ABOUT BANGALORE

Bangalore

Asia : South Asia : India : Southern India : Karnataka : Central Karnataka : Bangalore

contents

• [+]Understand
• Talk
• [+]Get in
• [+]Get around
• [+]See
• [+]Do
• [+]Learn
• [+]Work
• [+]Buy
• [+]Eat
• [+]Drink
• [+]Sleep
• Stay safe
• [+]Contact
• [+]Cope
• Contact
• Get out

Bangalore,[1] officially known as Bengaluru, in the state of Karnataka in southern India is the major center of India's IT industry. Once called the "Garden city of India" and "Pensioner's Paradise", these epithets no longer apply to Bangalore, which is today a large cosmopolitan city with diminishing green spaces and a large working population.

Vidhana Soudha

[edit]Understand

[edit]History

The earliest records of a place named 'Bengaluru' are found in a 9th century temple in an area that is now known as 'Old Bangalore'.

Legend has it that the feudal lord Kempe Gowda was once hunting in this area, a rabbit turned and attacked his dog. This made a great impression on Gowda and he gave the place a title of 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 the king Krishna Raja Wodeyar III, the British took control of the Mysore Kingdom and, possibly influenced by the city's salubrious 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 theKarnataka state capital, and continues 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 the native name "Bengaluru" - an adaptation of the earlier name in Kannada: Benda Kaalu Uru (The Town of 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.

[edit]Sobriquets

• Garden City of India
• Silicon Valley of India
• Pensioners' Paradise
• IT capital of india

[edit]Climate

Unlike other parts of India which are extremely hot in the summer months, Bangalore enjoys a relatively mild climate year round.

• Summer - February to May (peak temperature is during April and May)
• Monsoon - June to October (the heaviest rains are typically between June and August)
• Winter - November to January (with December being the coldest month)

Summer temperatures can reach upto 36°C (97°F) and early morning temperatures in the winter hovers around 12°C (54°F).

[edit]Talk

Being the capital of Karnataka, the official language in Bangalore is Kannada. However, most educated people are also able to speak fluent English. Other languages such as Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil are also widely understood, at least in Bangalore. Also, Bangalore being the cultural hub that it is, has a smattering of Tulu and Konkani speakers.

Although autorickshaw drivers understand English numbers, a basic knowledge of Kannada will help in ensuring that you are not overcharged.

[edit]Get in

[edit]By plane

The Bangalore airport, Bengaluru International Airport (IATA: BLR), (ICAO: VOBL) [2] is located 35 km (22 mi) north of Bangalore city centre (MG Road) and is off National Highway 7 (Bangalore-Hyderabad Highway). It is 4 km (2.5 mi) south of Devanahalli and 30 km (19 mi) from the Bangalore City Railway Station. It was opened in May 2008. The airport is among India's busiest and most modern, with direct flights to many major European and Asian destinations. The airport is sometimes subject to operational restrictions due to fog from 15 Nov-15 Feb, between 3AM (IST)- 8:30AM (IST). Flight delays and diversions may occur on some mornings due to the morning fog. The airport operator has an enquiry number to check on weather related delays. ☎ +91 80 66782255, +91 80 66782251 or call the airline's call centre.

Notable international flights:

• Frankfurt on Lufthansa [3]

• Singapore on Singapore Airlines [4], Indian Airlines [5] and Tiger Airways [6]

• Kuala Lumpur (KUL) on AirAsia [7] and Malaysian Airlines [8]

• London on British Airways [9]

• Dubai on Emirates [10] and Indian Airlines [11]

• Paris on Air France [12], fromBangkok on Thai Airways [13]

• Hong Kong on Dragonair [14].

Domestic flights also operate out of BLR.

• Indian Airlines [15], now part of Air India, connects Bangalore with all parts of the country, as do private competitors Jet Airways [16] and Kingfisher Airlines [17]. Kingfisher Red [18], previously known as Air Deccan operates to most cities and large towns.

Other low cost carriers that serve Bangalore include Indigo [19], Go Air [20], Jet lite [21] andSpiceJet [22].

[edit]Connectivity to the Airport

• Buses Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) operates buses from various points of the city every 15 min to the Bangalore International Airport (BLR). A total of 156 buses ply to and from the airport. 40 of these buses are air-conditioned Volvo buses, called Vayu Vajra. The cost for each trip in these buses ranges between Rs 20 - 200 depending on the distance. This is the cheapest and an extremely convenient way to get to the airport moreover, this service is available everyday, day and night. More information on this service is available at [23]

• High speed rail links are planned to the Central Business District. These links will cut travel time to about 22 min. However, a reliable completion date is not yet available.

• Helicopter services are operated by Air Deccan Air Limousine where passengers can get a helicopter service to take them to the airport. Many new apartment complexes in Bangalore are equiped with these helipads, such as Golden Grand Apartments and Brigade Gateway Hotel and Apartments. Contact the Deccan counter at the airport terminal. Rates begin from Rs 5,000 for a lift to UB-City Towers at Bangalore's CBD.

• Post-paid taxi BLR has selected Meru and EasyCabs to provide basic taxi services. The taxi operators will have basic A/C cars, all equipped with tracking devices to ensure safety and transparency. Both operators have professional call centres. Hence, guests traveling to the airport can call the cab call centres and a cab will pick them up and drop them at the airport. Meru Cabs have been reported to be highly un-reliable by users.They have been known to cancel the appointment at the last hour leaving the customer high and dry. The Meru Cab drivers do this if they find a better deal from a street pick up while they are on their way to an airport pick-up. For travellers arriving at the airport, there is a dedicated taxi holding area. The post paid taxi facility will be available on meter charges @ Rs 20/- per km (subject to Govt regulation). These are by far the best and most convenient mode of transport from the airport. It may cost you approximately Rs 600 to get to Bangalore's CBD.

• Share Taxis are operated by Airlift. As soon as you exit the airport terminal, look for the bus stand with the bright red Volvo buses. The share taxis are yellow and red Toyota Innovas parked just next to the buses. These are very convenient and cheaper than a regular taxi as a one way drop to Bangalore's CBD will cost around Rs 300. These are air conditioned and offer each passenger a personal television screen.

• Pre-paid taxi Hertz and Akbar Travels provide pre paid Limousine and car rental facilities through counters at the terminal building.

• Self drive cars will also be available on self drive basis. There will be three ranges of self drive cars - the compact category (Suzuki Swift), the intermediate range (Ford Fiesta), the standard category (Toyota corolla), Multi Utility Vehicles (Toyota Innova) and Sports Utility Vehicles (Ford Endeavour). These cars will be given to the renter with a full fuel tank and the car has to be returned with full fuel tank. A flexible pick up and drop off facility in town and at the airport will be offered. The renter can pick up the car at the airport and then drop it off anywhere in the city or in Hyderabad or Chennai. Similarly, the car can be picked up at any of these cities and dropped off at the airport. Conditions apply (the renter must be over 21 yrs of age and possess a valid Indian license).

• Hotel pick-up Another option is to arrange with your hotel in Bangaloreto have a driver pick you up at the airport. Some hotels, especially the higher-end ones, provide this service for free if you are staying with them. If it's your first time traveling to Bangalore, this is the recommended way to get from the airport to your hotel. The driver will be found outside the airport with a card bearing your name, the only difficulty being that about 100 other drivers will also be waiting outside the airport, all vying for your attention. Luckily there is a short fenced walkway that separates the drivers from those leaving the airport, giving you ample time and space to find your ride into Bangalore.

• Taxi (other) You can still find a ride into Bangalore City in your own taxi at a much cheaper rate than the above options, if you are willing to take the risk involved. Taxi drivers not approved by the airport will attempt to negotiate with you a much lower fare than the approved EasyCabs and Meru cabs, and may come down to as much as Rs. 200-300 for a ride to Bangalore's CBD. These drivers can be found just beyond the terminal plaza at the covered walkway that leads to the parking lots. Once you leave the walkway, some drivers may become fairly aggressive, and might try to take your bag without your permission. The best thing to do is to keep track of, and be in control of, your belongings. Even the most aggressive taxi driver or tout will leave you alone if you stand firm and make it clear that you do not want their help. It is recommended to fix the price before you enter the cab and no tip is necessary once you arrive at your destination.

[edit]By train

Bangalore has two major railway terminals. The Bangalore City (IR station code: SBC) railway station is situated in the heart of the city, opposite the Majestic Bus stand. Most trains, both local and long-distance, arrive and depart from here. The other terminal is Yeswantpur Junction (IR station code: YPR) located on NH-4 (Tumkur Road). A few (mostly long-distance) trains arrive and depart from here. Two smaller railway terminals are Bangalore East (IR station code: BNCE) and Bangalore Cantonment (IR station code: BNC). The former is in the easter section of Bangalore and the latter in the Northern part.

Bookings can be done at either the railway stations or at the Indian Railways booking counters located in major commercial residential areas. Booking can also be done online [24]. Note that if you are booking at Bangalore City and are traveling to Mysore, there is a separate counter for travellers to Mysore. This is to cater for the large amount of travelers between Bangalore and Mysore. If travelling to Mysore on a Sunday afternoon, arrive early as there is usually a long line for buying tickets.

As with all Indian railway travel, have some patience for delays. Trains are usually on time (within 20 mins of scheduled time), but can sometimes be late. A digital departure board in the station will tell you what platform your train is on and what time it leaves.

Train travel is usually fairly cheap. For example, a ticket to Chennai, about 360 km (5-6 hr) away, costs anywhere from Rs 125 for the lowest class to Rs 1,105 for the highest class.

For train arrival/departure and PNR status inquiries at various railway stations at Bangalore, call 139.

Travelling from Mumbai to Bangalore by train takes a long time (24 hrs or so). Buses are comparatively faster and take 18-20 hrs, provided there are no traffic jams in Mumbai and Pune enroute. Effective travel time by both train or bus is long. Air travel is recommended for traveling between Mumbai and Bangalore, the duration of which is about 90 min. Low cost airlines charge the same fare as A/C train or Volvo bus. However, sleeper class (non-A/C) train travel from Mumbai to Bangalore is economical and you can have a view of some lush evergreen forests and river valleys across Western India.

Also see Rail travel in India

[edit]By bus

If you have difficulty in arranging a plane or railway ticket to your next destination, or you prefer a little more adventure, you can go by bus. There are both government and private buses that run services to major cities like Mumbai, Goa, Chennai, Mangalore, Coimbatore, Madurai etc. Buses can be a normal luxury bus, a Volvo A/C bus or a sleeper bus for night travel. Some bus operators like Karnataka State Road Transport Corpration[25]/ redBus [26]/ Ticketkaran [27]/ Raj National Express [28]/ KPN Travels [29]/ Customer Needz[30]/ TicketGoose.com [31] offer online bookings.

All intercity buses arrive and depart from Bangalore bus stand, which is located opposite the Bangalore city railway station. The bus station is named after the founder of Bangalore,

• Kempegowda Bus Station is more commonly known as the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus stand or the Majestic Bus Station. It handles buses that connect Bangalore to all major cities and states in south India.

• Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) maintains bus services within Bangalore. The main bus stand is located next to the Kempegowda Bus Station.

Unlike other metros, the display boards in the bus show the destination in the local language Kannada. But the bus numbers are mostly in English. If you don't speak Kannada, you will likely need to get some help to get on the right bus. However, the newer Volvo buses are all equipped with electronic displays that display the destination and route numbers in both Kannada and English. Non-Volvo buses are being gradually retrofitted with these electronic displays; this should make bus travel much simpler if you are unfamiliar with the local language.

[edit]By car

Driving in India can be very stressful. Use of the horn is mandatory in all situations. Lane discipline is practically nonexistent, and games of chicken, combined with razor thin passing margins are common. One ride in a taxi will most likely convince you that driving yourself is not worth the risk, so if you do want to arrive by car, you will probably want to hire both a car and a driver. Cost varies, but most car/driver combinations cost Rs. 1,400 to Rs. 1,700/day. The fares for hired private taxis are usually in the multiples of 4 hours/40km, fares for which start at around Rs. 450 for a non-air conditioned small car. Depending on where you are coming from, you may be able to negotiate a lower fare if the trip isn't far, and it may be a higher fare if you are traveling far and your driver has to travel back on his own time. Although it costs more, consider requesting an air conditioned car if you aren't used to the heat, especially in summer. An "Air Con" car will also help filter out the air pollution, which is considerable, especially on congested roadways. If you want something even more special, such as a fancy car or SUV, be prepared to pay extra.

[edit]Get around

[edit]By bus

Buses in Bangalore are cheap and usually frequent, but traveling on them can be very difficult if you don't know the system well. Ordinary city buses display only the route number in English, with the destination and route information written in Kannada. This means you will have to know what route number you need before you get on, which you can find from the BMTC website [32], Desiroutes [33] bus routes or by asking locals. Unlike many Western countries, posted route maps of the bus system are rare, although maps are sold at the main bus terminals (Kempegowda Bus Stand and Shivajinagar). ☎ BMTC toll free 1800 425 1663

Buses with black display boards run within the city. Red board buses covers long distance and go to adjoining suburbs. The ordinary city buses are white and blue in color. The newer city buses tend to be silver in color and have LED display boards. There is a bus service called Pushpak with better seating; these buses are tan rather than the usual blue and are slightly more expensive. There are red Volvo buses, calledVajra, that operate on certain routes within the city. They offer a comfortable air-conditioned ride at slightly higher prices than the regular buses (which are not air-conditioned). These are a great way to get around the city. Unlike most other buses, the Vajras have illuminated LED display boards on the front and sides which display the destination and route information in English as well as Kannada.

New bus services are introduced from time to time by the BMTC. The latest service introduced in early 2009 known as Big 10 [34] consists of ten routes along major roads into the city, bringing passengers from the outer suburbs to central Bangalore. These buses are yellow in color, have LCD destination boards, and prominently feature the Big 10 logo on the sides. More information about these buses, including stops and route maps.

City buses are crowded during rush hours but one can travel with little difficulty during the daytime. Many have seats reserved for women in the front. Bus service is less frequent after 9:30-10PM and becomes rare after 10:30PM.

It is always better to buy a daily pass if you plan to travel the whole day on the bus. The daily pass costs Rs 32 and it comes handy if you need to travel on several buses in a single day. Daily passes are issued by the on-duty bus conductor or at the bus stand. Using this pass you can travel in any bus (other than the Vajra) for the entire day, any number of times. It is a very economical option for travel in Bangalore.

There are three major bus stands:

• Kempegowda bus stand, also known as the Majestic Bus Stand, near Gandhi Nagar is directly opposite the Bangalore City railway station. It is quite neatly organized and is easily navigable. There is an inquiry office near platform number 1 on ‘Majestic’ where you can ask the bus number and platform for your desired destination. You can find a large map on display, which you can use to find the bus number you need to take if you know the area you are going to. You can of course always ask the conductor or other passengers. Route maps are also sold on the platforms.

• City Market is around 2 km (1.2 mi) to 3 km (1.8 mi) away from Majestic and could daunt newcomers, since it is very disorganized. It is a large dirt parking lot under an overhead highway, and there isn't much order to where buses park.

• Shivajinagar is in the north. This is also neatly organized and there is an inquiry window to find about buses. You can find a large map on display here too, which you can use to find the bus number you need to take if you know the area you are going to. Route maps are also sold on the platforms.

Buses are available to all major localities of the city from these three bus stands.

Other important bus stands are:

• Chandra Layout West
• Shantinagar, Central
• Jayanagar, South
• Banashankari, South
• BTM Layout, South East
• Vijaynagar, West
• Malleswaram, North West
• Yeshwantpur, North West
• Domlur, East
• Kadugodi, East
• Hebbal, North
• Shivaji Nagar
• Rajarajeshwari Nagar
• Basaveshvar Nagar

Autorickshaws and taxis in Bangalore have a metered fare system. Tipping is neither expected nor required when you avail of autorickshaw or taxi services. Just pay the meter fare. Refrain from tipping and ruining things for the residents who will then be the at the receiving end of unwarranted demands for tips.

