Chamundeswari Temple

Chamundeswari Temple

This temple is as famous as the Dussera of Mysore! Located atop Chamundi Hills, the Chamundeswari Temple was built in the honour of Goddess Chamundi. The goddess is the family deity of the Mysore Maharajas who added sections to the temple and made it what it is today. The original structure of the temple dates back to the 12th century, while its tower is nearly 300 years old Like most temples in Karnataka, this temple features a seven storey Gopuram richly engraved. The golden idol of the Goddess is the main charm and attraction of this temple, while the silver-plated doorway adds to the richness. The shrine is richly decorated with intricate carvings and extraordinary statues. The artworks and sculptures of this temple lend it an elegant charm and unique grace. There is a gorgeous gem called nakshatra malike which has Sanskrit mantras engraved on it. A 16 foot colourful statue of the demon Mahishasura near the temple is an attractive feature. This is because Mahishasura was slain by Goddess Chamundeshwari to protect the areas from his atrocities. Therfore the name Chamundi also signifies the angry mood of the Goddess. On top of the sanctum sanctorum is a small tower or Vimana that can be seen from outside the temple. During the 10 day Dussera festival special prayers are offered to the Goddess. The Vedas are chanted in the temple and various music performances are held here. After Dussera, on the auspicious Ashwayuja Pournime, a Rathotsava or car festival is conducted during the Jathra or annual festival on top of the hill. This is followed by Theppotsava (floating festival) that is held in the night. All these festivities attract devotees by the thousands. This temple is approximately 13kms from Mysore city and can be reached by road. While Tuesdays and Fridays are considered to be auspicious to visit the temple, the best time of the year to pay a visit to the Goddess is during Dussera amidst the pomp and splendour of the 10 day festivities in and around Mysore.

National Gallery of Modern Art

National Gallery of Modern Art

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Located in the prestigious heritage premises of Manikyavelu Mansion, National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) Bangaluru branch was inaugurated by the Honourable Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Ambika Soni on February 18. Over 90 years old, the Manikyavelu Mansion on Palace Road was once the property of the Mysore royal family. The mansion later came to be owned by Raja Manikayavalu Mudaliar, a mine owner. It was taken over by the State Government in the late sixties, who then offered it to the Ministry of Culture in July 1989 for setting up of a modern art Museum at Bangaluru by NGMA. The foundation stone for the museum was laid in 2001. Spread over an area of 3.5 acres, the historic heritage mansion was transformed from a residency into a museum gallery, with a display space of 1551 sq. m by architect Naresh Narasimhan of Venkataramana Associates. The heritage building has been supplemented by a new Gallery Block, which adds a display space of 1260 sq. m. The new architecture is so designed, that while fulfilling the requirement of spaces needed by a modern museum, it coexists in harmony with the style and ambience of the traditional mansion. Equipped with a refurbished auditorium, an open air theatre, a reference library, offices and art storage, a cafeteria, and a museum shop cum facilitations block, the NGMA looks ahead to becoming a hub of art activities and a major cultural centre at Bangaluru. The architects of the New Wing of NGMA, M/s. TEAM were provided the requisite support in the organization of the interiors and the detailing of the display systems. The National Gallery of Modern Art consists National Treasure from late 18th century to the present. You would find some of the ancient ganjifa cards, Minutures paintings, Paintings from company period, Bengal School, and that of Raja Ravi Varma, Amritha Sher Gil, Ravindarnath Tagaore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Jamini Roy, Ramkinkar Baig, Binodh Bihari Mukerjee, Sailoz Mukerjee, M.F.Hussain. Also some artist from South India like K.K.Hebbar, S.G. Vasudev, Yusuf Arrakal, Ravikumar kashi, R.B.Bhaskaran, Achutan Kudlur and lot of contemporary Artists from all over the country.

Forum Mall

Forum Mall

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Another popular destination especially among the youngsters is the Forum Mall, the first of its kind of Bangalore. It has over 4 floors with numerous shops from where you can get almost anything you desire for right from essential to the luxury items. It houses the biggest multiplex of India, PVR where latest Indian and foreign (Hollywood) movies are featured in its 11 halls. It has numerous food outlets in its special food court, namely The Transit Lounge. It is designed to look like an airport and includes the McDonald's, the very first to come up in South India; KFC, Pizza Hut etc.

Venkataramanaswamy Temple

Venkataramanaswamy Temple

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A visit to Bangalore often ends with one visiting some of the oldest and most beautiful temples that Bangalore boasts of. One such temple worth visiting is the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, located adjacent to Tipu Sultan’s summer palace. It is a 300 year old temple built by Maharaja Chikka Devaraya Wodeyar, displaying some of the best features of Dravidian temple art. The ornate stone pillars opposite the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, supported by magnificent lion brackets, still bear the imprint of the cannon balls, which ruined portions of the temple during the Third Mysore War. However, after the fall of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the Wodeyar Dynasty was restored, and Krishna Deva Raja Wodeyar III performed his thanksgiving puja at this temple before holding his historic Durbar at Tipu's Palace on October 15, 1811. The temple is quite the hub of activity, with something happening at all hours of the day! To enter the temple, get prepared to take your shoes off, stand in separate Men and Ladies queues and give some rupees as an offering. The Venkataramanaswamy Temple is a testimony to the fact that Bangalore has some of the most beautiful and oldest temples in the country.

