street & Commercial street. Old-timers reminisce
fondly about the grand boulevard this once was. Many old landmarks have been torn
down to make way for characterless glass buildings. The metro running over the
road proved to be the proverbial nail in the coffin for MG road’s beauty.
Thankfully, some of the vibe still survives. Walk along & enjoy a few gems
that survived the massacre. The brand new MG road boulevard provides an impetus to artists. Also, the upper level of the boulevard makes for a lovely walk amidst tree canopies.
Cubbon Park
Cubbon Park
dons many hats: a green lung in the heart of the city that also hosts a
library, museums, a tennis academy, an aquarium, a toy train and many statues
& pavilions. It’s probably one of the only parks to have a busy road
cutting through it. Luckily, it is big enough for you to enjoy without worrying
about being run over by a vehicle. In the wee hours of the morning or in the
evenings, it’s a jogger’s paradise. Spring adds to the beauty of this park,
with the lovely & colourful Tabebuia trees in full bloom.
Vidhana soudha & Attara Kacheri
The
neo-dravidian style Vidhana Soudha is the seat of the state legislature while
the red Attara Kacheri houses the High Court. In 2005, an annex called the
Vikas Soudha was inaugurated, designed as an exact replica of the Vidhana
Soudha. Though these buildings cannot be visited, they can be viewed from the
outside.
Bangalore palace
The
Bangalore Palace was the private residence of the royal Wodeyar family. Built
to resemble Windsor Castle, this quirky palace is filled with an interesting
& eclectic collection of art and paraphernalia from a bygone era. The
palace grounds are a popular venue for rock concerts & other music events.
Tipu Sultan’s palace & fort, KR market, Bangalore
ISKCON temple
This temple
is built & managed by the International society for Krishna consciousness
(ISKCON). Built in an unconventional, contemporary style derived from
traditional architecture, this temple has its share of believers as well as
detractors. Many find it a tad too commercial. An interesting & different
temple to visit.
Lalbagh
Botanical
gardens planned during Hyder Ali & Tipu Sultan's reign, Lalbagh is South
Bangalore's green lung. Its historic significance increases manifold when you
consider that the 'Lalbagh rock' dates back to 3000 million years ago and is
one of the oldest rock formations on earth. The gardens also encompass one of the
famous watch-towers built by Bangalore's founder, Kempegowda. Host to rare
& exotic plants, a lake, the annual flower show and a glass-house, Lalbagh juggles
many roles. Visit to doze under a tree, spot birds at the lake, take a heritage
walk or to exercise, like the locals do.
Bull temple (Nandi temple)
Located in
Basavanagudi, this temple built by Kempegowda in the Dravidian style, contains
a huge granite monolith of Nandi. The temple grounds are also host to the
annual groundnut fair in Nov / Dec. The nearby Dodda Ganesha temple & Bugle
rock garden can also be visited.
Ulsoor Lake & Gurudwara
The Ulsoor Lake, located in the city center, went through a phase of
being thoroughly neglected, before being spruced up again. Boating is a
possibility here. A visit to this lake can be combined with a visit to the
nearby Gurudwara; Bangalore’s largest.
St. Mary’s basilica
St. Mary’s
basilica, in bustling Shivajinagar, is built in the Gothic style, with stained
glass windows. It hosts the St. Mary’s feast each year, in September. Devotees
throng the basilica during the feast, which culminates in a procession with a
chariot.
Some
other temples you could visit are the Kaadu Malleswara temple in
Malleswaram or the Gaavi Gangadheeswara temple at Basavanagudi. Churches
include the St. Marks cathedral, the Holy trinity church and Hudson
memorial church to name a few.
Day trips from Bangalore
Few cities
offer such a variety of options within easy access. Be it arts & crafts,
history, architecture, hills, rivers or forests; Bangalore is as easy to escape
from as it is to explore.