[edit]By auto-rickshaw

Auto-rickshaw drivers are the nightmare of the city, and even if you live here they can be the most difficult group of people to deal with. Poor etiquette and the inexplicable reasons offered by them for refusing to ferry customers have earned them well deserved brick-bats.

Auto-rickshaws are everywhere at any time of day. They are green-and-yellow, and black-and-yellow three wheeled contraptions that use simple two-stroke engines. Nevertheless, they are a fast way to get around the city.

Auto-rickshaws are supposed to charge fares as per the meter reading, which most often equals to Rs 9 x distance (in kilometers) (Minimum charge of Rs.17 for the first 2 km or less), they generally tend to charge on an ad-hoc basis depending on the distance of the destination, the chances of getting another customer from the mentioned locality, and their mood. You should simply refuse to board an auto where the meter is faulty or the driver refuses to use it. Saying "meter please" will usually do the trick.

Tourists should be tactful when approaching an auto-rickshaw during night, or during heavy rains. Chances are they will charge exorbitant rates. Help could be taken from the local traffic police to avail auto-rickshaws during such circumstances. If you are a visitor and do not know the route to the destination it is a good idea to bargain and fix the fare before boarding to avoid long, convoluted routes being used by the driver.

Another thing to keep in mind is to be firm but not loud in an argument while traveling in the auto. Some of the drivers may team up with their other hooligan-friends midway to cause trouble. Remember that although Bangaloreans are known for their polite and mild mannered behaviour, auto drivers are normally an exception. Some will think nothing of trying to rip you off. If in doubt, consult a local or your hotel travel desk.

If a rickshaw driver offers to show/drive you to some great places to shop, firmly refuse. A common tactic is to drive you to local shops where you will be pressured to buy Indian crafts that you probably don't want. Know your destination and insist upon it. Be firm.

Autos add a 50% surcharge after 10PM (called "one and a half" and is the legal charge). Some drivers may demand 100% surcharge after 10PM or 11PM but you must refuse to board in such a case. Heavy luggage costs an additional fee of around Rs 10-20.

Rickshaw drivers are required by law to display their identification on the dashboard or the back of their seats. Refuse to get into a rickshaw that does not display one.

In case an auto driver gives you trouble, note their identification number and report to BBMP Control room which is empowerd to withdraw the auto license. This is a very effective technique to deal with them. The BBMP control room number as of December 2009 is +91 80 22975803.

The minimum charge as of November 2010, is Rs 17 for the first 2 km and Rs 9 for every additional kilometre.

[edit]By taxi

The taxis in Bangalore are very convenient and comfortable. Most of the vehicles are Maruti Omni Vans or Tata Indica cars, which are much safer than Auto rickshaws, and the drivers are polite. If you are alone or going to an unknown destination, you are strongly advised to choose this option, even though the rates will be double that of an auto. Most taxi companies will charge a flat rate of Rs 150 for a pick-up and drop from anywhere to anywhere within city limits. Waiting or return trips will be charged extra, as will a lot of heavy luggage.

Unlike many other countries, taxis are not marked with 'TAXI' signs on the top. Instead, the cars will be marked with the logo of the fleet operator or taxi company on the sides of the car. Some companies have a yellow sign with a identification number (usually an alphabet followed by two digits) on the top. Keep in mind that these taxis cannot be hailed from the street, but have to be called by telephone. When you call, you must give the operator your location, destination as well as phone number, who will in turn tell you the charge (or will inform you that you must go by the meter) as well as the taxi number. The taxi will come pick you up, and call you when they are close. When you go out on the street, look at the license plate for the number they gave you -- it will be the last four digits of the license plate. Alternatively, look for the yellow board atop the car with the taxi's identification number.

The license plate number is usually in the format "KA" followed by 01 to 05, followed by two alphabets, followed by a four digit number. Taxis generally have yellow license plates with black letters.

Be prepared to book a taxi a couple of hours in advance if required on weekdays, especially during rush hours, as a huge demand for the taxis, coupled with massive traffic jams during rush hours will ensure that it would be difficult for a taxi to reach you in time. Private taxis are generally more reliable during this time as in many cases, radio cabs (run by Meru, EasyCabs, KSTDC and others) will be overbooked and you might be unfortunate to be informed that your booking has been scrapped.

Although it can be hard for non-Indians to grasp at first, the system is actually very effective. If in doubt, ask a member of your hotel staff to help you, and when your taxi comes be sure to tip them Rs 35-Rs 40 for the assistance.

• Rex Cabs ☎+91 96 3222 2505, +91 80 31909090.

• Easy Cabs ☎+91 80 43434343

• Karnataka Taxi

• Bengalooru Cabs

• Celcabs

• City Safari

• Garden City Taxi

• Gopinath Radio Taxi Services

• KK City Taxi

• RK City Taxi

• Roman Taxis

• Spot Taxis

• Meru Cabs ☎+91 80 44224422

[edit]Auto Fare Calculator

If you want to be smart and would like to know your fare in advance for the travel and also travel from Point Ato Point B within the city using a well guided map, try the Auto Fare Calculator [35]. The service calculates taxi and cab fares for the city.

[edit]By private car

Most taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers will be more than happy to offer you either a daily rate or an hourly rate, and take you around wherever you need to go. Alternately, your hotel or a travel company can arrange a private car.

If you find a good taxi or auto driver, this can be a great way to go for a foreigner. You'll certainly pay a lot more than if you bought individual rides, but you'll always have a driver waiting for you, and he can help with recommending local tourist sites, finding a good restaurant to eat at, and otherwise coping with day-to-day life. This can take a lot of the stress out of traveling.

Rates are generally something like Rs 50 to 100 per hour for an auto-rickshaw, and Rs 150 to 250 per hour for a taxi. Rates for a private car booked via the hotel will probably be more. Like everything else in India, rates are very fluid.

[edit]Driving Directions

• You can use Google Maps India [36] or Yahoo Maps India [37] to locate places and get driving directions for Bangalore.

[edit][add listing]See

Iskcon Temple

Although Bangalore is not known as a tourist city, there is still a lot to see. If you only have a limited amount of time in the city, you should consider taking one of these trips.

• Half-day [38] or full-day city tours offered by KSTDC[39], the government tourist office, are cheap and cover the city's major attractions with English speaking guides.

• Full-day tour, called Bangalore Rounds, organised by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation [40], is conducted in an air-conditioned bus and covers most important tourist spots in the city. It is advisable to book seats the previous day. ☎ +91 80 12667, +91 80 2202 9935. The tour costs Rs 250.

Typically, the city tours do NOT include entry fees into the attractions. Bangalore, as with the rest of India, has a habit of charging foreigners a lot more than locals. For example, Tipu Sultan's Palace, which is on the half-day tour, charges Rs 10 for Indians and Rs 100 (or US$2) to non-Indians.

[edit]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 13 July 1951. It was built at an expenditure of Rs 18.4 million. 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 62 m (204 ft) wide 21 m (70 ft) 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.

• Seshadari 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.

• Bangalore Palace was constructed by the Maharajahs of Mysore. For many years the building was neglected as a tourist attraction, but is now open to the public. This is a run down building with paint peeling on the interior and generally a tourist trap to be avoided. The fee is Rs 100/200 Indian/Foreigner and Rs 500 to take photos even of the exterior. This includes a guide to point out things like the mounted elephant head, though no mention is made of the numerous nude paintings.

• Tipu Sultan's Palace, which dates from about 1790, is the summer retreat for Tipu sultan. The two story structure is made mostly out of wood with finely embellished balconies, pillars and arches.

• Omthara Kala Kuteera [41] is located 40 km (25 mi) from Bangalore. Just one hour from the hustle and bustle of Bangalore, Omthara Kala Kuteera is an oasis of peace and tranquility. Built as homage to India's ancient culture and its vibrant art, this masterpiece is a monument like none other. Located amidst 30 acres of lush gardens in rustic surroundings, Omthara Kala Kuteera offers an environment that soothes the soul and energizes the mind. A visit to Om Thara Kala Kuteera has been described variously by guests as "Heaven on Earth", "Temple like none other", "Place of Divinity", "Uplifts my Soul", and "Source of Peace and Happiness".

UB City

[edit]Temples

• The Bull Temple, located in Basavanagudi, 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 Maha Bodhi Society Temple (see 'learn' section) is a relatively new structure, with the main shrine built as a replica of the historic stupa at Bodh Gaya. The temple grounds are very peaceful, and visitors are welcome to stroll around. In addition, the temple houses an excellent library of books on Buddhism, many of which are in English.

• ISKCON Hare Krishna Temple, Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road, ☎ +91 80 2347 1956, +90 80 2357 8346 (fax: +91 80 2357 8625), [42].3:45AM-8PM. Temple built on a hillock in Rajajinagar atop scenic surroundings, is a perfect blend of modern technology and spiritual harmony. The huge cultural complex was built to promote vedic culture and spiritual learning, and abounds with shops selling devotional items and souvenirs. The annual Krishna and Balarama Rath Yatrais attended by thousands.  edit

• Maruthi Mandir, a Hanuman Temple is located just opposite - 5 min drive from ISKCON temple, in the gate of Mahalakshmi Layout. This is a rock hill with huge idols of Hanuman and Mahalakshmi temples. The annual festival of Hanumad Jayanthi during December is very attractive.

• Gavi Gangadeshwara Cave Temple, located in Gavipuram, was built by Kempe Gowda. This temple with four remarkable monolithic pillars is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple also has a rare idol of Agnigod of fire. The annual festival is on Makara Shankranti and thousands of devotees flock to see the suns rays fall on the Shivlinga.

• VenkataramanaSwamy Temple is a fine example of Dravidian architecture. This ancient temple was built by Maharaja Chikka Devaraya Wodeyar and is situated next to the summer palace of Tipu Sultan.

Lord Shiva Temple behind Kemp Fort, Airport Road

• Dodda Ganapathi - one of the oldest temples in Bangalore, is situated adjacent to the Bull Temple.
• Vasanthapura,in South Bangalore, is a small hillock with an ancient temple dedicated to Sri Vasantha Vallabharaya Swamy.

• Shiva Temple (Shiv Mandir), Old Airport Road. This temple has a massive monolith of Lord Shiva, located in the middle of an artificial pool. There is a cave-like walkthrough behind the statue. It is extremely crowded on the festival of Maha Shivaratri. Free entrance, camera Rs. 25.  edit

• Banaswadi Hanuman Temple,constructed in the Dravidian style, attracts a large number of devotees especially on week-ends. It has smaller temples dedicated to Lord Rama, Shiva and Ganapathi within the walled compund.

• Ragi Gudda is a famous Hanuman temple abode in the Jayanagar 9th block, South of Bangalore. The temple is situated on a mammoth rocky hill, and has very attractive chain of temples like Spathika Shiva, Ganesha and scenery within the premises. This is a very crowd attracting place during the period of Hanumad Jayanthi in December.

• Sri RajaRajeshwari Temple located in RajaRajeshwari Nagar, just before Kengeri on Mysore Road is a famous temple dedicated to Godess Parvathi (RajaRajeshwari). Built in the ancient style with stones, the temple is very spacious. One can feel the peace and satisfaction when visited. Week ends are very crowdy.

• DakshinaMukhy Nandeeshwara Temple, located in the heart of Bangalore is very ancient temple. This is on Sampige Road in the Malleshwaram area. The speciality of the temple is that, the natural (mineral) water flows from the mouth of Nandi (naturally) which is above a ShivaLingam, and pours all over the year as Abhishekam by nature itself. This water, after Abhishekam is taken by devotees as medicinal water, believed to cure many diseases. People from all over the world take this water in small containers with a lot of trust and devotion.

• Mukti Naga temple [43] in Bangalore is world's largest monolithic statue of Lord Naaga, about 16 feet tall and 36 tons of weight. The Mukti Naga temple which is run by Shri Subrahmanya Seva Trust, is situated in a serene ambience of Ramohalli, a village on the outskirts of Bangalore city. Further details can be had at address

• Meenakshi Sundaram Temple, located on the Bannerghatta Road - after Indian Institute of Management, South of Bangalore, is a beautiful, spacious temple devoted to Sri Meenakshi Amma. Built in ancient style with stone structures, this place is very cool and mind refreshing place to see. You will feel that you are in a temple at Tamilnad, when in this temple.

• Sri Ramakrishna Ashram - There are many Ramakrishna Ashrams in Bangalore, but the special and central one is in Gandhi Bazaar - the place of temples in Bangalore. This mutt contains a vast meditating hall, a beautiful park, a vedic school and many more facilities. Sri Sharada Devi had meditated on a location in the park in this boundary. This location is preserved as a monument. A stone on which Swami Vivekananda had sat when he visited Bangalore is also kept as a monument. This is a calm and peaceful place for the place who enjoy the meditation.

[edit]Parks

• Cubbon Park.[44] A 121 ha (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 are in the heart of a metropolis of over 8.8 million people and one of the world's most dynamic and fastest growing cities. Avoid the secluded areas. There is also a toy train offering children's rides.

• The Lal Bagh. A meticulously cared for garden located on the southern part of the city. Throughout its 97 ha (240 acre), there are lotus ponds, fountains, glass houses and stone formations that date back over 3.0 billion 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 after 9AM. A flower show is held during the week preceding Indian Independence day (August 15) and Republic day (January 26) in the Glass House. This flower show features exquisite flowers and patterns designed by the experienced gardeners of Lalbagh. Beware the tour guides, especially if you come in with a taxi driver. Always negotiate the tour price for the party at the outset. Otherwise, you will be charged a hefty fee at the tour's conclusion. Tour guides are not necessary.

Lal Bagh glass house

• Bannerghatta National Park is on the southern fringe of the city. This 100 sq km national park consists mostly of dense forest and scrub land, and is home to wild animals like bison, leopard, wild boar as well as being an important corridor for elephants migrating between the eastern and western ghats. Other attractions here are a crocodile farm, serpentarium and a newly added butterfly park. In addition, a portion of the park is used as a sanctuary for wild rescued animals.

• Lumbini Gardens. A new attraction in Bangalore. It is located near hebbal flyover and is on the lake front oF Nagvara lake. It has been recently developed with a grant of Rs 100 million. Major attractions of the park include boat rides, wave pool and children's garden.
• Bugle Rock Park Named so because during the monarchy, a bugle call was sounded from the watch tower to alert soldiers about impending danger. Adjacent to the Bull Temple in Basavanagudi, this park has been recently renovated and is home to the watch tower that marked the southern limits of the city during the times of Kempegowda. The park is relatively small, well maintained and is a favourite location for couples from the nearby educational institutions.

• Wonder La Amusement park. [45] A new attraction in Bangalore. It is India's biggest amusement and water park which belongs to V-Guard firm. This park boasts of several rides(both ground & water). This is one of the best spots to visit in Bangalore. It is in the outskirts of the city off Mysore Road. This Park is very expensive so you should have enough money to enjoy. The entry fee is only Rs 450 per head. If two people are going to Wonderla bring at least Rs 1,000. Overall, very clean bathrooms and the water, excellent rides, trained operators for the rides, well maintained equipment, decent food in restaurants, fun water rides, enjoy the rain dance and fire crackers/laser lights in evening. Enough rides to keep you busy all the day; however, there were no roller coasters. The park does not allow outside food.

• The Innovative Film City (IFC).The Innovative Film City (IFC) [46] located on the Bangalore - Mysore highway at Bidadi. Built on an area of around 50 acres it is supposed to be the biggest entertainment centre, theme park and much more. The film city has several small attractions such as world famous Ripley's Believe it or not museum, Louis Tussad wax museum, Funplex, Aqua Kingdom (artificial beach), Dinosaur world, cartoon city. It is also has a go-carting zone, a mini golf course, a 4D amphitheater, fossil museum. The entry fee to the park is Rs 50. There is a separate fee for each of the attractions.