Venkataramanaswamy Temple

Venkataramanaswamy Temple

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A visit to Bangalore often ends with one visiting some of the oldest and most beautiful temples that Bangalore boasts of. One such temple worth visiting is the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, located adjacent to Tipu Sultan’s summer palace. It is a 300 year old temple built by Maharaja Chikka Devaraya Wodeyar, displaying some of the best features of Dravidian temple art. The ornate stone pillars opposite the Venkataramanaswamy Temple, supported by magnificent lion brackets, still bear the imprint of the cannon balls, which ruined portions of the temple during the Third Mysore War. However, after the fall of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the Wodeyar Dynasty was restored, and Krishna Deva Raja Wodeyar III performed his thanksgiving puja at this temple before holding his historic Durbar at Tipu's Palace on October 15, 1811. The temple is quite the hub of activity, with something happening at all hours of the day! To enter the temple, get prepared to take your shoes off, stand in separate Men and Ladies queues and give some rupees as an offering. The Venkataramanaswamy Temple is a testimony to the fact that Bangalore has some of the most beautiful and oldest temples in the country.

Lakes

Lakes

Lakes (or “tanks”) are other beauty spots of Bangalore and are man made ones constructed in 16th century through bunds as no close by rivers exists. Presently, only 17 remain, considering the healthy and good ones, out of the previous 51 lakes. The remaining lakes have been encroached and converted into colonies etc. as part of Urban Development. These lakes have fresh water and have a varied range of fauna and flora. Some of the notable lakes are The Ulsoor Lake (near MG Road at Halasuru), Madiwala Lake (among the largest lakes), the Sankey Tank (recently renovated); Hebbal Lake, Lalbagh Lake (at Lalbagh garden), Agara Lake, Puttenahalli Lake, Jarganhalli Lake, Kamakshipalya Lake, Vengaihnakere and Nagavara Lake. These lakes also have boating, parks, playgrounds, fountains and jogging area and some are famous grounds for Ganesh Charturthi immersion.

Karnatak Chitrakala Parishath

Karnatak Chitrakala Parishath

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In a country of rich cultural diversity and skill there are, ironically, very few institutions working actively for the promotion of Arts and providing support and giving a platform to artists to showcase their works. However, even amongst the obvious scarcity of people working to promote the Arts, there are institutions like the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in Bangalore which not only provides a literal space for artists to showcase their work but is one of the first institutions to set up a degree course in Fine Arts. Established and opened on June 25, 1976, the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath is located in the very heart of Bangalore. It houses a unique collection of traditional paintings, leather puppets and artefacts of Karnataka. It also has a graphic studio, sculpture studio and an open-air theatre. The paintings are created using different mediums like Oil on Canvas, Watercolours, Mixed Media, Etching, Lithography etc. Each work of art is categorised individually, displaying the name of the artist, media used, cost and size of the canvas. There are a number of exhibition halls on the first floor of the Parishath, which include the Roerich and Kejriwal gallery. The paintings of Nicholas Roerich have been placed in two different galleries called Roerich I and II. Majority of the works displayed are by the students of the Chitrakala Parishath. The institution offers a Bachelor in Fine Arts (B.F.A) for Painting, Sculpture, Art History and Print Making. A Master in Fine Arts (M.F.A) is also offered. It is one of the very few institutions offering a degree course in Fine Arts. The Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath is a rich storehouse of folk and traditional paintings. The spacious galleries constantly display the finest in contemporary Indian Art, the open-air theatre is active space for the performing arts and the Parishath has constantly cultivated art events like artist camps, etc. It a truly global gallery giving artists a much-needed platform, with not only well-known artists from India but also from abroad choosing to exhibit their work here. The Chitrakala Parishat is open to the public on all days between 10.00 AM and 5.00 PM. However, the Parishath's personal collections, including the Roerich and Kejriwal Galleries, are closed daily between 2 to 3 pm.

HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum

HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum

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The HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum is the India’s second largest public aerospace museum, situated on the Airport Road of Bangalore. It was established in 2001 by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It is a museum showcasing the history and achievements of HAL where one can get to see the actual models aircrafts, equipment for communication and navigation and other aerospace related items plus numerous photographs since 1940s. It has 10 aircrafts, 2 mock-ups and a dummy ATC (Air Traffic Controller) tower overlooking the airport where one can actually get a feel of its functioning. Models of satellite launch vehicles (GSLV, PSLV) are also there. You can visit the library, aero modeling club and a souvenir shop.

Bull temple/Nandi temple

Bull temple/Nandi temple

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The Bull temple also known as the Nandi Temple is located at the Bull Temple Road in Basavanagudi. It is dedicated to Nandi, the sacred bull and celestial vahana (mount) for Lord Shiva. The temple is itself small and was built using the architecture style of Vijayanagara era during the Vijayanagara times in 1537.However, the statue of Nandi is massive and has been carved from single granite and is considered the largest Nandi statue of the world (5 meter tall, 6 meter long). A new tower (vimana) with motifs and Saivite figures has been constructed in 20th century.

