Lemon Tree Premier, Ulsoor Lake, Bengaluru

History

Legend has it that Bengaluru (meaning 'Town of Boiled Beans') got its name after an old woman served cooked pulses to a lost and hungry Hoysala king. In 1537 the feudal lord Kempegowda built a mud fort here, but it remained something of a backwater until 1759, when the city was gifted to Hyder Ali by the Mysore maharaja.

In 1809 the British Cantonment was established, and in 1831 the British moved their regional administrative base from Srirangapatnam to Bengaluru, renaming the city Bangalore in the process. Winston Churchill enjoyed life as a junior officer here, famously leaving a debt (still on the books) of Rs 13 at the Bangalore Club. More

Bengaluru's reputation as a science and technology centre was established early in the 20th century; in 1905 it became the first city in India to have electric street lights. Since the 1940s it has been home to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), India's first aircraft manufacturing company. Today the city is best known as a hub for software and electronics development, and business process outsourcing.
Bengaluru's prosperity is changing the city in more ways than just its name. A new international airport is under construction and a new city centre is rising in a clutch of skyscrapers on the old United Breweries site at the Cubbon Park end of Vittal Mallya Rd (Grant Rd).

Places of Interest

Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium

The planetarium located at Sri. T. Chowdaiah Road opposite to the golf course was established in 1989 by the Bangalore City Corporation and later entrusted to the Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE). More

The sky theater here with a dome of fifteen meters in diameter has a seating capacity of 225. Lectures and shows on astronomy are regular features here. The shows about the marvels of the universe, the planets and the solar system are designed to be informative and entertaining and is a visual delight for children and adults. Apart from offering clear and informative accounts of science subjects, these programmes also bring in historical backgrounds, modern developments and future prospects. The Planetarium also has an observatory with a professional six inch code refractor telescope.
The exhibits displayed at the exhibition hall in the planetarium include astro-photographs of galaxies, paintings, sculpture and posters of versatile personalities such as Albert Einstein etc. It also houses a stall where one can buy books, science kits, models, telescopes, astro-photos, etc. The planetarium is closed every Mondays and second Tuesdays. Working hours are from 10.00 am to 5.30 pm. Daily two shows are held here and the entry is restricted to children below 5 years. The science park developed in the planetarium area provides an opportunity to the visitors to learn some elements of science in a natural and playful manner. Association of Bangalore Amateur Astronomers (ABAA), an independent, nonprofit making body is also housed in the Planetarium.


Tipu's Summer Palace and Fort

The architecture, the layout and the overall look of Tipu Sultan fort and palace offer a glimpse of the ethnic Mughal lifestyle in the past. Located opposite the city market, Tipu Sultan fort can be entered through the southern, Mysore gate which is still intact, from K R Road, or from the Vani Vilas Hospital side. More

Noted for its beautifully carved arches in Indo-Islamic style, Tipu's fort was originally a mud fort built by a feudal lord Kempe Gowda in 1537. Later an extension was made by Chikkadevaraya Wodeyar of Mysore. It was again extended and fortified by Hyder ali, Tipu Sultan's father. There is an ancient Ganesha Temple, a little beyond the entrance to the fort with a fine statue of Lord Ganesha and a beautiful carving of Sri Krishna playing the flute. There are some interesting reliefs on the walls of the fort and a white memorial tablet is found on the outer wall opposite the Kote Anjaneya Temple. Now only parts of the fort remain. It opens to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m

Tipu's palace is situated near the fort, at Albert Victor Road. Though the construction of this 2- storeyed wooden palace was started by Hyder Ali, it was completed by Tipu Sultan in 1791. Known as the 'Abode of Peace', the palace built in the18th century, was one of Tipu Sultan's summer retreats. The structure is similar to the Daria Daulat palace of Srirangapatnam.

The walls and ceilings of the palace is beautifully decorated with floral motifs and the pillars, connected by scalloped arches, painted in brilliant colours. The walls in front of the entrances to the east and west halls have square projecting balconies which is supposed to have been introduced for the seat of state from where Tipu Sultan held the durbar. In the quadrant there is a Ganesha Temple that popularly depicts and represents Tipu Sultan's religious tolerance. There are fountains in front of each face of the palace and it also has a well maintained garden.

