CITY SIGHTS

SIGHTS, HIGHLIGHTS, LANDMARKS

Parks, landmarks, places of religious interest...

With Bengaluru, the sobriquets keep getting added up. From Air Conditioned City to Aviation Capital to Garden City, this small town turned technopolis has added a new word to the American lexicon: ‘Bangalored’. It means ‘to lose one’s job’ as a result of off shoring work to India. That’s not all. The city is emerging as a medical tourism hub in India by offering ‘First World Service at Third World Cost’. What’s more, the best and the brightest multinationals are spicing up the retail scene by test-marketing large format stores like Reebok, Levi’s,

Adidas, Esprit and Nautica. It’s become a ‘yuppie heaven’.

Now that’s yet another sobriquet for the city. With the Metro Rail opening in phases, things are getting better by the day. Visit the city and be bowled over.

VIDHAN SOUDHA

Dr Ambedkar Veddi Road, North of Cubbon Park Built of granite and porphyry, this is the seat of the Secretariat and the State Legislature. Built in 1956, it has a dome, Rajasthani Jharokhas and Indo- Saracenic pillars. Things to watch out for: the sandalwood door to the Cabinet Room, and the Speaker’s Chair which is made of Mysore rosewood.

BANGALORE PALACE

Sankey Road

Built in 1880 at a cost of Rs 10 lakh, the Bangalore Palace was modeled on Windsor Castle, complete with fortified towers and turreted parapets. It stands amid undulating lawns, partly converted into a formal garden with axial paths.

ATTARA KACHERI

Ambedkar Veedhi, Opp Vidhan Soudha.

Formerly offices of the secretariat, the twostorey structure of stone and brick structure is now home to the Karnataka High Court Built in Greco-Roman style, this bright-red building is spread over 1.95 lakh sq ft of space.

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU PLANETARIUM

High Grounds, T Chowdiah Road

Founded in 1989, the sky theatre inside comprises a dome that is fifteen metres in diameter and has a seating capacity of 225. There are

two shows held every day.

GOVERNMENT MUSEUM

Kasturba Road, Bangalore GPO Established in 1866 and located on Kasturba Road, this is one of the oldest museums in India. Housed in a red stucco Neo-Classical building with Corinthian columns, it has 18 sections with a fine collection of jewellery, miniature paintings, sculpture, artifacts from Mohenjo-Daro and much more.

SHIVA STATUE

Kemp Fort, Old Airport Road

Located behind on Old Airport Road, this statue is 65 feet tall, depicting Lord Shiva in lotus position. It has the backdrop of Mount Kailash, Shiva’s heavenly abode and the river Ganga flowing from his matted locks.

WORLD TRADE CENTER

Rajajinagar Also known as North Star is a 32-floor building. It was constructed by Brigade Enterprises which also consists of the Sheraton hotel, Colombia Asia hospital, the Orion Mall, and so on. WTC Bangalore is recognised for international trade and opportunities.

LALBAGH

Laid out by Mysuru ruler Haider Ali in 1740 spread over 240 acres. Its tropical plants were imported by Haider and his son Tipu Sultan from countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Persia, Mauritius, Turkey and Africa. Ogle at the Glass House modeled on London’s Crystal Palace. There is an annual flower show as well. Climb the rock mountain and take a look at Bangalore from the top.

JP PARK

Junction of Jalahalli and Mathikere The Jayaprakash Narayan Park boasts of 20,000 varieties of plant species, 60,000 flowering plants and shrubs and 5,000 medicinal herbs. It also include a 4.5-km jogging track, bamboo garden, women’s playground with dedicated shuttle and tennikoit court, football court, 1,000-seater amphitheatre and so on. The big lake there attracts migratory birds. Timings: 5am-8.30am & 5pm-8.30pm.

BANNERGHATTA NATIONAL PARK

Located 22 km from Bangalore, it is a sanctuary for wildlife, bears, reptiles, elephants and deer. Chief attractions include the lion and tiger safari, herbivore safari and the butterfly park. The Bannerghatta Nature Camp offers a package and a guided nature walk. It is closed on Tuesdays.

ISKCON TEMPLE

Hare Krishna Hills, West of Chord Road, Rajajinagar The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is one of the most sought after destinations in India. The white temple building has gorgeous deities of Lord Radha Krishna.

