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Bangalore Top Ten Tings to Do





Don't miss the Bannerghatta National Park, 21 km from the city. This is an important place to visit and is on the MUST DO list of things to do while staying in Bunglaore. In the densely forested hilly area wild animals like elephant, lion, panther etc. roam freely. It has a crocodile farm, a snake show, a pets corner, deer pen and a prehistoric animal park. Safari vans are available for the visitors to tour the park to view the animals at close quarters. The park is open everyday from 900hrs to 1700hrs except on Tuesdays. Discover the local fauna and flora and get to see the ‘true’ environment of the area yourself, you won’t be disappointed. There is a butterfly park here too worth seeing.

Spend a day out on the water boating. Whether you just want to paddle about in a canoe or row boat, go jet skiing or simply drift with the gentle breeze at your back, the lakes and rivers of Bangalore have some thrilling boating fun for the whole family. Some popular spots for this activity can be found at Ulsoor lake, For something out of the ordinary, visit Hogenekkal and go boating in saucer-shaped circular bamboo rafts called "Parasel" in Tamil (or "Thappa" in Kannada.) Tip: The helmsmen say they can carry 6-8 people in one boat. Don't agree. If the upstream current is strong you could have a problem getting back again. Four in boat is a safe bet.

Whether travelling in a group, with your family or alone, you can't afford to miss visiting the Cubbon Park which was laid out in 1864 by Sir Richard Shankey, the chief engineer of Mysore. It was named after the longest serving Commissioner of Bangalore - Sir Mark Cubbon. A lush grassy expanse with flowerbeds, shady bowers and flowering trees, Cubbon Park is a haven for thousands of strollers and breeze seekers and although not really a place to escape the masses totally, can offer tranquillity from the city itself. Within the park are the Attara Kacheri, the central library, the aquarium, the Jawahar bal bhavan with its mini theatre, museum, a children's playground, and a quaint old toy train called the Puttani Express which takes you on a ride all around the park is a perfect break for you and the kids.

Don't miss seeing the Gangadhareswara Cave Temple. Situated in Gavipuram and dedicated to Lord Shiva, the remarkable feature of this temple is the set of four monolithic pillars bearing the Saivite emblem of 'trisul', 'damara', 'suryapana' and 'chandrapana'. The temple also houses a rare idol of 'Agni', the god of fire. Every year on 14th/15th January (Makara Sankranthi day) a ray of sunlight passes precisely through the horns of the stone bull outside the temples to illuminate the deity inside the temple. This unique phenomenon attracts a large number of devotees.

Take a meander around Lal Bagh. Spread over 240 acres of flowering parkland. Lal Bagh has a rare collection of tropical and sub-tropical trees, plants and herbs to quench the thirst of both layman and horticulturist. Hyder Ali was the force behind laying out the park in 17th century. But Tipu Sultan was responsible for enriching the vast collection by importing several specimens from Afghanistan, France and Persia. In 1840, Lal Bagh had a magnificent glass house built in line with London's Crystal Palace. January and August are the best time to visit to see the garden bursting with full bloom. There are major flower displays here in the week preceding Republic day and the week before Independence day. There is a lot more to be seen at the gardens, the lake, a sit-out on a hill-top and a fascinating nursery for all you folks out there with a green thumb. The gardens are open daily from sunrise to sunset.

Don't go without a visit to Hesaraghatta Roughly 29 km via Bangalore - Bombay National Highway NH4 Turn right at the 10th mile stone on NH4 to take you to this artificial lake spread over an area of nearly 1,000 acres. This is another great place to escape to and a pleasant spot to picnic and sightsee from; the late Protima Bedi's Nrityagram is located here. Boating such as sailing and windsurfing are some of the attractions here as is the famous 'Nrityagrama' where young dancers are trained in all disciplines of traditional dance.

Fast becoming more and more popular you shouldn't miss a visit to the Nandi Hills famous for its temples and fort . Located some 60 km from Bangalore via Devanahalli Tipu's Drop is an attraction here and if you like paragliding, this is the spot from which many jumps are made. It’s very picturesque here and there are numerous excellent picnicking opportunities in the area. If you are seeking a break from Bungalore…a drive out here is well worth it.

Check out Tipu's Summer Palace. The construction of this palace was began by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan completed it in 1791. It is one of several beautiful palaces they built all over the state. Tipu Sultan used it as his summer residence and named it Tashk-e-Jannat meaning the envy of heaven. Constructed mainly of wood, its intricately sculptured arches and minarets are worth perusing. The walls and ceilings are covered with paintings though faded through the centuries.

Another worth while place to see not far from Bangalore is Shivaganga 60 km from the city via Tumkur Road Often popularly referred, as 'Dakshina Kasi' (Southern Varanasi) Sivaganga is a pilgrim centre of great importance. Temples dedicated to Gangadhareswara and Hanna Devi are located on top of a 4600ft hill whose silhouette looks like the Nandi Bull from the east, elephant headed Lord Ganesh from the west, a Sivalinga from the south and a cobra with spread out hood from the north. There is a fresh water spring called Pathala Ganga located in the area too, worth visiting. Regular KSRTC buses are available from Tumkur (20 km) and Bangalore.

Pop by the Venkataramanaswamy Temple which is situated near the Palace of Tipu This 300-year old temple, built by Maharajah Chikka Devaraya Wadiyar, displays some of the best features of Dravidian temple art. The ornate stone pillars, supported by splendid lion brackets, still bear the imprint of the cannon balls, which ruined portions of the temple during the Third Mysore War (1790-1792). After the fall of Tipu in 1799, the Wadiyar dynasty restored the temple to its original grandeur. Maharajah Chikka Krishna Devaraya is said to have performed his thanksgiving puja at this temple before holding at Tipu's Palace in 1811.