After Tipu's death, British used the palace building as their secretariat till 1867. Converted to a museum, the palace was opened to public in 2005. Besides the delicate carving and paintings, it houses an art gallery of nearly a thousand historical photos and artifacts of Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and other famous personalities. There is an entry fee to the palace and the visiting hours is from 10am to 6pm. It is closed on all Sundays.
Bangalore Palace

Inspired by the Windsor castle in London, Bangalore Palace was build in the Tudor Style architecture with Gothic windows, fortified towers, arches, battlements and turreted parapets. Situated in the heart of Bangalore city, near Sadashiv Nagar, this unique edifice was built by Rev. Garrett, first Principal of the Central High School, which is now Central College. In 1884, it was bought by the then Maharaja of Mysore, Chamaraja Wodeyar. More

The palace spread over an area of about 430 acres with a built-up area of 40,000 sq. ft, is famous for its elegantly carved woodwork. The interiors have awesome floral motifs, cornices, mouldings and relief paintings on its ceilings. Earlier the vast open area of the palace used to be surrounded by beautiful gardens, and polo matches were conducted on the grounds. Today the palace ground is a popular venue for various exhibitions, concerts and cultural programs. After the last restoration in 1927, recently in 2005, work on the interiors of the Bangalore Palace and its gardens was taken up by the scion of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. Mr.Wadiyar has put up his own personal collection of modern art in the Darbar Hall and some rooms in the Maharaja's Suite. One of the rooms has been converted into a boutique, where silks and garments are on display. Silk scarves, bras shields and photographs of the royal family will be sold as souvenirs to visitors.
Gandhi Bhavan

Gandhi Bhavan, located on Kumara Krupa road, is a memorial to the life of Mahatma Gandhi and the venue for many public meetings on Gandhian values. Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, housed in the Gandhi Bhavan is an exclusive gallery exhibiting the entire life of Mahatma Gandhi. It displays a comprehensive picture gallery of Gandhiji's life from early childhood to his last days. More

It also exhibits a collection of photostat copies of letters written by Gandhiji to various personalities, his wooden shoes, clay drinking bowls etc. It is open on weekdays from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.
Chowdaiah Memorial Hall

Chowdaiah memorial hall built in the shape of a violin, is named after Karnataka's violin maestro T. Chowdaiah. This multipurpose air-conditioned hall is a popular venue for cultural events. More

Located at Gayathri Devi Park Extension below the Sankey Tank Bund Road, it is said to be the first building in the shape of a musical instrument in the whole world.
Amusement Parks & Fun Centers

Wonderla

Located on the Bangalore-Mysore Highway, about 29 km away from Vidhana Soudha, between the picturesque hillocks near Bidadi, is India's largest amusement theme park Wonder La. It is the second amusement project from the V-Guard group. Covering a total area of 82 areas, the park incorporates the latest technologies and imported rides which provides thrilling and unlimited fun to visitors. More

It has about 26 water rides including different types of water slides, two wave pools and 24 land rides with special rides of kids. It is the only amusement park providing heated water during winter months. Other specialties includes an indoor musical fountain and laser show apart from a virtual reality theatre with high definition video projections system.
Alley 365

Alley 365 is an entertainment centre for bowling located on KH road. It offers four lanes bowling alley, glow lanes, pool tables, video games and an exclusive multi-cuisine restaurant. It is open on all days from 11:00 am to 11:30 pm

Lakes & Gardens

Ulsoor Lake

Ulsoor lake constructed by Kempe Gowda II during the second half of the second century, is a perfect gateway dotted with picturesque tiny islands. The 1.5sq km lake extending over an area of 125 acres is located on the north eastern fringe of the city centre, close to MG Road. More

Originally known as 'Halsur' or 'Alasur', this pretty picnic spot is an ideal place for boating and shopping. KSTDC organises boating in the lake and pedal or row-boats can be hired for a requisite amount per hour. It is open on all days including Sundays and government holidays between 9:30 am and 5:30 pm. A swimming pool adjoins the park and there is also a small garden known as 'Kensington Park' to the North-east of the Lake. The lake comes alive during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in the month of August-September.