• Freedom Park

[edit]Scenic spots

Below are listed some lovely locations to visit, outside the city. All of these are within a two hours' drive from the city.

[edit]Bangalore Rural District

• Art Of Living Ashram is at a distance of 21 km (13 mi) from the city centre on Kanakpura road (NH-209). It is the ashram of Sri Sri Ravishankar. On regular day Satsang is at 7:30PM and on Sundays at 4PM. The ashram is full of greenery and the soothing ambiance provides a great place to relax.

• Nrityagram [47] is in Hessaraghatta, 28 km (17 mi) from the city centre. This unique experimental village is dedicated to gurukula tradition of dance, music, choreography and painting.

• Hesaraghatta Lake is 29 km (18 mi) from the city centre. It is a delightful artificial lake spread over 405 ha (1,000 acre) and provides facilities for sailing. A livestock breeding and poultry center have been established as a part od a Indo-Danish project.

• Omthara Kala Kuteera is located 40 km (25 mi) from Bangalore. Just 1 hr from the hustle and bustle of Bangalore. Omthara Kala Kuteera is an oasis of peace and tranquility. Built as homage to India's ancient culture and its vibrant art, this masterpiece is a monument like none other. Located amidst 30 acres of lush gardens in rustic surroundings, Omthara Kala Kuteera offers an environment that soothes the soul and energizes the mind. A visit to Om Thara Kala Kuteera has been described variously by guests as "Heaven on Earth", "Temple like none other", "Place of Divinity", "Uplifts my Soul", and "Source of Peace and Happiness". See www.OmtharaKalaKuteera.com for directions and more details on this remarkable place.

• Muthyala Maduvu, 44 km (27 mi) from Bangalore, is a picnic spot having an enchanting waterfall and a small temple.

• Ghati Subramanya, 52 km (32 mi) from Bangalore, is a famous pilgrimage center and houses a Lord Subramanya Temple. Also located nearby are the rock formations of Makalidurga, which are excellent for trekking and adventure activities.

• Shivaganga, 56 km (35 mi) from Bangalore, is a good trekking site.

Shivaganga

• Halenijagal is located around 60 km (37 mi) from Bangalore on NH-4 amidst several other exotic hills and valleys.
• Chunchi Falls are beautiful waterfalls located 85 km (53 mi) from Bangalore. The water from a nearby dam flows down this ravine, and the area is very rocky so one needs to be careful. There are also reports of crocodiles inhabiting the area, though this has not been substantiated. The water from Chunchi flows down to meet Kaveri river at Sangam, a distance of about 15 km.

[edit]Chikkaballapur District

• Chamrajsagar Reservoir, 35 km (22 mi) from Bangalore, is an excellent picnic spot near the river Arakavati.

• Devanahalli, located 40 km (25 mi) from the city centre, is close to the airport. It is the birthplace of Tipu Sultan and has a massive fort and some beautiful temples.

• Nandi Hills, 60 km (37 mi) from Bangalore, is a beautiful hill station. Apart from being a scenic area it also houses two 10th century Chola temples with Vijayanagara style mantapas. The temples are in excellent condition. One temple is after the entrance to the fortifications half way up the hill and the other at the top. The location is famous for Kannada film shootings.

[edit]Ramanagaram District

• Magadi, 46 km (29 mi) from Bangalore, is the birthplace of Kempe Gowda. The place has the remnants of a fort and four temples of unspoilt charm.

• Ramanagara, the district headquarters, is 49 km (30 mi) from Bangalore, on the Bangalore-Mysore highway. The place is a treat for rock climbers.One of the famous hills is the Sri Revanna Sideshwara (SRS) hills. The forests around this place are now proposed as a wildlife sanctuary to not only protect the wildlife of the scrub jungle but also to protect the massive prehistoric rocks and boulders that are present all around. The Bollywood film Sholay was shot among the rocks of Ramanagara.Ramanagara is famous for the huge rocky outcrops. It is home to some of the world's oldest granite outcrops. Ramanagara is famous for its silk market, one of the biggest in India, giving it the other name of Silk town. The rocky terrain at Ramanagara makes it a very attractive destination for the adventure enthusiasts.Rock climbing is an adventure sport that is hugely popular in Ramanagara. The eye-catching granite cliffs 60 to 70 ft in height are favorite with rock climbing enthusiasts. Various kinds of activities such as face climbing, boulder climbing, chimney climbing and hill climbing are possible at Ramanagara. Each of these is a very strenuous activity and one needs to have a lot of stamina and determination to make it to the top.

• Janapada Loka is 53 km (33 mi) from Bangalore, on the Bangalore-Mysore highway, and is spread over 6 ha (15 acre). The center was established for the preservation and promotion of local folk culture and traditions. An art gallery, open air theatre and museum are also located here.

• Kanva Reservoir, 69 km (43 mi) from Bangalore, is an excellent picnic spot and has facilities for fishing.

• Savandurga, 60 km (37 mi) from Bangalore, is famous hilltop pilgrim center has temples dedicated to Gangadeshwara, Hanna Devi and a cave spring called Pattala. When viewed from a distance, the outline of the hill looks like the figure of a bull (Nandi) on the east, Lord Ganesha from the west, A cobra from the north and a Shiva linga from the south.Savandurga is an adventurous spot. Regular trekking, rock-climbing and leisure camps are conducted on the outskirts of the City over weekends. Here, one can see the thrilling adventurous activities. The people, who love climbing, will have fun in climbing in Savandurga. One can enjoy hill climbing and rappelling. Then, one can get the advantage of exploring the cave which is the main attraction for the visitors. It is a beautiful place surrounded with lots of greenery. It has rich medicinal value plants and is also a house of deer, panthers, and snakes and is a very popular place for bird watching.

• Mekedatu, meaning 'Goat's Leap', is 98 km (61 mi) from Bangalore. Here, the river Kaveri flows through a spectacular rock chasm, wide enough for only a goat to leap across. This gives Mekedatu its name. It is a very popular picnic spot.

• Sangama is 103 km (64 mi) from Bangalore. Here the river Arakavati joins the Kaveri inside the Chilandavadi forest. The Kaveri has several whirlpools in the stretch between Mekedatu and Sangama and it is not advisable to swim in the river at either of these places.

Each of these places are like a paradise in rural setting including ancient temples as well as scenic picnic spot for the tourists.

[edit][add listing]Do

[edit]Outdoor activities and sports

• Go-karting.

• Ultimate Frisbee [48] Although in a nascent stage, Ultimate Frisbee games are held on Tue/Thu/Sat mornings starting 6:30AM. The teams comprise of players of all skill levels.

• Adventure Organizations such as Thrillophilia [49] offer adventure related activities such as rock climbing, river rafting, kayaking etc.

• Watch a cricket match, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Near Cubbon Park). Chinnaswamy stadium is the home ground of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bangalore which is reputed for having a large, loyal, and loud fan following. IPL season typically is between January and March every year, matches are played in the evenings and last around 3 hours. Scour the daily newspapers for ticket information - note that tickets typically get sold out a week before.  edit

[edit]Nature & Parks

• Visit the beautiful lakes in Bangalore. Ulsoor Lake and Sankey Tank offer an enriching, pleasant experience.

• Bannerghatta National Park

[edit]History

• BangaloreWALKS, ☎ +98 80 671192, [50]. A great way to discover unique areas of Bangalore. Whether a visitor, or a long time resident, one can discover unknown facets of the city. The walks include Traditional Bangalore walk, Victorian Bangalore walk & the Lalbagh walk.The walks include breakfast/brunch at famed Bangalore eateries. Rs 300 (approx US$6)-Rs 500 (approx US$10).  edit

[edit]Libraries

[edit]Fairs & Exhibitions

• Kadlekai Parishe (Peanut fair) Every year, sometime during the months of Nov-Dec, the area around Bull Temple Road in South Bangalore hosts a peanut fair. Centuries ago, the villages in and around this area used to cultivate peanuts and the custom was to dedicate the first crop to Nandi (the Bull at the temple). Although the villages of yore are today residential areas, the tradition continues as peanut farmers congregate to sell their crop. The 2 day traditional fair has many stalls that sell peanuts, trinkets, bangles, pottery, dolls etc. There are also a number of food stalls.

• Chitra Santhe (Paintings market) An annual exhibition, held on the last Sunday of every January, the Chitra Santhe on Kumara Krupa Road (near Golf Course) brings together artists from all across Karnataka. Paintings, pottery, and sculpture are all on an exhibition-cum-sale. The road is closed to traffic on that day, making it possible to have a leisurely stroll, admiring and buying the items. (It is proposed that from 2012, the venue would be shifted to Freedom Park.) Prices range from Rs. 100 - 20,000. Bargaining is recommended, but not too hard. Pay a fair price. (Credit cards and foreign currency are rarely accepted, so carry sufficient cash in Indian currency)

• Aero India Held in the second week of February every alternate year (the next one is in 2011), this is Asia's premier air show. Spanning 5 days (Wed - Sun), the show at Yelahanka Air Force Base in the northern part of Bangalore comprises of a defence exhibition and air show. Fighter jets from around the world are on both, flying and static display. Normally, there are two air shows every day - one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. Tickets can be purchased online or at select outlets - scan the newspapers for more information. (Purchasing a ticket at outlets requires you to show a photo identification and tickets are non-transferable. For the 2011 edition, Pakistani nationals are not permitted to register via the website)

[edit]Arts & Theatre

• Concerts at Bangalore Palace Grounds - Check the local listings to see if any concerts are happening. Most international acts happen at Bangalore Palace Grounds and the venue has hosted Rolling Stones, Bryan Adams, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Joe Satriani, Mark Knopfler, Aerosmith, Sting, Uriah Heep, Lamb of God, Linkin Park among others.

• Rangashankara[51] at 36/2, 8th Cross, J.P. Nagar, 2nd Phase. ☎ +98 80 26592777, +98 80 26494656. Tickets cost between Rs 45–100, and the evening shows start at 7:30PM. Many local groups perform here, although more often shows are presented by traveling groups touring India. Quality of the performances varies, but most plays are worth seeing, especially the ones by Indian playwrights and / or directors, as they can show you an "Indian" (or let's say "non-western") perspective. Shows are in various languages, so it is a good idea to double-check whether the play is in English before buying / reserving (“blocking”) tickets.

[edit]Movies

Take in a movie at one of the innumerable theaters around the city.

• PVR Gold Class Cinema [52]

• Forum Mall

• Inox theatre [53]

• Garuda Mall.

• Nani Cinematheque [54] has film series almost every weekend programmed by local film clubs.

• Collective Chaos [55]
• Bangalore Film Society [56]. A club membership (around Rs 500/year) is typically required for entrance.

Foreign film series and cultural events.

• The Alliance Francaise [57] and
• Goethe Institute [58].

[edit]Spa & Massage

Massage or Prostitution Beware that many of the "Massage" classifieds in local newspapers may be fronts for prostitution. Prostitution is illegal and if caught in a raid, you may end up spending a night in the cooler before being eligible for bail.

Massages & Spas are very much a part of Bangalore's East-meets-West culture, and new ones spring up across the city all the time.

• The 5th Element [59] spa near Dell office on Inner Ring Road - all practitioners are from Thailand and offer authentic Thai massage, scrubs, and wraps.

• SPA.ce [60] on Cunningham Road, run by an expat Brit.

• Aroma Home Spa [61] in Whitefield - boasts of all natural eco-friendly products in use and a first of its kind hydro therapy massage in addition to therapies suited to individual needs.

• Akaasa [62] is a high-end boutique spa located in the posh Defence Colony

[edit]Learn

[edit]Higher Education

Bangalore is famous for its many educational and research institutes. Prominent ones are:

Pure & Applied Sciences

• The Indian Institute of Science, [63],
• JNCASR (Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research)
• University of Agricultural Sciences
• Indian Institute of Astrophysics
• Raman Research Institute
• Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology

Medicine

• Karnataka Veterinary, Animal & Fisheries Sciences University
• Bangalore Medical College
• National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Science

Mathematics

• Indian Statistical Institute
• CSIR Center for Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulation

Management

• Indian Institute of Management

Engineering

• R V College of Engineering
• P E S Institute of Technology
• B M S College of Engineering
• M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology
• B M S Institute of Technology
• Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering
• Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology
• Bangalore Institute of Technology
• Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology
• Sri Venkateshwara College of Engineering

Computer Science

• Indian Institute of Information Technology
• Centre for Development of Advanced Computing

Other

• Central Power Research Institute
• National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)
• Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
• Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology

In short, Bangalore is the place to go to in India for graduate studies or higher.

[edit]IT education

There are many IT training institutes in the city that cater to the needs of those who need to learn computer skills - from using a computer to programming using the latest technology. Classes are typically for a couple of hours every day and courses may last anywhere between a few days to a couple of months. Quality of training varies significantly across institutes and not all certifications provided by such institutes are accepted by the Indian IT industry.

[edit]Buddhism

• Choe Khor Sum Ling', Ashwini, No. 24, 1st Floor, Domlur Layout, ☎ +91 80 41486497(admin@choekhorsumling.org), [64]. This Tibetan Buddhist meditation and study center is in Domlur near Shanti Sagar Hotel on Airport Road. CKSL is a center for the study and practice of Mahayana Buddhism following the lineage and example of Lord Buddha. The Center, whose name means 'The Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma' was founded in 2003 by Lama Zopa Rinpoche under the guidance of HH the XIVth Dalai Lama. The Center offers courses in various Buddhist meditation techniques and teachings on different aspects of Buddhism. Teachings are offered free to the public and are conducted in English or in Tibetan (with translation in English). In addition to regular teachings, every few weeks the Center invites senior Lamas to give talks on important aspects of the Buddhist path. Such talks are also accompanied by instructions and initiations by the Lama into different meditation practices.  edit

• Hubten Lekshey Ling (Dharma Subhashita), ☎ +91 98 80296930 (info@dharmasubhashita.org),[65]. Indo-Tibetan Buddhist meditation and study group founded under the spiritual guidance of HH Pema Norbu (Penor) Rinpoche. Weekend teachings in meditation and philosophy are offered by lamas from Namdroling Monastery, Bylakupee. Thubten Lekshey Ling follows the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism as our spiritual practice lineage. Thubten Lekshey Ling upholds the non-sectarian values of the ri-me' movement.  edit

• Maha Bodhi Society, 14 Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar, ☎ +91 80 2250684 (mahabodhi@vsnl.com),[66]. This temple has a very active schedule. 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.  edit

[edit]Work

[edit]Indians

The best way to find employment in Bangalore is through job fairs, job portals, applying directly to companies of interest, and through headhunters.

[edit]Non-Indians

Non-Indian Citizen Employment Regulation Indian regulations may require that any foreign national who is employed in India earn at least US$ 25,000 per year. Check your compensation offer so that you meet this requirement and are eligible for an employment visa. Some foreign nationals are employed at salaries less than this, though, typically in the NGO sector.

With a little hard work and persistence finding a job is quite possible in Bangalore. Most of the available positions are in the IT field but not necessarily IT based. Several expats do marketing, quality assurance, accent training and translation among other things. All jobs in India require an employment visa which must be obtained abroad and sponsored by the hiring company in India. In general, the salary for expats is very high compared to the local Indian wage. The best resource for jobs is through the expat community. Ask around but a good place to meet expacts is the Sunday brunches at the 5 Star hotels or at the numerous coffee shops in and around the MG Road area.

[edit][add listing]Buy

[edit]Shopping districts

Bangalore provides a wide range of options for shoppers. One can buy many things ranging from clothing to electronic goods and vehicles. Being an IT city, Bangalore provides all kind of services but one might find things to be costlier.

