Bangalore (Part I): Exploring solo!

Bangalore! I have passed by this city when I visited Coorg few years back but never really explored it. I had heard much about the city from friends who live/lived there, ofcourse a great deal of it being positive. So last Dec, when I got the opportunity to travel to Bangalore with my husband, I immediately grabbed it. Well, he was travelling for work and I, for leisure. My husband is a professor and had lectures there and mostly I accompany him whenever I could (provided I get leaves, which I always do ;)).

Usually, we explore the city after his lectures get done in the afternoon but this time in Bangalore, his schedule was packed. So it was left on me to either stay at the hotel room or explore the city solo. Obviously, I chose the latter.Bangalore, or as it is now called, “Bengaluru” is known for its Silicon Valley, night life, amazing pubs and has a cosmopolitan feel to it. While all that defines Bangalore, the cultural & historical aspect of Bangalore is unknown to many.Bangalore has a rich history of rulers & knights in armors, of kings and war mongers. At the same time, it also boasts of rich gardens constructed by the rulers then, various temples and even museums & serene lakes. The 17th & 18th century palaces and architectural marvels still stand tall today. One such historical wonder in the centre of the city is Tipu Sultan’s summer palace.

Day 1:

Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace:This was my 1st sightseeing stop and the only day when my husband could take out some free time and accompanied me to the palace & fort. The grandeur of the royal era of the south can be felt when you visit the Tipu Sultan’s Summer palace located in the old city of Bangalore. Though it is a small structure which stands tall today, the opulence of it still revives the old charm and history in your mind. It has some 160 pillars which are mainly made of wood and was a place for holding durbars during the summer with the nobles and common people. The entrance to the palace is through a garden and in the past, there used to be a palace to the left which was destroyed by the Britishers during the Anglo Indian war. It also houses a temple in the vicinity of the palace which is open to visitors in the evening 6 pm onwards. Tipu Sultan, a Muslim king, also worshipped the Hindu Gods. He built this temple in the palace premises giving a message of universal faith. He was also known as the “Tiger” as he had once fought with a tiger and killed it. He was also known for his unparalleled bravery and hatred for the British. The palace has a small room dedicated to Tipu Sultan’s reign as an able administrator & gives you a sneek peak into his life as a ruler of Mysore. This palace is a must visit to explore the historical facet of the brave Tiger.

Tipu Sultan fort/Bangalore fort:At a walking distance of 5 mins, approx. 0.5 km is a fort which stands in a dilapidated condition. It was this fort which the Britishers had captured during the third Anglo Mysore war and Tipu Sultan had to forcefully sign the Treaty of Srirangapatnam surrendering various forts and areas captured. The fort has nothing to see except a small temple housed at the entrance to the fort. Most of the fort area has been destroyed over the years and all that remains now are the broken walls of the fort. 10 mins are enough to explore this place.

Day 2: Due to my husband’s busy schedule today, I had to explore the city on my own. I accompanied my husband till Malleswaram where he had his lectures, & from there I went alone to Iskcon Temple & thought of exploring Malleshwaram while coming back.

Iskcon Temple:

Iskcon temple of Bangalore is at the north end of Bangalore very close to Orion Mall. The temple is huge and stands overlooking the city of Bangalore. However, unlike other Iskcon temples, this temple was totally commercialized and it took me 15-20 mins to find my way out. This is because as soon as you leave the main temple and follow the exit route, you pass through myriad of shops and stalls inducing you to buy either books, prasad, branded Iskcon calendar & diaries, eateries, etc. It looks more like a marketplace brimming with buyers and sellers rather than an abode of God. This temple was highly disappointing.

Orion Mall:Orion Mall is one of the biggest malls in Bangalore housing all branded shops and restaurants, a delight for shopaholics and foodies both. In case you are planning to visit Iskcon temple, you may stop for a quick bite or indulge yourself in shopping or rather just have a quick stroll around the mall and spend some time in a coffee shop as I preferred to do. Coffee at Starbucks, a book in hand and white marble cake was the best way possible to spend the rest of the day.

Malleshwaram:From there, I headed back to Malleshwaram. Malleshwaram is the best place to explore the old world charm of Bangalore. It is a delight for people looking to buy authentic sarees or accessories or clothes of Bangalore. It houses lines of shops selling various stuff where you can definitely bargain to save some of your hard earned money. It is a busy street with lots of people bustling on the streets and many people tinkering their sells wares. If you are a person who loves shopping in this cacophonous atmosphere, it is the place to be.