Lalbagh Botanical gardens

The famous Lalbagh Botanical garden, at Lal Bagh Fort Road, lies on the southern fringes of the city. The superb 240 acre garden was laid out by Hyder Ali in 1760 and his son Tippu Sultan added a wealth of plants and trees from many countries. It was originally called Lalbagh because the garden had a profusion of red roses. More

The entrance to the garden is marked by an equestrian statue of Raja Chamaraja Wodeyar of Mysore. The park has a huge collection of famous botanical species; tropical, sub tropical and medicinal plants. Apart from fountains, lotus pools, terraces and a deer park, it also houses the office of the Karnataka Horticultural Society. The main attraction here is the magnificent glass house, with jewel-like embellishments on gracefully curved and sloped geometric forms based on London Crystal Palace. It was originally built in 1888 by the English architect John Cameroon, with materials shipped from Glasgow in Scotland. The glass house was recently remodeled by incorporating more than 3,000 sq m of laminated glass. The illuminated glass house at night is a stunning sight. Another popular draw is the giant floral clock, surrounded by snow white and the seven dwarfs. The clock dial measuring 7 meters in diameter has been decorated with multicoloured flowers. The rose garden near the north gate entrance contains 150 different varieties of roses. The rocks at the garden is one of the oldest rock formations in India which is believed to be 3000 million years old.

Lalbagh is the venue for flower shows held every year in January and August on the occasion of the Republic Day and Independence Day celebrations. The garden is open daily from sunrise to sunset.
Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park

Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain, the first computerized fountain in India situated opposite to the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium was inaugurated in 1995. Located in the heart of the city on the Raj Bhavan road in the old LRDE Complex and spreading over an area of 17 acres, it is one of the main tourist attractions in Bangalore. More

Based on the latest multimedia technology and fitted with 1000 nozzles, it has 15 formations and 27 combinations of fountains on a bed area of 30 meters by 10 meters. The visual delight of the light and sound show together with the synchronized rhythmic dancing of the fountains, provides high versatility in programming as well as in play back to various Indian and Western musical themes. The distinct patterns formed by the musical fountain are projected into a big screen using a twin projector. Laser show is also performed here, which adds glamour to the musical fountain.

Apart from the musical fountain, there is also a garden and a den's park. There is a railway engine placed at the entrance to the park, in honour of the then Central Railway Minister, C K Jaffer Sharief, who presented the musical fountain.
Fairs & Festivals

Karaga (April)

The nine day long Karaga festival, celebrated in the month of March/ April, is the oldest and one of the most important festivals of Bangalore. It is celebrated 15 days after Ugadi. The distinctive feature of this festival is the participation of people from all communities. More

Primarily Karaga festival is celebrated by the Vanikula Kshatriya Tigalas, the Tamil-speaking community of Southern Karnataka. Adishakti Draupadi is their community deity and the festival is observed in honour of the goddess.

'Karaga' is a metal pot with a pyramidical floral arrangement on the top which symbolize the goddess of power 'Shakti'. It is carried on the head of a selected person or a priest and is immersed in the Sampangi tank. The Karaga carrier wears the mangalsutra and bangles of his wife who stays at home and does not see him or the procession. He is supposed to undergo a rigorous ritual for over six months of the year. Dressed in female attire, the carrier leads the night long procession starting and ending in the Dharmarayaswamy temple in Nagarathpet. According to legend, Hazrat Takwal Mastan, a Sufi saint was a good friend of a Hindu priest. It was the saint's dying wish that the 'Karaga' stop at his mausoleum first after leaving the temple. And the tradition has been religiously kept alive even after 300 years of saint's death. The spectacular procession is accompanied with the throbbing of drums and dazzling sword plays. Devotees also carry pots decorated with flowers on their heads to test the strength of their character.
Kadalekeya Parishe (Nov-Dec)

Also known as the peanut festival, 'Kadalekeya Parishe' is celebrated at the Bull temple in the month of November/ December. Farmers seek blessings by offering their first harvested groundnuts to the sacred bull. On that occasion, Peanut eating contest is also organised.More

Also known as the peanut festival, 'Kadalekeya Parishe' is celebrated at the Bull temple in the month of November/ December. Farmers seek blessings by offering their first harvested groundnuts to the sacred bull.