Many visitors come to Bangalore searching only for sandalwood carvings and silk saris and so miss out on the true Bangalore shopping experience. Here is a low down on shopping - Bangalore style:

The UB City and Vittal Mallya Road are Page-3 shopping areas. You'll find brands like Versace, Louis Vuitton, Kimaya in the UB City. Vittal Mallya Road's got shopping places like The Collective which is a shop only for men, too bad!. Armani, Versace, Boss, you name it they have it. There's even Canary Blue and Esprit on the same road.

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 traditional handicrafts or the latest western wear (this is especially true for Brigade Road).

Bannerghatta Road, newly improved. You have 'Grasshopper,' a space that exhibits clothing designs from the most experimental designers in India and also showcases other ideas - lighting design, products, theatre, music - an open space for expression! If that's too boring, you can keep driving and you have a thousand ways that you can take to enjoy the wildlife and the myriad reservoirs strewn across the area - you can still find your very own private haven. Enjoy

Brigade Road used to be where British soldiers bought their necessities. 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 huge music store with everything),Tommy Hilfiger, 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 the road and on the side roads that lead off 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 studio.

Commercial Street a legacy of the British is another shopping mecca that sells international brands (similar to Brigade road) alongside locally produced items. Commercial Street has more of a bazaar feel than Brigade Road. In addition, it is famous for its body piercing centers. The price of goods here is very competitive and it is a great place to pick a bargain.

[edit]Shopping malls and markets

Go shopping at one of Bangalore's many malls and traditional markets. Malls typically have high(er)-end stores retailing apparel, footwear, and consumer electronics. Many malls also have food courts (with international cuisine) and movie theaters. Finding a parking spot for your car may not be easy though, especially on weekends. Some of the more popular malls in Bangalore are:

• The Forum (Koramangala)
• Garuda Mall (Magrath Road)
• Mantri Mall (Malleshwaram)
• Bangalore Central (Residency Road and Jayanagar 9th block)
• Sigma Mall (Cunningham Road)
• Poorva Mall (Old Madras Road)
• Lido Mall (Ulsoor)
• Mega Mall (Vyalikaval)
• Prestige Mall (Vittal Mallya Road)
• Gopalan Innovation Mall (Bannerghatta Road)
• Meenakshi Mall (Bannerghatta Road)'

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 Mall - The Forum on Hosur road is in the upmarket suburb of Koramangla, fast becoming a key shopping hub in Bangalore. It is the largest mall in Bangalore, covering an area of 650 000 ft² (60 000m²) of retail space. 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. Not to be missed is the Indian cuisine at Sahib Sindh Sultan and the British style pub, Firangi Pani. So that is a forum for 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 and the second largest mall in Bangalore.

• Bangalore Central Opened around the same as the Forum, Bangalore Central is more of a large department store than a mall with separate retailers.

• Safina Plaza is the sale capital of 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).

• Lifestyle - This two-story store is on Victoria Road in the heart of the new mall shopping district with malls like Garuda Mall, Bangalore Central and Globus, all within easy walking distance and was one of the most coveted stores until the malls came along. It's an easy place to go shopping when you don't want too many options to confuse you or when you're tired and don't want to visit too many shops - you can get everything under one roof here. Good for clothes, cosmetics, watches, jewelry, shoes etc. You also get stylish furniture and other home and living items for a decent price.

Sampige Road,Malleswaram Tired of going to mall, and indulging in window shopping. Try Sampige (a flower name) Road. Sampige Road is the heart of Malleswaram and connects Sheshadripuram to IISc. Sampige Road is around 2 km, has a wide range of shops that sells books, electronic items, silk sarees, handicrafts, cloth materials, Hindu pooja materials, sweets and all the trivial things you can buy on earth. Also try Malleswaram 8th cross on Sampige road(aptly named Brigade Road of Malleswram) for a vibrant shopping experience. Sampige Road is also home to best flower market and fruits market in Bangalore. If you are tired of going to individual shops you can go for the best departmental stores in Bangalore like Fabmall, foodworld, Nilgiris.

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, at least 20-30% price difference but can be up to 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.

Metro shopping mall Near Yashwanthpura railway station and ISKON temple.

Jayanagar Shopping Complex From a small shopping hub, reflecting the true Banglore flavour to a major commercial hub, the transformation has been steady. It houses stores for practically everything - from antique Jewellery (the famous Bhavani's, the more recent Kushal's, The Gallery), the authentic gold jewellery stores, saree stores (Kalamandir, Kalaniketan, Mysore Silk Udyog), sweet meat stores (Sri Krishna Sweets, Arya Bhavan), classic Iyengar Bakeries, Dress stores (Famous Paridhan, Rangoli, Bafna's, Vinayaka Collections) to fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and butter...everything under the sun that one can think of... Quite an interesting outing for a tourist..Jayanagar 4th Block can mesmerise you for all its splendour and choas, which somehow gels well together

Apart from the malls one should not forget to visit Commercial street, Brigade Road which are excellent shopping and hanging out places.

The traditional markets have mom-and-pop stores that sell everything from fruits, vegetables, groceries to electronics, music, and mobile phones. The city's largest vegetable and fruit market is in the heart of the city and is called "KR Market" or "City Market". Smaller but more lively traditional markets can be found in residential areas such as Gandhi Bazaar, N R Colony, Banashankari, Malleswaram, Jayanagar, and JP Nagar & Shivajinagar.

• chilli billi, indiranagar, bangalore, ☎ +91 92 41799105, [67]. very affordable.  edit

• President's Groom Concepts, groomconcepts@gmail.com (B.v.k. Iyengar Road, Kamraj Road, Rajajinagar, Basveshwarnagar), ☎ +91 80 4147 0910. 11AM-8:30PM. A chain of Fashion stores catering exclusively to men's wear in Bangalore. Their Bespoke Suits and Made To Measure Clothing is quite the rage for the discerning buyer. Traditional Indian Wear also on offer. Quality being the keyword in their product. The stores seem to have quite a following around South India and beyond.  edit

[edit]Jewellery

• C. Krishniah Chetty & Sons (Diamond Flagship Store), 2-1 Main Cross Road (Next to Safina Plaza), ☎+98 80 4000 1869, [68]. 14,000 sq ft dedicated to the finest gold and diamond jewellery, spread over two floors.  edit

• C. Krishniah Chetty & Sons-The Heritage Store, 35 & 36 Commercial Street, ☎ +98 80 4000 1869,[69]. The only store dedicated to the gold and silver.  edit

[edit]Handicraft

• Chandi - The Divine Gallery, Shop No. 12, First Floor, Public Utility Building, M.G. Road. ☎ +91 80 4112-3590 +91 8041123610, specializing in Indian divine figures in all mediums. Claims to have the biggest collection of Ganeshas in Bangalore. High-quality and locally-priced wares, no pushy salesmanship.

• The Cauvery Arts & Crafts Emporium, 45 M G Road. ☎+91 80 2558 1118, is a large store, offering a wide selection of some of Karnataka's best hand made products. The carvings made of Mysoresandalwood 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, Kolkata, Bangalore and Chennai.

• Royal Arts & Crafts, 21 K.H. Rd, ☎+91 80 2248 4797. Has a particularly wide selection of silk carpets and paper mache products.

• Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation, 45 K.S.H.D.C Complex, M.G. Rd. ☎+91 802558-1118. Specializes in Karnataka handicraft.

• Kala Madhyam Store', 2nd floor, Flat No 2, Benson Town #77/8, Nandidurg Road, (Benson Cross Road Corner, (mail@kalamadhyam.org), [70]. olk and tribal art paintings, handicrafts from across India, clothing for women and specialises in wall murals (of folk and tribal art as well as terra cotta).  edit

[edit]Books

• Goobes Book Republic, 46-1-1 Church Street (near MG Road), Bangalore, Karnataka. ☎ +91 80 41124956. goobesbookrepublic@gmail.com, [71]. They stock hand and new books on a wide variety of subjects and have a very cost effective library option and buy back used books. Store is located at the basement of Church Street Inn, Budget Hotel, Bangalore. www.churchstreetinn.in

• Bookport, Casa Andree II, Ist floor, No 18/3, Andree Road,Near Yellamma Dassappa Hospital, Shanti Nagar, Bangalore, Karnataka. ☎+91 80 41124956. bookportbangalore@gmail.com, [72]. They stock hand picked books on Art, Literature, philosophy, gender&sexuality, film, feminism, current critical thinking,fiction, travel etc. Also do art & literature events.

• Axis Books, 330/9, Axis Road, Domlur Inner Ring Rd. Domlur Layout,Bangalore -71. 'Near Indira Nagar Flyover' ☎+91 80 4038 3838, +91 80 41526657. [73]. It's a fairly New book shop. Started by one of the members of the Gangarams Family. They stock books, stationery, multimedia, movies, and toys. [74]

• The Strand book stall, 1st Floor, Manipal Centre, Dickenson Rd. ☎+91 80 2558 0000, [75]. Best known for the latest releases in art, design, architecture and all at good prices.

• Gangarams, 72 M G Rd. ☎+91 80 2558 6743, +91 80 2558 7277. 4 floors crammed with books makes this book store one of the largest (as well the most organized) book store in India.

• Crossword, ACR Towers, Opp. Gateway Hotel, Residency Rd. ☎+91 80 2558 2411-16. A hot spot for books of various genres combined with seating areas, spacious racks- music and movie section, children's section and a coffee shops; this proves to be a wonderful hangout to read, browse and shop.

• Higginbothams, 68 M G Rd. ☎+91 80 2558-7359, +91 80 2558-6574. This bookstore has a good selection of maps, postcards, guides and novels.

• Premier Book Shop, 46/1 Church Street (off MG Rd). ☎+91 80 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! This store however, will shut down shortly.

• Landmark, In Forum Mall on Luskar Hosur Rd, Koramangala. ☎+91 80 2206-7777 / 78 / 80 - 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 Church Street (parallel to MG Road).near Coconut Grove Restaurant ☎+91 80 255 9733, +91 80 2532 0400. There are 3 full floors of those rare, hard to find old books. All 2nd hand, good condition and at low rates. You definitely won't leave disappointed.

• Select BookshopBrigade Rd. Off Brigade Rd Behind Curzon Court Hotel 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 antique 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. It has a Chai Bar attached offering 69 blends of tea.

• Tata Book House At the Indian Institute of Science, Malleswaram - Has a large collection of technical books, on which it offers a flat 20 percent discount. Lots of books in a small place. Also worth visiting just because it is in IISc.

• Streelekha ☎+91 80 2549 2783. This is a great bookstore to explore the feminist literature and activism that is being produced in India, as well as other texts on the research and work of Indian NGOs. The atmosphere is relaxing and inviting. The bookstore is located at 33/1-9, Thyagaraja Layout in Jaibharath Nagar.

• Sapna Book House [76] This is a large bookstore on 3rd Main road, near Kamat Yatri Nivas, Gandhi Nagar (Walking distance from Majestic Bus stand). They also have branches in three other locations Sadashivnagar, Jayanagar, and Indiranagar. Sapna Book House also provides online book delivery through.

• Fusion Rental First time in Bangalore, Company offering a service of online renting of books & movies. Vast collection of both books & movies at one place. Free Pick up & Delivery all over Bangalore. [77]

• The Bookworm This is a small used book store in one of the by-lanes perpendicular to Brigade Road (near McDonalds). Good bargains on used and new books are available here.

• Elloor Library A circulating library that has a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books, including new titles. Located at Blue Cross Chambers on Infantry Road, close to Commercial Street. Requires membership which includes a deposit.

[edit]Boutiques

Apart from the numerous malls that have that have taken Bangalore by storm, the essential element and soul of the city comes through in its myriad small and unique boutiques that are all over the city, usually tucked away though. Have tried to list the must check out stores..

President's Groom Concepts, B.v.k.iyengar Road. ☎ +91 80 41470910. A chain of Fashion stores catering exclusively to Men's wear in Bangalore since 25 years. Featuring the finest fabrics from all over the world and arguably the largest ready-to-wear collection as well. Creating quite a buzz owing to their Bespoke Suit and Made to Order clothing and endorsed by the discerning locals. Everything from Tuxedos, Business Wear to Traditional Indian Kurtas and Sherwanis can be found here. Conveniently located in different accesible areas around the city from B.v.k.Iyengar road near Gandhinagar in the city centre to Kamraj Road near Commercial street which is the shopping centre of the city. The helpline number should be a good idea to figure out the closest branch.

Mahendra Textiles Chickpet ☎+91 80 41249900. Sarees and Dress Materials from Surat, Mumbai, Kolkata, Rajasthan, Varanasi, Kerela and Srilanka. They have a neat collection for the working women of today. Priced reasonably.

Levitate - InDiA in A RooM 100 Ft. Road Indiranagar. ☎+91 80 64528190, Mob +91 98 45317776, email: levitateindia@gmail.com. Silver & Costume handcrafted Jewelry, Bohemian Apparel, Indian Kitsch, Amazing Life & Style Accessories at unbelievable prices! All in 1 Room! C/o 100 Ft. Boutique Restaurant (mezz floor), 777/1, 100 Ft. Road, Indiranagar, Bangalore-38

Chilli Billi Indiranagar, Bangalore ☎ +91 9241799105 Great for women's westernwear - especially the dresses! good collection of bags, shoes and jewellery. they also offer home decor solutions. very affordable.

Native Place, Behind Museum Road Post Office, Museum road. Loads of interesting merchandise, crafts made by NGOs, c/o The Only Place Restaurant.

One G, (Jewelry) Hatworks Boulevard, Cunningham Road. ☎+91 80 41231231

Marmalade, Adj to Spratt Salon, Magrath Rd. Left before Coffee Day, on Brigade Rd Extn ☎+91 80 41221814. Loads of affordable young designer wear.

Arnav ☎ +91 80 2656 8416, +91 99860 01216, [78]. The quaint little jewelry store located at Ashoka Pillar, Jayanagar makes for very interesting jewelry buys, a range of antique, restored, contemporary and fusion jewelery are on display. They could help you design a piece of jewelery to suit your needs, an in-house jewelery consultant could help you choose your jewelery.

Necessary Evil ☎ +9180-41638757, [79] 12th A main, HAL 2nd stage, Indiranagar. Casual luxury has finally reached Bangalore with the opening of it's newest concept store. Necessary Evil will be offering shoppers the latest international brands such as 7 For All Mankind, Splendid and Alice + Olivia. Some of which are in India for the first time. They also offer and exclusive line of fine jewelry and home furnishings. This is definitely a space not to miss - so come see, be seen and get fabulous call in advance for a personal shopping experience.

Sakhi- By Chandras ☎ +91 80 4115 5551 [80]. 6th main, HAL 2nd stage, Indiranagar. Combines traditional fabrics and craftsmanship with contemporary themes. Sakhi’s sarees, salwars and kurtis combine kanchivaram, tussar, chiffon, georgette, crêpe, organza and cotton with traditional techniques such as cut work, block print, kalamkari, badla, mirror work, chamki (sequins) and embroidery in a mélange of colours.

[edit]Music and movies

• Habitat, "Movies and Music", Church Street, Off Brigade Road is tiny compared to other retail music/movie stores, but its a delight for lovers of good music especially Jazz. Has an excellent and varied selection of DVDs for rent as well, though membership is currently closed.

[edit][add listing]Eat

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Suggested fixes: Please ensure that Eat listings are entered under one of the 3 categories; Budget, Mid-range or Splurge. Please only use the Wikitravel Restaurants format and do not delete unused fields as it makes it difficult for others to add to the listing at a later time.

Bangalore is far from the sea, and as such the quality of seafood can vary. Some of the higher end and popular seafood places manage this well, but foreign travelers may want to tread a bit carefully.

[edit]Budget

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.

