Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka ranks as one of the fastest growing cities in Asia. It is the seventh largest city in India. Its pleasant climate, friendly people, and its highly educated population have made this the Silicon Valley of India with almost all computer related multinationals setting up their India head office at Bangalore. Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister termed this as "India's city of the future".

Location

Bangalore city is located in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, in the southern region of India. It is 3,113 feet (949 m) above sea level, on top of a ridge in the Karnataka plateau. Bangalore is 998 km from Mumbai (Bombay) and 562 km from Hyderabad. The climate of Bangalore is moderate and pleasant. Summers are mild (April-June) and winters are cool (October-February). The city experiences southwestern monsoon rains in June-August.

History

In the year 1120 AD, the Chola King, Veera Ballalla ruled the Deccan plateau or the South of India. On a hunting trip in the forest he lost his way. After a long search he met an old ladyin the forest who offered him shelter for the night and served him baked beans for dinner. To show his gratitude to this lady for having saved his life, the King constructed a town and named it as Benda Kalooru which means baked beans. Later in 1537, a local chieftain, Kempe Gowda helped design this town and give it its modern shape.

Industry and Commerce

From a basically agricultural economy, Karnataka has evolved into an industrial one. It has today about 978 large and medium scale industrial units with a total investment exceeding Rs. 156,545 crores employing more than 4 lakh people.

Bangalore today has become an Industrial metropolis. As an electronic city it is sprawled over 300 acres It has become a paradise of electronic whiz kids, as the major manufacturers and buyers like ITI, BHEL, BEL,  originally started out from here. Out of the 430 major software companies, 87 companies have their establishments in Bangalore.

Information Technology

Karnataka has become the Information Technology (IT) powerhouse of India. It is bidding to retain it's pre-eminent position as the second most important global center after the silicon valley of California. Bangalore is extending it's growth in this sphere and the state is attempting to help it's growth to other centers across the state.

Power

The oldest power station in Asia, was setup at Shivanasamudra as early as in 1902, to produce hydro-electric power. Thus the state is a forerunner in power generation. Due to rapid industrialisation, expansion of agriculture increased per-capita consumption of power and vagaries of the monsoon, the state has started feeling a shortage of power from 1970. The state setup a Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. (KPCL) to handle the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of power projects.

Film Industry

The Kannada Cinema ranks 5th in terms of annual output of films in India and has well equipped studios, talented technicians and excellent outdoor locations. Kannada films have won many national and international awards for the past 25 years 

The Vidhan Soudha or the State Secretariat, built in
1954, is the main attraction of this city. It is a marvel
of modern architecture and is a fine amalgamation
of traditional Dravidian and modern styles. Cubbon Park, the 120-hectare park located near the Vidhan Soudha, has a number of neo-classical styled government buildings. The Government Museum of Bangalore
(one of India's oldest museums) and the Visvesvaraya Technological and Industrial Museum are important museums within the city.

The Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, which holds a
number of flower shows, especially during the
Republic Day (26th January), is located on the southern fringe of the city. The beautiful park was begun by Hyder Ali in 1760 and completed by Tipu Sultan. It houses over 1,800 species of rare herbs, plants and centuries-old trees. The Glass House here, was inspired by the Crystal Palace in London and is the venue of the colourful Flower Show.

Tipu Sultan's Fort, built in the 18th-century  and Palace are other important places of interest to the traveller. 

The Jumma Masjid
The oldest mosque in the city is an imposing one. Tall ornamented granite pillars adorn the elevated prayer hall.

Dravidian-styled temple built in the 16th-century,  dedicated to Nandi the bull is an important place of worship. The Venkataramanaswamy temple, the Gavi Gangadhareswara cave temple, and the Someshwara temple are other important temple of this city. The Ulsoor Lake on the northeastern edge of the city is an important picnic spot. Bangalore city is famous for it numerous Yoga centers, where fitness freaks can learn and practice this ancient art of keeping healthy.

Ulsoor Lake
 A picturesque lake with  several tree-shaded  islands in it, ideal for  picnicking. Boating  facilities are available  and there is a beautiful  swimming pool that is  part of the recreational  complex near the lake.

Visveswaraya Industrial Trade Center,Located next to the VITM is the the first of its kind trade centre in India. In addition to its trade promotional activities, the Center has two exhibition floors housing a permanent display of all that is manufactured in Karnataka.

Banglore Bannerghatta National Park 22 kms south of Bangalore is the home to lions, tigers, elephants, bison and  wide variety of other animals. The Lion Safari here is very popular and gives visitors a chance to see the magnificent king of the jungle in his natural habitat.

Hesaraghatta is 25 kms from Bangalore. There's an artificial lake here, ideal for boating as well as windsurfing. Visit the dairy and horticulture farm and the fish farms nearby.

Ramohalli, a picnic spot 28 Kms, to the west of the city, is renowned for its 400-year-old Banyan Tree, spread over an area of 3 acres.

Muthyalamaduvu, 40 Kms from Bangalore is the lush ‘Pearl Valley’. Enjoy the verdant surroundings and beautiful waterfalls. You could laze in one of the small pools or go rock-climbing.

Ramnagaram, 49 Kms away, is a favourite with rock climbers. It is also an important silk cocoon marketing centre.

Mysore The historic city is 139 km from Bangalore and offers to the traveller a number of monuments belonging to Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, the erstwhile rulers of the state. It also has a number of ancient Hindu temples and a few monuments built by the British.

Biligirirangana range of hills, 247 Kms from Bangalore, are situated between the Cauvery and Kapila rivers. At a height of 5,091feet above sea level, this range stretches from north to south for about 16 Kms. If you're looking for a cool time with a little bit of wild excitement thrown in, welcome to B.R.Hills. Wake up to the chirping of birds and humming of bees. Breathe in fresh, clean air. Take a stroll through the sylvan surroundings. And let the cool breeze blow your cares away.

Whitefield Ashram, the summer abode of the Shri Sathya Sai Baba, 20 km east of Bangalore, and the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) Temple Complex are important spiritual centers, worth paying a visit.

Information Related to Tourism

Tourism-related information can be obtained from the railway station and the airport. Indian Tourist Office (Ph: 5585417), KSTDC offices (Ph: 2212901, 2275869), and Government of Karnataka Tourist Office (Ph: 2215489) offer useful information to the traveller. 

Accessibility
Bangalore is accessible by air, road, and rail. Bangalore Airport is 13 km east of the City Station. The Indian Airlines office (Ph: 2211914) is located on the Kempegowda road. Other domestic operators are Sahara Airlines (Ph: 5586976) and Jet Airways (Ph: 5550856). There are number of daily flights to important cities like Calcutta, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Goa, Kochi, Mangalore, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram. Bangalore has direct international flights to Muscat, Sharjah and Singapore. It is also a stopover for many international flights.

Bangalore has a large bus terminus, which is near the railway station. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses and buses belonging to Tamilnadu and Goa Roadways also operate from here. It is well linked to Mysore (3 hours), Hospet (9 hours), Chennai (8 hours) and Mumbai (24 hours). The KSRTC conducts a number of tours and excursions around the city.

There are two railway stations in Bangalore. The main station is well connected to all major Indian cities. There are number of daily express trains from Bangalore to other cities of India.

One can get prepaid taxis and auto-rickshaws to and from the Airport. Local Bus service within Bangalore city is good. One can also take auto-rickshaws and avail of rented cars to move within the city

Best time to Visit
Although the weather of Bangalore is pleasant throughout the year, it is best visited in the winte