Nandi Hills
Once the summer-retreat of Tipu Sultan, it’s a good place for hiking & birding. The hill also has temples dating back to the Chola period. The hills offer great views of the surroundings. It gets extremely crowded on weekends, so weekdays are a better bet. It’s best to visit in a group and not linger after dusk unless there are crowds.
Once the summer-retreat of Tipu Sultan, it’s a good place for hiking & birding. The hill also has temples dating back to the Chola period. The hills offer great views of the surroundings. It gets extremely crowded on weekends, so weekdays are a better bet. It’s best to visit in a group and not linger after dusk unless there are crowds.
Channapatna
Famous
for
its eponymous toys, Channapatna is a great place to visit if you are
curious to
know how these wooden toys are made. This traditional craft is protected
by a geographical indication (GI). The small town has a few factories
& a few ‘home’ workshops, where you
can watch craftsmen at work. While at Channapatna, you can also shop to
your
heart’s content, for souvenirs or knick-knacks for your home.
Lepakshi
Shivanasamudram
This is the
site of the first hydro-electric power station in Asia, set up in the early
20th century. The Gaganachukki & Barachukki waterfalls are best visited
post monsoon, when there’s abundant water. It is possible to enjoy a coracle
ride at Barachukki, though the safety is questionable.
Bheemeshwari
Bheemeshwari
gives you the chance to spend time by the river Cauvery. The Jungle Lodges
resort there can arrange for water-based activities with prior notice.
Bheemeshwari is renowned for the Angling possibilities it offers, during
season.
Ranganathittu bird sanctuary
Ranganathittu
is a bird sanctuary that can be visited throughout the year by bird lovers.
Easily accessible from Bangalore, en route Mysore, visiting this place is a
great option for both children & adults. Visit early in the morning &
hire a boat. November heralds in the winter migrants who stay put until March,
adding to the already numerous varieties of birds you can see here.
Other day-trip possibilities
The most
well-known option is Mysore & Srirangapatna. I would advise visiting Mysore
with at least a night’s stay, though. Other possibilities are the Skandagiri
trek, the Chitradurga fort, the river & temple at Talacaud, the temples at Melkote
and the Savanadurga-Manchanbele dam-Big banyan tree circuit, to name a few. Also
see other day / half-day trip options in ‘Off the beaten path’, below.
India’s
Silicon city is surprisingly unlike a metropolis at times: It offers you
options to catch your breath & enjoy things at a slower pace. Go back in
time with history-filled walks or look for that slice of yesterday in
localities untouched by ‘development’. Catch Bangalore at her festive best
& see what it feels like to be a Bangalorean.
Basavanagudi
Basavangudi
is one of the few areas in Bangalore that have retained their old-world charm,
yet untouched by modernization. A residential area with quaint homes, leafy
roads, markets & temples, a walk here can take you back in time. Always
buzzing with activity, Basavanagudi buzzes even more feverishly before
festivals. There are numerous restaurants here; some, institutions in
themselves. This is a good place to feast on Idlis, Dosas & the famous
Filter kaapi.
Malleswaram
KR market (City market)
KR Market is
a busy, vibrant & crowded market in the heart of the city. Go early in the
morning to watch fresh vegetables & flowers arrive for the day. A
photographer’s delight, this market whips up a frenzy especially before
important religious festivals.
Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath
Chitrakala
Parishat is a renowned school of art in Bangalore, with an enviable alumni
list. Located in a tree-lined campus, CKP, as it is popularly known, has a
museum, a store & a gallery worth visiting. The gallery has rotating
exhibits while the museum has permanent displays of paintings & crafts. CKP
comes alive during its much-awaited fests: the annual handicraft mela & the
Chitra santhe (art market), both of which provide impetus to artists &
craftsmen.
Nrityagram
Nrityagram
was established by renowned danseuse Protima Bedi. This dance school is located
in Hessaraghatta village, at the outskirts of Bangalore. It’s a beautiful place
to watch dancers practice their art. You can drop into the nearby Taj Kuteeram
for meals. A half-day trip option.