Bangalore Turf Club

Bangalore Turf Club

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Apart from the regular sight-seeing, there’s a lot that Bangalore has to offer. For all those who love horses or are interested in watching some horse races, the city has the Bangalore Turf Club to satisfy your wishes. India has some of the world’s finest thoroughbreds that shouldn’t be missed and the Bangalore Race Course is one of the finest in India, with racing events held almost all year round, especially in May to June and November to March. Some of the biggest field stakes in the country can be witnessed at the Bangalore Turf Club. Located on the Race Course Road, the Club offers a different sort of ‘entertainment’… a welcome change from the regular options available. Good crowd, enthralling Race horses and big bets, anticipation and a big, healthy dose of fun and excitement! Next time you’re in Bangalore and have some time to spare and are looking for something to do, make your way to the Bangalore Turf Club and spend a nice, exciting couple of hours there.

St. Marys Basilica

St. Marys Basilica

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St. Mary's Basilica is the only church among all the churches of Bangalore and the sixth in India to be recognized as a Basilica. It is also Bangalore’s oldest church. Its architecture is worth seeing and is of Gothic Styles such as stained glass windows, decorative and ornamental motifs, arches, tall spires and multiple columns. It is notable for the festivities and celebrations held here during the annual St. Mary’s Feast which marks the birth of Mother Mary held in September annually during which numerous devotees throng here.

Tipu Sultan Palace

Tipu Sultan Palace

In the most crowded market area of Bangalore lies the remnants of Tipu's Fort - and within it, Tipu Sultan's Palace, with an inscription bearing the words "Abode of Happiness". The construction of the palace was started by Haider Ali and completed by Tipu Sultan himself in 1791. Built entirely in Teak wood , this palace was originally a summer retreat and it took ten years to plan and complete the construction. It is a two-storied ornate wooden structure with pillars, arches and balconies flanked by gardens on either sides leading to the palace. In the quadrant there is a Ganesha Temple that popularly depicts and represents Tipu Sultan's religious tolerance. After Tipu's death the palace was used as a Secretariat by the British until 1867. In June 2005 the palace was opened to the public by Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar to meet the Rs 20 lakh an annual upkeep costs of the palace. The main charm of the fort is the art gallery of nearly a thousand historical photos, including those of viceroys, maharajas and other famous personalities besides the delicate carvings and paintings. Visiting Hours: 10am to 6pm. The palace is closed on Sunday. There is also an Entry Fee to the fort.

Attara Kacheri

Attara Kacheri

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The Karnataka High Court (Attara Kacheri) is situated in Bangalore. It is a breathtaking red brick and stone building and employs the Greco-Roman (neo-classical) architecture style. It has two stories and overlooks the Vidhan Sabha, Karnataka's legislature seat. Its construction was supervised by Mudaliar and completed by 1868. Earlier named as Old Public Offices and now named as Attara Kacheri, meaning eighteen departments. It is so named as these 18 departments of the revenue and general secretariat of the Mysore Government were transferred here from the Tipu Sultan summer palace.

Lal Bagh

Lal Bagh Bangalore, India

If you’re the sort of person who enjoys sightseeing, there’s no way you should skip a visit to the Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens on your trip to Bangalore. Commissioned by Hyder Ali in 1760 and eventually completed by his son, Tipu Sultan, Lal Bagh is a 240 acre garden in the southern part of town. Tipu Sultan added horticulture wealth to these world-famous botanical gardens by importing plants and trees from various countries. The Glass House forms the centre of attraction in the garden, which houses the subcontinent’s largest collection of rare plants and also trees that are over 100 years old. Hyder Ali had intended to create this garden along the lines of the Mughal Gardens that were gaining popularity during his time. The park has some rare species of plants brought from Persia, Afghanistan and France. With a complex and intricate irrigation system, this garden is aesthetically designed, with lawns, flowerbeds, lotus pools, fountains and most of the centuries old trees are labelled for easy identification. The Lal Bagh Rock, one of the oldest rock formations on earth, dating back to 3000 million years, is another attraction that draws in the crowds. Lal Bagh is known for its unique achievement in nurturing the concept of horticulture and aiding the development of horticulture and is considered to be one of the best gardens in the East for its layout, scientific treasure and scenic beauty. The garden, with all its well- laid paths, tracks, open spaces, shades and an extensive collection of rare plant species, makes this Garden extremely attractive to a large number of visitors. Yet another attraction is the ‘Janapada Jaatre’, organized by the Government of Karnataka, on the second and fourth weekend of every month, featuring folk dance, music and plays performed by troupes from all parts of Karnataka. The Lal Bagh Botanical Garden is open from 6.00 AM- 7.00 PM daily, throughout the year. For the sake of fitness enthusiasts and joggers, the Garden entry is free from 6.00 AM to 9.00 AM and from 6.00 PM to 7.00 PM.