Day 3: In the midst of my solitude, I found a past colleague who was now residing in Bangalore and we decided to catch up. We decided to meet at HAL Museum.

HAL Museum:Many people do not know that on the outskirts of Bangalore is the air force training & testing centre. In the midst of that is also a small museum dedicated to the history of air force called as Heritage Centre & Aeronautical Museum. The museum contains a chronological event of various developments related to the Indian air force and houses miniature versions of the aircrafts in the inside of the museum. Outside the museum, you will be able to see the prototypes of some of the most famous aircrafts like Ajeet, Sitara, etc. If you are lucky, you would be able to see the flight simulation or testing done where the fighter planes will fly over your head with a shrilling terrifying high intensity sound similar to a bomb blast. The experience of seeing the plane taking extreme vertical ascent & descent in the air would leave you in awe & respect for the India air force.After meeting at the museum and clicking few pictures, we realized that we had a lot to catch up on and were hardly paying any attention to the hall of fame kept for us at the museum. So we decided to visit a place where we could talk endlessly. We decided to head to Ulsoor Lake.

Ulsoor Lake:If you are seeking a quiet, solitary place to either stroll or simply to derive lacustrine pleasure, Ulsoor Lake is the place for you. Located very close to Cubbon Park, Ulsoor Lake is a small body of water where the sun setting looks picturesque. A place for relaxation, you can either walk or jog on the promenade or simple sit at one of the benches observing the tranquility of nature or chat your heart out with friends/loved ones alike. Though online it says there is a boating facility here, we did not find any. Just few minutes from Ulsoor lake, is a small Gurudwara. An unexplored gem, few minutes spent there is definitely worthwhile. After spending good quality time there, we were craving for some food. Hence, we headed out to Commercial street as we couldn’t resist the urge of shopping, being the typical girls that we are.

Commercial Street:For all those living in Mumbai, Commercial Street is an exact copy of Linking road in Bandra. A mixture of branded shops and street shopping, you can shop till you drop. Once you are there, you would be lured by street sellers and branded shops alike and there is no way you can resist your indulgent self. Though women are usually emotional creatures, when it comes to our staple diet i.e shopping, you can definitely expect them to take a practical stance. We both had to shop different things and decided to meet at a common point after we were done with our heart’s shopping. Whether you are a brand conscious person or prefer everything cheap, Commercial street is a must visit place for shopping if you are in Bangalore.

Day 4: Again came the time for solo sightseeing. Having heard a lot about it and staying at distance arms from it, I decided to explore Lalbaugh Botanical Gardens.

Lalbaugh Botanical Gardens:Lalbaugh Botanical Gardens is a huge garden spread over 240 acres. It was the dream of Tipu Sultan and was initiated by the royal family. However, after Tipu Sultan’s death, it was left incomplete. Dr Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore, completed the construction in 1782. It took 22 years to build the gardens and has been maintained splendidly even till this date. It would take you more than 2 hours to explore the entire place on foot. A smart way to explore this place in full is to take a ride of 45 mins with a guide in an open bogey which would take you through the entire place and even explain the history and significance of certain places. All this for just Rs 100. There are many things to see like the Glass house, Kempe Gowda’s tower, statute garden, artificial pond, glass house and hundreds of varieties of different trees. It’s a nice place even for a morning or evening stroll.

Day 5: Finally the day came to depart from this city. However, the most important spot which must not be missed at any cost while in Bangalore was the Bangalore palace which was yet to be covered by me. I made it a point to cover the same while going to the airport.

Bangalore Palace:Bangalore palace is a magnificent structure and its design looks inspired by the Windsor Castle in England. The living quarters of the ruling party of the Wodeyar dynasty, it is a splendiferous castle with beautiful gardens and marvelous architecture. An audio guide explains the history and each and every detail of the interiors and exteriors of the castle. The royal durbar, the paintings, the courtyard, the dining hall, the various stories & anecdotes of the era gone by, everything is beautifully explained in the audio guide. With this, my trip to the Bangalore city culminated with umpteen memories and a promise to visit this vibrant city again whenever I get the chance to do so.-----Nirali

A must visit place in Bangalore to understand the era of the Wodeyar dynasty