• Veena Stores. Margosa Road, 15 Cross, Malleswaram. This place has some of the best Idlis and Vadas in this part of the world. They also make other dishes but Idli and Vada are mainstay. Don't expect to sit and eat because there is no seating. This is a shop-style place to buy and eat somewhere around the store. Stand and eat. Best time to go is mornings for breakfast before they run out of the day's stock. Try before 8AM although they are open some part of the day and evening too.

• Shettara Beedi (Food Street) The entire street adjoining the famous VB Bakery at V V Puram is Bangalore's miniature version of Kuala Lumpur's Jalan Alor foodstalls. A haven for anyone who enjoys hawker fare, one can stall-hop and have a variety of snacks that'll satisfy even the most ravenous hunger and spend less than Rs 100/- (US$2.50) in total. Some of the must-try dishes are dum-root and butter-bun congress at VB Bakery. The dosas, obbattu (sweet pancake), akkirotti (rice pancake), fried bondas, butter-gulkand, and masala-pepsi available at the various stalls are also delicious. Note that the street comes alive only in the evenings (after 6PM) and that only vegetarian fare is available here.

• Janani, J.P.Nagar It is a great place to have breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can have idli and sambar for Rs 10 and a cup of tea for Rs 8. You can have a north Indian roti curry for Rs 32. If you want to have good Punjabi food, go upstairs and get a good meals under Rs 150.

• Anupams Coastal Express Shivanand Circle. If you want to taste some real good sea food , you ought to go to this place. They make fantastic fish dishes. Neer Dosa with Chicken Pulimunchi , kori roti and chicken ghee roast are some things you really cannot miss.

• Hotel Empire (Other locations on Center Street and Koramangala), Church St (Next to Museum Inn'),[81]. 10AM-3PM. Serves Indian, Chinese, and Middle eastern cuisine until late night. Try butter chicken, chicken kababs and parathas. Chicken thali in the evening is great taste and also good value for money edit

• Fanoos. Adjoining Johnson Market, off Brigade Road. One of the joints for getting Sheekh (beef) rolls in Bangalore. They come in various sizes - sheekh roll, sheekh jumbo, sheekh mambo, sheekh rambo and sheekh sambo - the latter of which is almost 2 in thick. There are other options like chicken, mutton and paneer rolls as well as kababs and shawarma. Rs 30-100 per head. But the hygiene here is almost non-existent.

• Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR), 11 Lal Bagh Rd. ☎+91 80 2222 0022, +91 80 2222 1706. One of the very old traditional breakfast places in Bangalore. A few people who have been having their breakfast at MTR everyday for the past 15 yrs. Closed between 2:45-3:30PM. Expect a long wait on weekends. Traditional 12 course Karnataka lunches are also available here for around Rs 90 per head. Advance reservations recommended at weekends. Rava idlis, dosas and bisi bele bath are excellent. It has maintained it's quality over the years and is very famous. It is on the road perpendicular to Lal bagh main gate.

• New Shanti Sagar. This is an reasonably reliable chain of vegetarian south Indian restaurants. Branches scattered all over the city, notably in Koramangala 80 Foot Rd, Jayanagar, Domlur. Rs 50-200.

• The Adiga's chain of restaurants 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. Here is the list: Adiga's Park 585, 10th Main, 42nd cross, 5th Block Jayanagar; Adiga's Foodline, 502, 40th Cross, 8th block; Adiga's Delicacy, 105 Dickenson's road, Manipal Centre; Adiga's Majestic, Next to Fkcci Bldg, KG Road; Adiga's Nalapaka, across from HSBC Complex, Bannerghatta, Arikere.

• Sree Krishna fast food 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 and the one in J.P.Nagar 2nd Phase near Ragigudda Temple

• Vidhyarthi Bhavan Off Gandhi Bazar in Basavanagudi. A gastronomic haven offering some of the best masala dosa 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.

• Brahmin's Coffee Bar Off ShankarMutt in Shankarapuram (Basavanagudi). Famous for idly, vada and Its famous chutney. You also get khaarabath. Don't expect sambar for vada here.

• Hotel Janatha 8th Cross Road, Malleswaram - Makes some of the best vada sambhar and masala dosa in town.

• Corner House Residency Road ☎ +91 80 2558 3262), BTM Road, Koramangala (Off 80 Foot Rd), Airport Road (Arlton Towers), Marthahalli (Whitefield Road)and Shivananda Circle is one of the best ice cream parlours offering a variety of treats. Their famed 'Death by Chocolate' (popularly known as DBC) is a must for all chocolate lovers and has attained a cult status. Can be tricky to find a spot during peak times and you may find yourself being 'encouraged' by the staff to leave quickly once you do.

• Central Tiffin Room (a.k.a CTR), Margosa Road, Malleswaram - Another landmark hotel, dishing out some divine 'Benne masala dosa', which literally melts in the mouth.

• Upahara Darshini DVG road, Basavanagudi. Another of Bangalore's new found Darshinis dishing out top notch masala dosa and Vada Sambhar

• Lake View Milk Bar MG Road. ☎+91 80 2558 7410 - excellent ice creams, club sandwiches and burgers.

• McDonalds Forum Mall, Koramangala - Don't expect to find any beef items.

• Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Indiranagar serves good chicken and fast food.

• Shiv Sagar, Narayan Pillai Street, Off Commercial St. ☎+91 80 509-8892 - Don't get put off by the location, It's a great place to eat.

• Coconut Grove, Church Street - try the appams and Kerala parottas with a chicken source dish. Their lunch offer for Rs 80 is also really good. A pretty good choice for reasonably priced quality seafood. Coco-Grove the outdoor 'beer cafe' extension is also worth a look.

• KC Das This is a chain of Bengali sweets stores.shop in Bangalore. The one on Church Street is perhaps the most visible and famous but there are outlets on Coles Rd, BTM Layout.

• Udupi Garden 16th Main BTM Layout. Simple Udupi restaurant. Serves very good south Indian dishes at nominal prices. Also serves north Indian food.

• Nandini The Andhra fast food chain serves some excellent biriyani and chicken dishes.

• Shezan On Lavelle Road and Cunningham Rd. ☎+91 80 2224 9319, +91 80 2224 9667, +91 80 2228 7895, +91 80 2226 2195. This restaurant provides Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines with a good menu choice where beef, fish, prawn, mutton and chicken meat are available. Excellent steaks.

• Savera Tea Shop. 24 hr tea shops near Russell Market in Shivajinagar and on MG Rd. Good place to go for a cup of tea in the dead of the night. Serves tea, Suleimani (honey+lemon) tea and a variety of biscuits. Rs 3-15

• Kanti Sweets KG Road, Majestic, Malleswaram Circle, RT Nagar. Very good samosas, kachoris and North Indian sweets like rasmalai. Rapidly expanding chain, so there are plenty of branches all over the city now, which serve parathas and other food items as well. The main branch in Majestic is the best, and serves only samosas, kachoris and sweets. Rs 10-50 per head.

• Kohinoor, Brigade Road. Serves very reasonably priced Kerala muslim style food.

• Java ☎ +91 80 4137 8888. G block of Diamond District apartment complex in Kodalli on the old Airport Rd. A hidden gem that serves buffet lunch and dinner for Rs 150 on weekdays, Rs 250 on weekends (as of 2008-06-30). The buffet consists of both North and South Indian dishes and caters to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Reasonably priced (Rs 90 to Rs 120 entree) a-la-carte selection is available outside of lunch and dinner hours.

• Richies on MM Road. (Off Mosque Rd). serves the kind of biryani that is the Bangalore original. It is located midway on MM Rd, and hard to miss because of the crowds that throng its takeaway counter. One visits Richies only for the food—tables and chairs made of synthetic wood, and dim light from gaudy chandeliers don’t exactly make for great ambiance. A motley bunch of diners cram the place for lunch and dinner (they have only recently built the 2nd and 3rd floors). The biryani here is delicious, and you must love meat to love Richies. The menu is limited; but the mutton and chicken biryani stand out from each other—they are not flavoured with the same masala, or heaven forbid, rice, their kababs are something nice and unique too.

[edit]Mid-range

• Koshy's St. Marks Road (Below Church St). A Bangalore institution, serving a smattering of Western favorites (like fish and chips) along with the usual South Indian fare in a bohemian-for-India atmosphere. On weekends, they serve up greasy Western-style breakfast, including omelettes and Bombay (i.e., French) Toast. Appam and stew is their Sunday breakfast special and a must eat. Turn right at the entrance for the more expensive (and decidedly less charming) AC room. Rs 50-200. Smoky, with sluggish service, and not particularly clean Koshy's still has plenty of character and history but its getting harder to justify their skyrocketing prices.

• Sue's Food Place Krishna Temple Rd, Indira Nagar. A Caribbean style restaurant run by Sue (Susan John from Trinidad and Tobago). It has an excellent buffet. (Their Jamaican jerk chicken, salads and desserts are lovely.) A la carte menu is available on certain days. Rs 200-500

• 100ft Restaurant 100 Foot Rd, Indra Nagar. Westernized cooking, but notably better than any other pasta serving restaurant in the area. The restaurant is a bit of a hybrid of store/restaurant. Rs 300-500.

• Ebony MG Rd. On the 13th floor of the tallest building on MG Road, this stylish eatery offers excellent evening views of the city. Service is a bit slow, but the ambiance makes it worth the wait. Book ahead for a terrace seat. Rs 200-400

• Little Italy 100 Foot Rd, Indiranagar. A chic Italian vegetarian restaurant, faddish and over priced. Sometimes the staff switch off A/C if the tables are less than half-filled.

• Mainland China Church Street (Near Museum Road) ☎ +91 80 2227 7722, +91 90 2224 5864. Upscale Chinese food. Good, fairly authentic food and excellent service. Serves a decent lunch buffet. New outlet on 100ft Road, Indiranagar. Rs 500-800.

• Sahib Sindh Sultan Level 2, Forum Mall, Hosur Rd, Koramangala. ☎ +91 80 22067878, Train-themed restaurant with a delicious, upscale menu. It is supposed to showcase NWFP. Their kakori kebabs are excellent. It also serves wine with the food. Expect a long wait. Or book ahead and roam around the mall or grab a few drinks from the adjoining Firangi Paani. Rs 150-500

• Samarkand Gem Plaza, 66, Infantry Rd (East of Central St). ☎+91 80 4111 3366. North West frontier food (i.e., kebabs, Afghani) in a kitschy atmosphere but the food is great. You will need to book on weekends. Rs 300-600.

• T.G.I Friday's Carlton Towers & Airport Road - Don't expect cheap Indian prices. But Happy Hours (1 + 1 free on alcoholic beverages) in the evening should make up for that.

• Pinxx Manipal center (off MG Road). A great place for Breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet. Rs 200-400 per head.

• Canopy PU Building, M.G. Rd, Open air, multi-cuisine North-Indian food. Cooking techniques date back to the independence era offering the unique taste. Great outdoor ambiance in the middle of the Central Business District. Rs.125-750

• Le Rock Pub Cafe Rest House Rd, (Off Brigade Rd) ☎+91 80 4123 1001. Hot coffee to chilled Kingfisher beer on the tap awesome cocktails and even hand rolled Havana Cigars from Salads, Sandwiches, Jacket Baked Potatoes to Entree's. LRC also offers an Oxy Bar Bangalore's first. A must for every tourist visiting this city.

• Ceasar's Restaurant M.G. Rod. Indian and continental food. Ambiance is good though the food is tad expensive. Parking is a problem.

• Alibaba Cafe & Restaurant Frazer Town. ☎ +91 80 4091 7163. Arabian, Persian and Bhatkali cuisine described as "An Arabian Lake in the Indian ocean". A themed restaurant with the feel of Arabia, Persia and India. The "Shaiya Biryani" of the Bhatkali cuisine, the Al faham chicken barbeque out of the Arabian cuisine and the chicken Jujeh kabab from the Persian cuisine are all recommended.

• The Egg Factory, St.Marks Rd. ☎ +91 80 4211 0041. Multi-cuisine, The Menu,as the name suggests, is all based on the indispensable EGG. Its also modeled on a factory with functional chairs and a menu that looks like an instruction manual.Its open for all day dining. Egg dishes from all over the world, including omelttes, scrambles, French toast, curries, sub's, pasta & desserts. Don't miss the fantastic huevos rancheros here, they make it as good as in Mexico. Innovative drinks, try the Chlorophyll Fix, it looks and sounds wierd, but tastes like heaven. Relaxed service

[edit]Splurge

• Bombay Post Airport Rd. (Next to TGIF) The menu of Bombay Post brings together the different flavours that make up Bombay’s crowded platter. In addition, the restaurant also serves specialties from Lucknow and Amritsar. So you can choose from street food like chat and kulfi, starters such as shahi rolls, kababs, or a main course comprising chicken, mutton and seafood delicacies.

• Blue Ginger Race Course Road (In the Taj West End). This high-end Vietnamese restaurant has a beautiful setting and excellent food. You may be shocked by the bill, though. Just next door to Blue Bar.

• Cafe Mozaic 41/3 MG Road (in the Taj Residency). Western-style dining in a casual atmosphere with some pool-side seating. Sundays before 3:30PM, there is an all-you-can-eat/drink champagne brunch for Rs 1,000.

• Grasshopper 45 Kalena Agrahara, Bannerghata Rd. ☎+91 80 2659 3999, +91 98 4545 2646. Freshly prepared seven course meal served on the table. Reservation required. Closed on Mondays.

• Leela Palace Has several upscale restaurants. All-you-can-eat/drink brunch on Sunday is Rs 2,000. They have 4 restaurants, Citrus Lounge (Brasserie kitchen), Zen (Pan Asian), Library Bar (serves all cuisine) and Jamavar (Authentic Indian). Generally overpriced compared to the Taj outlets (Blue Ginger, Graze, Karavalli)

• Monsoon is a 24 hr cafe in The Park Hotel on Old Madras Rd. (Next to Taj Residency). It offers a variety of Continental Dishes, Indian, South East Asian and Mediterranean. Ideal location for private parties.

• Sunny's at Embassy Diamante, 34, Vittal Mallya Rd. ☎ +91 80 5132 9366, +91 80 5132 9391, +91 80 2212 0496. About Rs 1,200 for a 3-course meal for two, excluding drinks. Among the best restaurants in Bangalore. Try the starters, salads and pasta is fine here. Hot sandwiches for lunch. Owned by an Indian film director.

• The Raj Pavillion ITC Windsor Manor, Golf Course Road. 24 hr restaurant that offers the taste of the British Raj. Anglo-Lucknowi, Far East and Continental cuisine is served. Amongst the best in Bangalore.

• Karavalli, Residency Road (At the Gateway Hotel) ☎+91 80 2558 4545. Mangalorean, Goa, Karwar, and Kerala style cuisine. Best Indian food you will get when visiting BLR

• I.T-alia, in Park hotel, has the best Italian food in town

• Graze (In Taj Residency). Has some of the best creative continental you will get in Bangalore

• Giancarlo's (Near Vittal Mallya Rd). Offers some of the best Italian in town, tough quality tends to be unstable.

• Olive beach Wood Street. A longtime favourite that will serve you Italian meats and cheese in a nice setting, this is still among Bangalore's best.

[edit]Regional Cuisine

• Tijouri. North Indian restaurant inside the Hotel Atria.

• Kamat Yatrinivas, Gandhinagar. Serves special N Karnataka meals with jowar(Sorghum) rotis. They now have a branch on Bull temple road where they have local artists perform when you have dinner.

• Kadambam. Authentic Iyengar cuisine ranging from Puliogare, Sakkare Pongal, Thayir Sadham, of course Kadambam (which is actually a type of heavenly concoction of Sambhar and rice, akin to Bisibele Huliyanna), and a wide array of traditional Iyengar sweets. It has two branches, one on Bull Temple Road, near Ramakrishna Ashram and another just off West of Chord road, near Modi eye Hospital in Rajajinagar.

[edit]Continental

• Herbs & Spices On 80 Foot Rd. (Above Planet M, 100 m north of Reliance Fresh). Great pasta, pizza, and desserts.