Grover vineyards
This
vineyard produces Bangalore’s first indigenous wine. If you like wines, a visit
to the vineyard near Nandi hills could be enjoyable, especially during the
harvesting & crushing season in Feb / Mar. A day trip option.
Devanahalli Fort
The
Devanahalli Fort, famed for being Tipu Sultan’s birth-place, is located beyond
the Bangalore Airport, off NH7. It also houses temples. This fort is not very
frequently visited & you may have the place almost to yourself. A
half-day trip option.
For young kids
On the
surface, Bangalore might seem like a very boring city for kids to travel in.
Scratch the surface to find wonderfully varied options that children can enjoy;
and so can the child in you.
HAL Aerospace museum
This is
India’s first aerospace museum, which offers you a glimpse of India’s
aeronautical history. Exhibits include life-size models of aircrafts,
photographs & a chance to use a flight simulator. Exciting for kids &
adults alike.
The Bangalore metro
The
Bangalore metro is a much-awaited addition to the city. Though very unpopular
for how it transformed MG Road’s skyline & buzz, this seems to be the only
hope for locals dreaming about better connectivity & a congestion-free
city. The novelty value of the metro is yet to wear off, with long queues at
the MG road station every weekend. The train gives you a bird’s eye view of
many MG road landmarks. Join the fun.
Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological museum
Visvesvaraya
Museum is fun for children & even for adults. This museum houses a treasure
trove of machines & artefacts related to science & technology. Its
interactive exhibits make this a great place for children to develop their love
for science & de-mystify facts.
Bannerghatta national park and zoo
I’m not a
big fan of zoos or animal enclosures. However, if you are travelling with kids,
they might enjoy a visit to the Bannerghatta zoo and the butterfly park. The zoo has its usual
collection of animals. You can also go on ‘safaris’ in an enclosed van and see
animals roaming about in the open (it’s actually a large, fenced boundary).
This is definitely not a substitute for a visit to the forest!
Other kid-friendly places
Other than
the options above, kids might enjoy Lalbagh, with its rock, trees, lake,
glass-house and buggy rides. Cubbon Park too is a good place for kids to run
about, ride the toy train or visit the aquarium. Entertainment options for kids
include bowling, paint-ball, go-karting, clay-modelling etc.
Have a light wallet?
What
you can see & do for free, or, almost-free: Lalbagh, Cubbon Park,
Malleswaram, Basavanagudi, Vidhana Soudha & Attara Kacheri,
churches, temples, Ulsoor Lake, Chitra kala parishat, HAL museum and
window shopping.
Activities
Bangalore walks
This offers
you a chance to understand the various facets that make Bangalore: its history,
architecture, culture & landmarks. Choose a facet that interests you. Check
out the well-known bangalorewalks.com or the new bluefoot.in.
Birding
Though it
may be difficult to believe, Bangalore is home to numerous birds, besides
welcoming migrant birds each winter. There is an active birding group (bngbirds) that meets each Sunday, at a pre-fixed location. If you enjoy birding,
join the group on a Sunday morning. It’s a great way to meet & acquaint
yourself with the city’s feathered residents. If you want to bird alone, the
internet has good resources on birding locations & bird lists for
Bangalore.
The
Bangalore Mountaineering Club, at bmcindia.org, organise a lot of
mountaineering, trekking & adventure trips which are also easy on the
wallet. This is also a great way to meet like-minded, outdoorsy people.
Cycling
Bangalore
has a growing cycling community and you can frequently see cyclists riding to
the city outskirts on weekends. Cycling in villages outside Bangalore makes for
a great day trip or a half-day trip. Try icycle.in, artofbicycletrips.com or veloinvillage.com.
Disclaimer:
None
of the links in this post are sponsored nor have I been paid to ‘recommend’
them. All links mentioned here are links that I, family or friends have found
useful. Websites mentioned under ‘activities’ are
merely pointers and I am not responsible for the quality of their
services.
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