• Casa Picola [82] has interesting, tasty Italian and continental food in a casual ambiance. An old favourite for many locals, it has a few branches.

• Friends Fast Food Jyoti Nivas College Rd, Koramangala (300 m from Forum). Great Conti food at college prices. Casa Picola fans will like this one.

• Cafe Y Langford Road (Near Prestige Elgin, Hosur Rd-Langford Rd junction) ☎ +91 80 5114 4561. Amazing sizzlers and steaks, nice ambiance.

• Indi Joe, 1 Airport Road (Carlton Towers) ☎+91 80 4111 3636, +91 80 4112 1234. Offers fondue, pizza, steak and Mexican food. Their Lunch buffet is good.

• Rendezvous, 80 Foot Rd, Koramangala. Near Barista and Maharaja Hotel.

[edit]Maharashtrian Food

• Kollapuri's, 429/31 30th Cross, 4th Block Jaya Nagar (Near Jain Mandir), ☎ +91 80 4121 1693, +91 80 2653 5207. An authentic Maharashtrian hotel run by Savaji. It serves bhakri, chapati and "Sheckle Edme" special Savaji stuffed roti with spicy sabjis and non-veg  edit

• Rajvardhan Foods, 1291 25th Main Road, 9th Block Jaya Nagar East (Near Big Bazaar), ☎ +91 98 8630 3088+91 98 8630 3089. Best known for its vadapav, sabudana vada, khichdi. It also offers bhakri, thalipeeth. The snacks and other food offered here is comparatively expensive. This is because it is Bangalore's only authentic maharashtrian food outlet. It also serves food fresh, only prepared after placing the order, so the wait and price is compensated. The food quality is excellent.  edit

[edit]South Karnataka

• Karavalli Residency Rd (At the Gateway Hotel) ☎+91 80 2558 4545. Mangalorean, Goa, Karwar, and Kerala style cuisine.

• Konkan 6th cross, 6th Block, Koramangala. ☎+91 80 2552 1530. Mangalorean and Goan style cuisine.

• Vidyarthi Bhavan 32 Gandhi Bazaar. ☎+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 33 Church St. (At the Highgates Hotel) ☎+91 80 2559 7172. Mangalorean, Coorgi, and Malabari style. (shut for renovations)

• Janatha Hotel 8th Cross, Malleshwaram. Another great place, famous for its butter masala dosas and vadas.

• Halli Mane 3rd Cross, Malleswaram (Close to Malleswaram Circle). Truly authentic and traditional Kannada style food.

• Kamath Yatrinivas Majestic, authentic Mangalorean meals

• Kamath Lokaruchi On Mysore Road (Just before Channapatna) Amazing food and ambience. Authentic mangalorean meals

• Upaahara Darshini One of the bangalore's oldest food joints. Amazing dosas (pancakes!)

• Krishna darshini Vasavi temple street, Basavanagudi.

• Kudla, for sea-food, attached to Ramanashree comforts serves excellent dishes.its like a thilak

• New Krishna Bhavan 1st Cross Malleswaram, for authentic Mangalorean food, reasonably priced. Try the neer dosa and badam halwa.

[edit]Bengali

• Oh! Calutta St Mark's Road - part of a chain of restaurants across the country, and the best Bengali food available in the city albeit pricier than the other options.

• Bangaliana 355, 1st 'B' Main, 7th Block, Koramangala, (Opp. HDFC Bank) ☎+91 80 2571 1058. Authentic Bengali Delicacies (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) Restaurant, Take-away, Catering. Specialities: fish, mutton chicken and, of course, sweets.

• Sonar Bangla 88/1, Shubh Arcade, 1st floor, 16th Cross, Margosa Road, Malleswaram. ☎+91 80 3367622. 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.

• 6 Ballygunge Place 1F., 612, 12th Main, Indira Nagar (above Café Coffee Day). It has been rated best bengali restaurant by times food guide bangalore. It serves excellent fish (esp their chital peti roast), dab chingri and luchis. (Its mocktails are avoidable however). Prices are slightly on higher side. May cost around Rs 1000 for two but the food quality is good. The owners have added Calcutta style chaat on top floor also recently.

• 36 Chowringhee Lane, 100ft Road, BTM Layout. (Opp Reliance Fresh) ☎+91 80 4124 0979. Authentic Bengali Cuisine.

• The Esplanade, KHB Colony, Koramangala . ☎+91 80 4092 7878 offers authentic Bengali cuisine. They also have a continental menu.

• Bhojohori Manna 668/B 6th Block, Koramangala Club Road Bangalore. ☎+91 80 2550 3666. Free home delivery ☎+ 91 96 2090 3666, +91 95 3880 3666

[edit]Andhra

• Bheemas, Church Street, Off Brigade Road. If you have the penchant for spice this place is meant for you.

• RRs Off Brigade Road, A renovation of the vintage RRs, the fun doubles here with the double storeyed restaurant, one serving Andhra and the other Hyderabadi cuisines. There's also alcohol, all the more reason to indulge on a Saturday afternoon.

• Nagarjuna Chimney (1) Residency Rd, Near Old Galaxy Theatre, (2) Jayanagar 3rd Block, Near ICICI Bank, Possibly have a few more branches elsewehere in Bangalore. The Biryani is almost intoxicating, not to mention their 'meals' which are served ritually on a banana leaf. Reach early for lunch, for, there are hordes in the waiting always.

[edit]Tamil

• Krishna Cafe Koramangala (Opposite China Pearl). Traditional Chennai-style food. Dosas, idlis, idiappam and the like with authentic Tamil sambar and chutney. Do note that this place is vegetarian-only. A vegetarian meal will cost you around Rs 80. Most of the French expats eat here.

• Ponnuswamy Koramangala (Near the National Games Village, opposite to Legends of Rock). Authentic south Tamil nadu food. Try the biryani and sukka fry. No alcohol or smoking. Also at Residency Rd., next to Imperial Hotel. ☎+91 80 4151 1919

• Pongal, Jivan Bima Nagar (Near the Indiranagar telephone exchange). Tamil nadu food. Lots of dosa varieties and is very famous for the Podi dosa, parotta with kurma are good. Ambience is not that great, but this place is for those who need a quick bite without a big pinch on the wallet.

• Anjappar Restaurant , #50 100 Feet Rd, 4Th Block, Koramangala, Bangalore.

• Annachi 100 Foot Road, Indiranagar. Serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. (Has some good chettinad style dishes)

• Annapoorna , Ulsoor, (Near Sai Baba Temple in Ulsoor. Need to get down at Ulsoor police station). It serves pure vegetarian food in real tamil flavor.

[edit]Fast food and ice cream parlors

• U S Pizza, Church Street. ☎+91 80 2559 9347. If you are looking for a western tasting pizza this is the closest you get, try lamb-pepperoni.

• Richie Rich Ice Cream Parlor, With three branches around the city, this ice cream parlor has a variety of natural ice creams, softies and many fast food items such as pav bhaji and vada pav.. Try the 'Elvis Presley' specialty or the traffic jam or 'Richie Rich' special. The 3 locations are on St. Marks R, Airport Rd. and Kumara Park East. ☎+91 80 2226 9655.

• Phalaamritha Icecream Parlor, 8th Cross, 14/1 West Park Road,Malleswaram. ☎+91 80 6567 5755. Serves 25 super smooth home-made ice cream flavours along with health drinks, varieties of kulfi's, milk shakes,Ice tea, ice cream, novelties and chaats.

• Corner House, 1 Airport Rd, Carlton Towers. This is the place for you if you are looking for the best desserts in town. The "brown bomb" and "hot fudge" are a must have. Not a place for calorie counters.

• Yogi's, #86,21st Main, Banashankari 2nd Stage (Near BDA Complex) The "Sakkat Burger" and "Sakkat Mexican" are a must have. Wide range of burgers, sandwiches, ice creams , shakes and sundaes available. ☎+91 98 4584 9025, +91 98 4539 7363.

[edit]North Indian

• Bay Leaf, Raheja Arcade, Opposite Forum Mall, Kormangala - A really nice place with reasonable prices.

• Queens, Church Street, Opposite Amoeba - Small restaurant but great food at reasonable prices.

• Dalfryday, Banerghatta Rd (Near IIM -B, beside HSBC Bank and above Fabmall) North Indian, non-vegetarian cuisine in a fine ambience. (this is closed as of now, Hyderabadi biriyani has opened a branch at the same location)

• Hyderabadi biriyani Banerghatta Road,near IIM -B, besides HSBC Bank and above Fabmall (now More.) serves good biriyani

• Rasilas,J P Nagar 7 Phase, Shreyas colony it is close to Brigade Millennium & Elita Promenade Apartments near RBI layout - Nice place with very fine cuisine

• Mast kalander, Bannerghatta Road has some very nice North India cuisine. It is very reasonably priced. There is a namesake in Indiranagar also.

[edit]Italian

• I-Talia The Park, M.G. Rd. ☎+91 80 2559 4666. Expensive, but arguably the best Italian food in town.

• Fiorano Ristorante 63, 100 Foot Rd. (Next to Sukh Sagar) 5th A block, Koramangala. ☎+91 80 2553 4231. Easy to miss driving by but Incredible food. Entrees Rs 300-600. [83]

• 100 ft Boutique, 100 Foot Rd, Indira nagar (After Fab Mall when you are travelling from CMH road side, and a few stores after Benetton on the LHS if you're coming from Airport Rd) Comparable to most continental restobars. The best part about it is that its a Boutique Restaurant, which means you can shop, while waiting for your meal to arrive, even after 9PM, which is when most other shops close in Banglaore. The Boutique houses many young designers. Levitate, showcases a wide array of eclectic street fashion and handcrafted kitsch from all over India. ☎ +91 80 4150 1781, +91 80 6452 8190.

• Little Italy (Now Italia), Nice vegetarian restaurant in Indira Nagar - little expensive. Good food.

• Via Milano Near Sony World, Koramangla. Authentic Italian food. 3 course meal for 2 will cost an average of Rs 2,000/ (wine not included)

[edit]Chinese

• P!ng No. 130, 1st Cross, 5th Block, Koramangala. Includes a dessert bay. Dim sum, sensible portions, good prices.

• Aromas of China Eva Mall, 5th floor.

• Shanghai Junction No.8, Sri Sai, 60 Foot. Rd, G Block, Sahakarnagar. (Behind Big Market) ☎+91 80 41744477, +91 80 4174 4488

• Golden Lights No.4032, 100ft Road, HAL-II Stage, Indranagar. ☎+91 80 2559 7722, +91 80 6537 4579 As close to an authentic Chinese meal as you will find in this city. Excellent food, good service. A tad pricey.

• Caesar's Multi Cuisine Restaurant Mahalakshmi Chambers, 9/2, M.G.Road. 6:30PM-11:30PM. From M-Sun. (Beside HSBC bank opposite ING Bank). Variety of tasty food. Classic Environment.

• Mainland China, 2 branches: Church Street & 100 Foot Rd.

• Chungs and Chung Wa, spread across bangalore

• A good chineese restaurant is available on 27th main road,HSR Layout. This is really a cool place to have authentic chineese food.

[edit]Kerala

• Claypot Tippasandra-very tasty

• K K Bakers Malleshpalaya

• BigBoy Fried Chicken (BFC), Vignan Nagar

• Kalavara Vignan Nagar

• Malabar Cuisine Maratha Halli Bridge - very tasty

• Kairali Near Forum Mall, Koramangala

• MAS Madiwala, 2-3 km from Koramangala

• Gokulam Mess GM Palaya, 3 km from Indiranagar

• Continental Spice Airport Rd, Close to Diamond District

• Hotel Ruchi Vignan Nagar

• Kaayal Jeevan Beema Nagar Rd.

• Hotel New Malabar Near level cross, Kaggadasapura

• Tharavadu, Bommanahalli, On Hosur Rd. (After silk board)

• Priyam Restaurent, Jagadish Nagar, behind BEML

• The Paramount Restaurant Koramangala (Near Jyothi Nivas college)

• Little Home Koramangala, 80 Foot Rd., near Wipro K2 office. Very good south and central Kerala food. Bad service though

• Kerala Pavalion Domulur (Behind Santhi Sagar). Authentic Kerala food

[edit]Dhabas

• There are few 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 old airport road in Marthahalli , opposite Shankara Eye Hospital. Golconda Chimmney has been recently renovated and has both A/c and non-A/C sections, the non-veg spread is simply amazing , but the rates are steep if you have a traditional dhaba in mind. The ambience is nice. Try the chicken kathi rolls and the biryani.

• Bobby-da-Dhaba (Near Ulsoor Lake. Take a left turn from MG Road - Trinity Circle and ask for Gurudwara the Sikh temple). Right next to the Gurudwara is Bobby-da-Dhaba. The food is quite good (albeit slightly oily). It basically serves paranthas (with lots of butter), chaach, kheer and a number of side dishes (most notable being their shahi paneer and rajma). You may have to wait for a while in case it is full. So it's better to go slightly early, 12PM for lunch and 7:30PM for dinner to avoid rush).

[edit][add listing]Drink

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Formerly having a reputation as the Pub City of India, Bangalore's buoyant pub and nightlife has been curtailed by police and regulatory action, and all bars and nightclubs must now close no later than 11.30PM.

• Fresh coconuts are abundant in Bangalore, the coconut water from within is consumed straight from the nut, it is a healthy, enjoyable and a cheap way to quench your thirst.

• Fresh lime soda, which is offered "sweet or salt".

• Kingfisher is the most popular and widely available beer in Bangalore. It is typically sold in 650 ml bottles, suitable for sharing between two or three people. Note: Indian beer may contain the additive glycerol, which can cause headaches.

• Lassi A popular yogurt based drink is readily available in Bangalore, as in many parts of India. It is served plain or flavored with sugar or fruit, mango being a popular ingredient, hence mango lassi. Lassi is particularly refreshing on a hot day and is also very effective in cooling and calming the stomach after a spicy meal.

[edit]Cafes

• Cake Walk #297, 100 Feet Road, Indra Nagar.[84] ☎ +91 80 2520 5393

• Barista Can be found all over Bangalore. Barista locator [85]

• Coffee World Can be found all over Bangalore. Coffee World locations [86]

• Coffee Workers Co-op Church Street's Brigade Gardens A venerable Bangalore institution, with waiters in traditional uniforms and customers slowly savoring the age-old tradition of coffee drinking - though there are just two choices of coffee: black or white.Have some delightful "masala dosa" here.

• Java City Church St. Pleasant old Bangalore atmosphere. Offers a wide variety of tea, coffee from all over the world including pizza, pasta, pastries, cookies, you name it they have it plus you get to see a unique sense of humor in their menu and on the walls. On saturday and Sunday evenings, there is live music, rock and guitar. This place is simple, expatriate friendly and not at all pricy. There is another Java City near Lavelle Road.

[edit]Pubs and bars

The pub scene is concentrated around the commercial business district in the heart of Bangalore. MG Road, Brigade Road, Residency Road, St. Marks Road, and Church Street have numerous pubs. Happy hours is typically between 6-8PM and at most pubs, the time for the last order is around 10.30PM. Unlike many other cities, local regulations require pubs to down shutters by 11PM.

[edit]Budget

Most bars and pubs in the city are somewhat upscale, but many inexpensive restaurants serve beer and good quality food.

If you just need to go out you could go to one of the bars, but if you would like to have a great social experience and are in the city for a considerable period of time consider becoming a member of one of the social expat clubs in the city. The IVES Club [87] offers a meeting for it's members every Saturday at one or the other popular nightclubs in Bangalore, its members are interns, expats, volunteers and exchange students residing in the city.

[edit]Mid-range

• Pecos Rest House Road (Off Brigade Road). This 60s retro pub with a mural of Jerry Garcia. Often crowded on all 3 floors, including the pleasant roof-top seating area. Free popcorn with every pitcher of beer. Cards are available for frequent customers which make every tenth pitcher of beer free, but you may have to ask several times in order to acquire one and to get it updated.

• Beer Joint Pub (aka BJP), Indira Nagar

• Nasa Church St.

• Tavern at The Inn Museum Rd.

• Styx (next to Cauvery Handicrafts on M.G. Rd) - They put the "Heavy" in heavy metal!!

• Purple Haze, Residency Road. Popular for the classic rock that's played there. Now there is a newPurple Haze off Hosur Rd, Koramangala (close to Jyothi Niwas College).

• Sparks Brigade Road extension, next to Brigade Towers.

• Ego's Castle Street, off Brigade Road.

• J'Cubez Banshankari 2nd Stage, opp. BDA complex. For rock lovers.

• The Bunker Off Residency Road.

• Jimi's (Residency road and Koramangala 80 Rd) Offers a nice dark cozy bar along with Rock music and video. The place is best visited during weekends and is not hard on your pocket.

• Legends of Rock, 80 Foot Rd, 6th Block,Koramangala. ☎+91 80 4130 3232. Watch the Legends perform on large format TVs.

• Olio, Koramangala, Bangalore has a great ambiance with beer, wines and continental food. ☎+91 80 4092 7888

• Opus, Palace Cross Road, near Sankey Road, ☎+91 80 2344 2580, [88]. A chilled-out, ex-pat friendly lounge with a large outdoor space. Has karaoke on most Sun and Wed (Kroaknights) as well as regular live music and DJ dance nights. You may need to book ahead on theme nights.

• Sultanate Of Swing: 4th floor, Garuda Mall, Free entry, mainly plays Rock, Retro, Heavy Metal and has a Video DJ.
• Bull n Bush:4th floor, Garuda Mall, Rs 500/- cover Charge, Plays hip hop, house and occasionally trance.

• Le Rock Pub Cafe, Rest House Rd (off Brigade Rd) ☎+91 80 4123 1001. The latest watering hole in Bangalore. Rock music across the board screened on large plasma panels; every song can not only be heard but seen as well. Coffee, Kingfisher beer, cocktails, food and Bangalore's first oxy bar. Open from 10AM-11:30PM.

• Windsor Pub Just Off Mount Carmel's in Kodava Samaja Building, Vasanth Nagar. A small place which serves only beer. Serves good food and nice for a family outing. But only limited tables.

• Carpe Diem Church Street (Off Brigade Rd) It's a Power Metal haven.

• B11 Jayanagar 4th Block (Above Hotel Pavithra and next to Cool Joint)

• New Night Watchman (Corner Church and Museum Rd's), Little bit dingy but helpful bar staff - satellite TV has the Australia Network so you can watch Rugby Union and AFL games.

• Zeus, #174 2nd Floor Manohar Crest, Brigade Rd (on top of health n glow), ☎ +91 80 2532 3355. 11AM-11:30PM. Sports bar and lounge.  edit

[edit]Splurge

Most hotels have spiffy bars with every imaginable concoction of drinks available.

• Kosmo, Formerly Cosmo Village on Magrath Rd. 3 separate areas including a terrace. 81 Ali Askar Road Cross (Off Cunningham Rd). This nightclub is a remodeled colonial villa on a quiet lane, with excellent DJs and expensive drinks, and attracts a wealthy clientele.

• 13th Floor, Barton Center, M.G Road. Make a reservation.

• The Beach, 100 Foot Rd, Indiranagar. Make a reservation. Starts with retro music, plays some good hip-hop and house towards the end. Makes you feel like you are in Goa.

• Aura, Cunningham Road

• Athena, The Leela Hotel, Airport Road - Really popular on most days of the week. The upper VIP lounge is the best part of the club, but the rest of the club is beautifully appointed and attracts a hip crowd.

• Blue Bar, Race Course Rd. On weekends you need to buy drink-tickets for Rs 1500 to enter. Excellent drinks if you make sure Joel makes them. Officially they have a couple's only policy. Spontaneous dancing likely next to the bar.

• F-Bar (Fashion Bar - a theme bar by FTV) inside Le Meridien

• Fuga Richmond Town. The best place for house music lovers. Expensive and fashionable.

• Firangi Paani Forum Mall, Koramangala.

• Geoffrey's Airport Road (Royal Orchid). Really nice place.

• Hint, 5th Floor Bangalore Central, M.G Road. Tuesdays is ladies night (couples permitted).

• iBar Park Hotel, M.G Rd.

• Spinn (Just next to Brigade road circle). Closes early at 11:30PM. Ccover charge of Rs 500 to enter. Saturdays is a party goers energy paradise with full-on house and some hip hop towards the end.

• Taika Church St. (Off Brigade Rd). Usually open past midnight and has a huge dance floor. 3 bars and a lounge area. Entrance varies each night.

• Tuscan Verve (Off Brigade Rd).

• Vaayu Cool bar on the 5th floor of Eve Mall on Brigade road. It has comfortable lounge seating, and is open air, giving some nice views over the city.

[edit][add listing]Sleep

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[edit]Budget

• Church Street Inn, Church Street/MG Road Budget Hotel Single Rs 1,500 double Rs 1,800. Clean rooms, clean attached bathrooms, wifi internet access, Complementary continental breakfast, Walking distance from MG Road, Brigade Road and restaurants like Hard Rock Cafe, Mc Donalds, KFC. Best Lobby library in Bangalore! www.goobes.wordpress.com Church Street Inn, Budget Hotel, 46/1/1 Church Street, Bangalore. ☎+91 80 3057 7190 [89]

• Silicon Suites, 174, Nagvarapalya, Rahat Bagh, Behind Big Bazaar, off Old Madras road, near Indiranagar ☎+91 80 4019 8888 [90]

• VSL Grand Serviced Apartments, Offers Luxurious Single and Two Bedroom Apartments, close to Palace Grounds and easily accessible to the road leading to the New International Airport, "12, Bore Bank Road, Benson Town. ☎+91 80 4128 9401 / 8 [91]

• Ajantha 22 MG Rd. Good simple hotel with veggie restaurant. ☎+91 80 2558 4321.

• Royal Regency Lodge S. C. Road (Next to Movieland theater),Clean rooms and convenient to the city’s local transports like the City bus station and the City Railway Station. ☎+91 80 4113 0202 [92]

• Shree Vaishnav Gujarati Samaj (Just behind "Majestic Area, near Sapna cinema, Kempe Gowda circle). A secure and decent place to stay if you are there for a day or two. Costs Rs 50. A nice canteen with Gujarati food available. In the vicinity there is another good place available for fast food / lunch named "SLV". Good value for money.

• UG Deluxe (Majestic) Thulsi Thotta, need to get down by the small road opposite to Upparpet Police station and next to Navruchi restaurant, then take right and then immediate left on a small lane and at the end of it take right and you will see the lodge on your right. You may want to take an auto instead of walking down if you are going after a rainy day as your shoes will get dirty Non-A/C rooms cost around Rs 550 (approx US$13), A/C rooms may cost an extra Rs 200 (US$5).

• YMCA, Nrupathunga Road (Near Cubbon Park) No-frills hotel. ☎+91 80 2221 1848

• Others around Majestic If you are free for an hour, you can just go around the Majastic theatre and the Kempe Gowda Bus Station and look for a budget hotel yourself, as there are many on small streets and roads around this place. Or, you can even trust (to some extent) a broker who voluntarily offers help, but be sure you take a good look at the rooms before you pay any money to the lodge and the broker. But there is a wrong notion in the minds of people in and around Majestic that whenever you go in pairs, they tend to look at you with a wrong and suspicious look. If coming with family, especially newly married, avoid the Majestic area.

• D-Habitat Hotel Apartments Koramangala Bangalore [93] Deluxe rooms, suites, studio, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments. Ideal for short-term and extended stay. ☎ +91 80 4150 1950

• Maple Suites (Serviced Apartments), #142 & 143, Dollar Layout. 4th Main, BTM II Stage. Bangalore (Off Bannerghatta Road opp to Mantri Elite.), [94]. checkin: 12 noon; checkout: 12 noon. Long and Short Term stay. Rs 1,999.  edit\

• Basil Hotel, #8, Sampige road, Malleshwaram (Next to Sampige Theatre / close to central railway station and bus stand), ☎ +91 80 4040 2323, [95]. checkin: 24 hr; checkout: 24 hrs. Good service. From Rs 2,900.  edit

• Hotel Bangalore Gate, # 9 & 12, Gajanana Towers, K G Road, Bangalore-09 (Hotel is just 500 m away from Majestic & Bangalore City Railway station), ☎ 080-41100777, [96]. checkin: 12 noon; checkout: 12 noon. Rs 1,600-3,600.  edit

• Citizen Lodge. Recommended by both Lonely Planet and the Rough Guide, this bare bones motel-style establishment is well located (about 1 km from MG Road) but leaves much to be desired in terms of cleanliness and overall quality. A double non-A/C room costs around Rs. 800.  edit

• Hotel Tap Silver Square, No 185, Deenas, 3rd Fl, Brigade Rd (Opposite McDonalds). ☎+91 80 2559 5656. 3rd floor has views with floor-to-ceiling windows. Clean and modern decor, clean rooms, all with A/C, hot shower, free wifi(which gets switched off between 12AM-6AM), fridge and small wall-mounted LCD TV. 2 min walk to MG Rd. and Church St. It sits on top of the Fusion Lounge on the 2nd floor, you get thundering bass until 11:30PM. It might be a good idea to bring ear plugs if you plan to turn in early. It might also be the reason why the prices are cheap for what you get. Rs 1,011-1,742 (approx. US$22-39), including tax. For an additional Rs 500 (US$11), the hotel can arrange the use of a non-A/C luxury car for a maximum of 4 hrs or 40 km per day. E-mail: info@hotelsilversquare.com [97]

[edit]Mid-range

• Hotel Woodlands: No 5, Rajaram Mohan Roy Rd. (Near Richman Circle, Raja Ram Mohan Roy Rd) V+91 80 2222 5111. Mid-range hotel, very clean, great views of the city, delicious free South Indian breakfast buffet for Rs 3,400 per night for an A/C double (two single beds pushed together). Nice location for exploring the city. Long walk to M.G. Road, Garuda Mall, and Commercial Street.

• Fantasy Golf Resort (Opp ITC-0 mins away from Bangalore International Airport) Ideal for hotel stay next to Bangalore Airport or for transit passengers. ☎+91 99 7209 2701 [98]

• Hotel Vrindavan (Located just off M.G. Rd and very near to MG. Rd/Brigade Rd junction) (Also called cauvery handicraft junction). Nice hotel with great south Indian food.

• Church Street Inn (Near Hard Rock Cafe), MG Road, Brigade Road and Residency Road. Church Street Inn, 46,1-1 Church Street (Opposite Night Watchman Pub). ☎+91 80 3057 7190 [99] Free wi-fi access and an in house library from Dr.Seuss, Dahl to Dostoyevsky! Friendly and intelligent staff.

• Hotel St. Marks St. Marks Road (Near Residency Rd).

• Best Western The Capitol - Raj Bhavan Road. ☎+91 80 2228 1234, +91 80 2228 1800.

• 9 Marks Inn 9 St Marks Road. [100] ☎+91 80 2211 2889.

• The Bouvice[ http://www.bouvice.com] 141C , S.T. Bed Layout, 1st Main Kormangala , Sector 4. ☎+91 80' 41524429, 9342856034.- A beautiful apartment hotel in Kormangala. email: info@bouvice.com.

• Samrat Luxury Hospitality [101] Iskon Temple Foot hills, 149/A, R Block, West of Chord Road, Rajajinagar. ☎+91 80 2279 2893, Email:contact@samrathospitality.com

• Chalet Hospitality [102] Luxury serviced apartments A-08, Diamond District, Airport Rd, Bangalore. ☎+91 99 0197 6955 Email:info@chalethospitality.com

• Stopovers Serviced Apartments (Stopovers), Diamond District, Old Airport Road, Bangalore (Close to old airport road), ☎ +91 98 4513 9800, [103]. checkin: 24hrs; checkout: 24hrs. Contemporary apartments Rs 4,500.  edit

• Alcove Serviced Apartments Bangalore, G-301, Raheja Residency, 3rd Block, Koramangala, Bangalore 560034, ☎ +91 99 0057 8231 (stay@alcove.co.in), [104]. checkin: 24 hrs. Single room, independent 1 or 2 or 3 BHK apartments,A/C bedrooms with double beds and independent bathrooms, TV with cable & DVD Player. Kitchen with refrigerator, microwave, toaster, coffeemaker, mixer grinder and gas stove. Fully automatic washing machine, iron and ironing board, complimentary breakfast, free wifi, swimming pool, club house with billiards, table tennis, gym and tennis court.  edit

• Mitaroy Cricket Hotel, Richmond Town (located near MG Road), ☎ +91 80 2361 7708(ask@mitaroy.com), [105]. Asia's only Cricket Hotel, collection of cricket memorabilia including Sachin Tendulkar's autographed portrait with Sir Don Bradman and Sir Gary Sobers Bat. Rs 3,500.  edit

[edit]Splurge

• Grand Ashok Hotel Kumara Krupa High Grounds. ☎+91 80 22 2404 2211 (9 lines). Email: grandashok@nivalink.com [106]

• Taj Residency Hotel 41/3 MG Road. ☎+91 80 5660 4444. Email: residency.bangalore@tajhotels.com[107]. Besides the Leela, this is considered the Best Business Hotel in India.

• Chancery Pavilion Residency Road. Nice business hotel, good service and food. About $200 US

• Park Hotel 14/7 MG Road. ☎+91 80 2559 4666. Email: resv.blr@theparkhotels.com [108]

• ITC Windsor Sheraton Hotel Sankey Road, [109]

• Oberoi Hotel 37-39 MG Road. ☎+91 80 2558 5858. [110]

• Taj West End Hotel Race Course Road. ☎+91 80 5660-5660. Email: westend.bangalore@tajhotels.com[111]

• Leela Palace Kempinski [112] ☎+91 80 2521 1234. Email: bangaloresales@theleela.com. The Leela has previously been voted 'The Best Business Hotel in the World' by Conde Naste Traveller.

• Le Meridien ☎+91 80 2226 2233. Email: leme.bangalore@lemeridien.com [113]

• Hotel Royal Orchid ☎+91 80 2520 5566. Adjoining KGA Golf Course, Airport Road. [114] Sometimes referred to as the "Royal Orchid Park Plaza". Not to be confused with Royal Orchid Central.

• The Paul 139/28, Domlur Layout. (Off Intermediate Ring Rd). ☎ +91 80 4047 7777.

• The Oterra Hotel [115] 43 Electronics City, Hosur Rd. ☎+91 80 30030303.

[edit]Stay safe

Bangalore is a relatively safe city during day time. But some areas can become somewhat unsafe once it gets dark. Exercising caution and good sense will increase your chances of staying safe.

• It is not advisable to walk alone along deserted alleyways or lanes after dark
• Avoid using an autorickshaw if the driver is not alone, especially at night
• Do not flaunt jewellery, high-end mobile phones / laptops, watches etc.
• Do not withdraw large amounts of cash from ATMs in deserted areas
• Beware of pickpockets in crowded areas such as exhibitions, cricket matches etc.

Rising incomes has brought an influx of people including both, white and blue collar immigrants, leading to disparities in earnings between locals, the casual labour immigrants and expatriates (people from other parts of the state and also from other countries) which arguably has resulted in a substantial increase in crime rates.

[edit]Contact

The area code for Bangalore is 080. When calling from overseas, dial +91 80 XXXX XXXX. If you don’t have an Indian phone number, it is strongly recommended that you get a pre-paid calling card if you plan on using your phone frequently. Because of new government regulations, you need a photocopy of your passport (visa and the ID pages), a color photo, and proof of local address (in Bangalore) when buying a pre-paid card. If you do not have the required paperwork, it is recommended that you ask a local friend to buy a pre-paid card on your behalf. Pre-paid cards are sold in a few of the shops that sell mobile equipment.

Public telephones are a good option and are available widely. Most shops that offer public phones sport easily visible "STD/ISD/PCO" signages. More often than not, public pay-phones are post-pay and there will be a person at the shop to take the payments. Check the bill generated from the machine and make the payment accordingly. Payments are always in Indian rupees.

[edit]Internet

There are plenty of Internet Centres which charge between Rs 10-25 per hr. If you have laptop with wifi connection, free internet services are available at some malls, restaurants, and hotels. However, free public wi-fi is not the norm.

[edit]Cope

Bangalore is a clean city (compared to other major Indian cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai) and epidemics are rare. However, foreign tourists should be cautious about consuming water and eating at roadside stalls. It is recommended to use mosquito repellents, either as a cream applied on the skin or in the electronic form, during the evenings.

[edit]Hospitals

List of Major Hospitals and health care centers:

• Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital - Hospital Road, Shivajinagar.
• EPMC's Women's Clinic & Surgery - 9th Block, Jayanagar
• Jayadeva Hospital - 9th block, Bannerghatta Road, Jayanagar.
• Sanjay Gandhi Hospital - Tilaknagar, Jayanagar.
• Manipal Hospital - Old Airport Road, Kodihalli.
• Manipal Hospital - Mysore Road, Rajarajeshwarinagar.
• Mallige Medical Centre-31/32,Crescent Road
• Mallya Hospital - Vittal Mallya Road.
• HOSMAT Hospital (Sports and Orthopedic Medicine) - Magrath Road.
• Sagar Apollo Hospital - Tilaknagar, Bannerghatta Road.
• Wockhardt Hospital - Cunningham Road.
• Wockhardt Hospital - Opp. I.I.M., Bannerghatta Road.
• Wockhardt Hospital - 80 feet road, Nagarbhavi.
• Columbia Asia Hospital - Bellary Road, Hebbal.
• M.S. Ramaiah Super Speciality Hospital, New B.E.L. Road, R.M.V. 2nd Stage.
• Chinmaya Mission Hospital - C.M.H. Road, Indiranagar.
• St. Johns Medical College Hospital - Sarjapur Road, Koramangala.
• Narayana Hrudayalaya - Hebbugodi, Hosur Road.
• National Institute of Mental Health And Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) - Wilson Garden, Hosur Road.
• Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital - I.T.P.L., Whitefield.

[edit]Pharmacies

Pharmacies are dime a dozen and you should not have any problem locating one. You do not need any prescription for Modern Medicine 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 categorized as Schedule H drugs.

[edit]Contact

Cell phone coverage in the city is excellent. There are many service providers offering a wide variety of plans. If you are planning on travelling around outside the metropolitan area it might be a good idea to buy a cell phone and use one of the pre-paid plans to get yourself connected whilst you are still in the city.

• Bharti Airtel [116]

• Vodafone [117]

• idea [118]

• Tata Indicom [119]

• Reliance [120]

• Uninor

• MTS

• Aircel
• BSNL [121]

Attractions

[edit]Parks

The Lal Bagh, famous for its flower shows

Lal Bagh Flower Show 2010

• Lal Bagh: is a botanical garden, commissioned by the Hyder Ali in the year 1760. The 240-acre (0.97 km²) park is home to over 1000 species of flora and a Glass House. The park is known for its annual flower show. The garden surrounds one of the towers erected by the founder of Bangalore, Kempe Gowda I. The Lal Bagh Rock, dates back to 3000 million years, is another attraction.
• Cubbon Park: is located in the heart of the city and spreads over 300 acres (1.2 km2). The part was created in the year 1884, by Major General Richard Sankey. The park is home to numerous trees and plants that span over 68 genera and 96 species. The park is also known for its kids train.

[edit]Historical monuments

• Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace Built in 1791,and located near K.R Market, is a beautiful two-storeyed ornate wooden structure with exquisitely carved pillars, arches and balconies. It now houses a museum that contains artefacts relating to the Hyder-Tipu regime.
• Bangalore Palace: (1862) is located near Mekhri Circle and Cantonment Railway station and is built to look like a smaller replica of the Windsor Castle in England.
• Mayo Hall : It was designed in the memory of Lord Mayo and is as one of the finest designs of British architecture.

[edit]Government buildings

Attara Kacheri (Karnataka High Court)

• Vidhana Soudha: is the seat of the state legislature of Karnataka. It is an imposing granite building, built in the year 1956 in the 'Neo-Dravidian' style, incorporates elements of Indo-Saracenic, Rajasthani Jharokha and Dravidian styles. Vidhana Soudha is the brainchild ofKengal Hanumanthaiah and built by chief engineer B.R. Manickam.
• Attara Kacheri , (Karnataka High Court): Overlooking Vidhana Sabha is this red brick and stone building in the Greco-Roman style of architecture. It houses the High Court for the state of Karnataka.

[edit]Museums and Galleries

• Bangalore Museum
• Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum : The museum was instituted as part of the centenary celebrations of the engineer-statesman Sir M. Visvesvaraya (1861–1962).
• Venkatappa Art Gallery
• HAL Aerospace Museum: The Museum showcases the growth of the Indian aviation industry and HAL for six decades. The Museum is maintained by HAL (one of Asia's largest Aerospace companies). The museum houses displays of various aircraft and helicopters, Aircraft engine models, Flight simulators, a mock Air Traffic Control Tower and exhibit of Indian aviation history.
• MITHILAsmita Art Gallery : This art gallery is dedicated to a folk art of India, Madhubani Painting and is managed by MITHILAsmita Foundation.

[edit]Places of worship

Bull Temple: One of the biggest Nandi idols in the world.

• St Patrick's church: Built in 1844 this is one of the oldest churches in Bangalore and is situated on Residency Road.
• Bull Temple: Built by Kempe Gowda I, it is reminiscent of the 16th century Dravidian style architecture. It has a huge granite monolith of Nandi. This landmark is situated at bull temple road, Basavangudi.
• Shri Nimishamba Devi Temple: This shrine is built in the traditional Parashurama Kshetra Architectural Style that does not exist anywhere else in Bangalore or its surroundings. This temple was built with the tremendous help of the devotees of Shri Nimishamba Devi. The Temple has shrines of Devi Nimishamba, Moukthikeswara (siva), Siddhi Vinayaka, Saraswathi and Lakshmi Narayana. Chandika Homa is performed everyday in a specially designed Yagna Shala. Temple location # 93, 12th Cross, Ideal Homes Circle, Ideal Homes Township, Raja Rajeshwari Nagar,Bengaluru 560 098

• Huge Shiva in old Airport Road : Built by owner of Kids Kemp-A retail outlet, is a huge Idol of Lord Shiva & Ganesha. It is completely made of plaster of paris. It is also a tourist attraction in recent times.
• Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple : This is a temple known as Dakshina Kashi. It is a constructional wonder in that the sunrays will fall on the Shivalinga only on the day of Makara Sankranthi. There is also a belief that the cave tunnel underneath will lead all the way toVaranasi.
• ISKCON Temple Bangalore: (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) Built in an ornate architectural style, the Krishna Temple is a blend of modern technology and spiritual harmony. The 7-acre (28,000 m²) temple is situated on west of chord road, Rajajinagar and finest fusion of modern and traditional elements of architecture.
• St. Mary's Basilica : It is the oldest church in Bangalore and is the only church in the state that has been elevated to the status of aminor basilica.^[3][4] It is famous for the festivities held during the St. Mary's Feast in the month of September each year, an event that attracts a number of devotees from in and around Bangalore.

St. Mary's Basilica: The oldest church in Bangalore.

• Infant Jesus Church: Established in 1979 by Rev. Dr. Lourduswamy, the then Archbishop of Bangalore, the church draws huge crowds on Thursday, the day dedicated to Infant Jesus.
• Masjid-e-Khadria: One of the most beautiful mosques in Bengaluru^[5], located on Millers Road, this mosques hosts the prayers on Eid and also hosts the Haj camp.

[edit]Others

• Bugle Rock {bugle is called Kahale (ಕಹಲೆ)) is a massive rock situated in Basavanagudi which is an abrupt rise above the ground of peninsular gneiss as the main rock formation and with an assessed age of about 3000 million years.
• Forum Mall: It is the first of its kind Malls in Bangalore City and a hotspot for the city's youngsters. See Also List of shopping malls in Bangalore.
• Brigade Road is one of the busiest commercial centers of Bangalore where you can get any sort of shopping done.

Brigade Road Bangalore

• Commercial Street: Another busy commercial centre of Bangalore for getting all sorts of shopping done.
• MG Road, Bangalore: previsouly known as "South Parade" is the most important landmark of Bangalore.
• Electronics City : The nerve of the Silicon Valley of India.
• Lakes in Bangalore : Lakes including Ulsoor lake, Sankey tank, Hesaraghatta Lake, Yediyur Lake, Nagavara Lake,Hebbal Lake, Madiwala Lake, Kempanbudi Lake, Varthur Lake etc.
• IT Parks in Bangalore : ITPL,Bagmane Tech Park,Manyata Tech Park,Global Village Tech Park, Kalyani Magnum Tech Park, Electronics City Phase I & II,Embassy Golf Links, Eco space Tech Park,Prestige Tech Park,Salarpuria Tech Park, Brigade Tech Park, Vrindavan Tech park.

Sports Attraction: Chinnaswamy stadium[[File:^[6]]]

[edit]Restaurants and Pubs

• Restaurants in Bangalore are the main pastime for most Bangaloreans. Tourists need not worry as the variety spans not only all Indian cuisines, but there are also a large number of specialty restaurants. There are numerous methods of finding out the best restaurants including printed food guides, services such as Hungry Bangalore, and telephone directories.
  • Traditional South Indian Favourites include MTR (Lalbagh Road) - famous for its idlys and silver plates, Vidhyarthi Bhavan — specialty Masala Dosa, Brahmins — idly,vada out of a garage, and Ganesh Dosa Camp.
  • Higher end favourites are not limited to the five stars, and there are restaurants for every palate - from mughalai to south Indian, seafood to sushi.
• Pubs in Bangalore - Bangalore is called Pub Capital of India.

[edit]Around Bangalore

White Tiger at Bannerghatta National Park

• Bannerghatta National Park is situated 22 km south of Bangalore. This hilly place is the home for one of the richest natural, zoological reserves. The 25,000 acre (101 km²) zoological park makes this a major tourist attraction of Bangalore.

• Nandi Hills or Nandidurg is a hill fortress of southern India, in the Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka state. It is located just 3 to 5 km from Chickballapur Taluq, 60 km from Bangalore. It is 4851 ft (1478 m) above sea level. Nandidrug hill, known commonly as Nandi Hills, is the source of the Penner, Ponnaiyar and Palar rivers. Nandi Hills gets its name from an ancient Nandi temple situated on this hill. This temple has a thousand year old sculpture of Nandi. An ancient lord Shiva and Parvati temple also adorns this hill.
  • Skandagiri is 75 km away from Bangalore. Trekking point near to Nandi hills.
• Kaivara, cave temples 60 km away near Chikkaballapur.
• Omthara Kala Kuteera is located 40 km (25 mi) from Bangalore. Just one hour from the hustle and bustle of Bangalore, Omthara Kala Kuteera is an oasis of peace and tranquility. Built as homage to India's ancient culture and its vibrant art, this masterpiece is a monument like none other. Located amidst 30 acres (120,000 m²) of lush gardens in rustic surroundings, Omthara Kala Kuteera offers an environment that soothes the soul and energizes the mind. A visit to Om Thara Kala Kuteera has been described variously by guests as "Heaven on Earth", "Temple like none other", "Place of Divinity", "Uplifts my Soul", and "Source of Peace and Happiness". See www.OmtharaKalaKuteera.com for directions and more details on this remarkable place.

• Muthyalamaduvu is a picnic spot near Anekal, 40 km from Bangalore. In the local Kannada language, Muthyalamaduvu means 'pearl valley' (muthu = pearl and maduvu = valley), apparently named for its 92 meter waterfall, whose falling water appears to look like drops of pearl.

• Thottikallu is a place 25 km from Bangalore off the Kanakapura road which is famous for a falls called Thottikallu falls more popularly known as TK falls.

• Savandurga is a hill 60 km west of Bangalore off the Magadi road. The hill is famous for Narasimhaswamy temple and is also believed to be among the largest monolith hills in the world. The hill rises to 1226 m above mean sea level and forms a part of the Deccan plateau. It consists of peninsular gneiss, granites, basic dykes and laterites. The Arkavathi river passes nearby through the Thippagondanahalli Reservoir and on towards Manchanabele dam.

• Tippagondanahalli Reservoir, also known as T G Halli or Chamarajsagar, is located at the confluence of the Arkavathy River andKumudavathi River, 35 km west of Bangalore.

• Kanva reservoir is an artificial lake and tourist attraction 69 km from Bangalore and 10 km from Ramanagara

• Wonderla is an amusement park located on Mysore road, 40 km from Bangalore.

• Dodda Alada Mara, a big banyan tree located in Ramohalli (28 km away), is a picnic spot.^[7]

• Mekedaatu, literally meaning "Goat's Jump", is 110 km away on Kanakapura Road. Nearby is another tourist attraction, Sangama, where two rivers join.

• Pyramid valley is the biggest pyramid shaped meditation hall in the world, along with being the largest pyramid in Asia website. It stands proud at above 101 feet (31 m). Its base measures 160 ft (49 m) by 160 ft (49 m) with the main meditation area spanning 25,600 sq ft (2,380 m²). Maitreya Buddha Pyramid, is the International Centre (Bangalore), of the Pyramid Spiritual Society’s Movement in Pyramid Valley. It is located 30 km from Banashankari Temple, 4 km before Harohalli and 1.2 km just after Kebbedoddi bus stop, on Kanakapura Road. image

• Devarayanadurga (Kannada: ದೇವರಾಯನ ದುರ್ಗ) is a hill station near Tumkur in the state of Karnataka. It is 65 km from Bangalore. The rocky hills are surrounded by forest and the hilltops are dotted with several temples including the Yoganarasimha and the Bhoganarasimha temples and an altitude of 3,940 feet (1,200 m). It is also famous for Namada Chilume, a natural spring considered sacred and is also considered the origin of the Jayamangali river. Another famous temple in the area is the Mahalakshmi Temple at Goravanahalli.

• Srirangapattana : The capital of Mysore under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

Shivanasamudra Falls

• Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary : a Bird Sanctuary in the Mandya District of the state of Karnataka. It is a very small sanctuary, being only 0.67 km². in area, and comprises six islets on the banks of the Kaveri River. Ranganthittu is located near the historic town ofSrirangapatna.

• Shivanasamudra Falls (also called Sivasamudram) is an island town dividing the Kaveri River into twin waterfalls, the Gaganachukki and the Barachukki, dropping 90 m. The town is located 120 km from Bangalore, 27 km from Somanathapura and 80 km from Mysore in the Mandya district of the state of Karnataka.

The Mysore Palace

• Mysore (to be renamed Mysuru) (Kannada: ಮೈಸೂರು) is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Mysore district and the Mysore division and lies about 140 km (87 mi) southwest of Bangalore.A short distance from Mysore city is the Krishnarajasagar Dam and the adjoining Brindavan Gardens where a musical fountain show is held in the evening. One of the most visited monuments in India, the Ambavilas Palace (also known as Mysore Palace) is the center of the Dasara festivities.
• Melkote is on the way to Mysore from Bangalore. The place is famous for its Vyramudi Utsava. The main deity here is "Cheluvarayaswamy-The MahaVishnu". A sacred place for "Vaishnavites". Also its one of the favourite spots for kannada directors for shooting.