BAHAI BHAVAN

82, Coles Road The centre hosts regular ‘firesides’ or discussions among small groups on the teachings of the Bahá’í Faith along with prayer meetings and study groups.

BULL TEMPLE

Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi This is a typical Dravidian-style temple built by Kempe Gowda I. It is has a monolith bull that is 4.5m tall and 6.5m long. It was apparently built to appease a vagrant bull which persisted in devouring all the groundnuts in the surrounding fields. Once this temple was built, the bull stayed away from the groundnuts. A Groundnut Fair (Kadalekayi Parishe) near the temple premises is held every year.

TAWAKKAL MASTAN DARGAH

Cottonpet, Near Majestic

Dedicated to the Sufi Saint Hazrat Tawakkal Mastan Shah, it is characterised by coloured floor tiles, tinted glass lamps, a green-and-white façade and ornate minarets.

Mysore Palace illuminated

The 10 days of Dussehra festival

CELEBRATING 9 DAYS OF NAVARATRI AND 10TH DAY OF VIJAYADASHMI ACROSS THE COUNTRY

BY SMITI JAIN NARAYAN

Who doesn’t love the glorious 10 days of Dussehra festival, celebrated across the country with many variations.

Marking the occasion of the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, good over evil, as we know. But like most Indian festivals, Dussehra too has come to signify many different aspects and is

Goddess Durga slaying the demon Mahishasura layered with many more connotations attached to it.

In some regions, Dussehra is collected into Navratri, making it an entire 10-day celebration. Whether throughout the festival or as the 10th day, it celebrates the triumphs of good over evil such as Durga’s victory over Mahishasura. People fast for nine days and worship Goddess Durga. On the ninth day of the celebration, they break their fast and indulge in mega feasts and dandiya dance.

In the eastern part of the country it is a big celebration and the most important celebration for the Bengalis. As per the Hindu mythology, after killing Mahishasura, Goddess Durga comes to her father’s house on Earth along with her four children and leaves after five days. Clay images of Durga killing the demon throng at street pandals and localities.

In many parts of the country, Ram Lila is enacted as street theatre and amateur performances, depicting the Ramayana and Lord Rama’s elimination of Ravana. Huge

In the South, people celebrate Dussehra by worshiping Lord Rama and Goddess Saraswati, worshipping all metal equipment and machines on Ayudh Puja. On the tenth day, it is believed that Goddess Durga returns to heaven and with a heavy heart, and on the last day, the clay statues are immersed in the holy water.

The city of Mysuru has a long tradition of celebrating the Dussehra festival with trademark grandeur and pomp, and has become a massive annual spectacle with visitors from across the country and the world. Evidence suggests the festivities were observed in Karnataka state by the Vijayanagara Empire kings as far back as the 15th century. Mahishasura is the demon whose slaying by the Goddess gave the city the name Mysuru.

festival, ritually worshipping and displaying the state swords, weapons, elephants, horses, along with Goddess Durga in her warrior form predominantly, as well as the Vishnu avatar Rama. The ceremonies and a major procession is traditionally presided by the king of Mysuru.

Dussehra has evolved into many forms across the country. But the love of special food items and sweets, grand clothes to dress up in, visit friends and relatives and gather in groups to celebrate is a common thread everywhere.

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH

Cubbon Road. This red-and-white Scottish-styled Gothic church was built in 1867. High windows, tall doors and circular ventilators are the highlights of this pretty edifice.

ST MARY’S BASILICA

Shivajinagar

Best known for the eightday St Mary’s Feast every September, this church started in as a small chapel 1818. Rev LF Kleiner transformed the small chapel into a church in 1874. Boasts of stately arches vaulting towards the ceiling, rich Corinthian capitals of moulded bunches of grapes and artistic stained-glass windows from Paris.

JAMIA MASJID

NR Road

One of the biggest mosques in town, it can accommodate over 10,000 people at a time. Made of pure white marble from Rajasthan, it was built in 1940 and is in the middle of City Market.

BIG BANYAN TREE

Village of Ramohalli, near Kengeri, 60Km west of Bangalore

The Doda Alada Mara literally translated to Big Banyan Tree, is a giant tree covering 3 acres (12,000sqm) and is one of the largest of its kind. It is said to be at least 400 years old. Buses can be taken from Majestic Bangalore to Kengeri, and Kengeri to Doda Alada Mara.

BRINDAVAN

Whitefield, Kadugodi This is the Bangalore home of spiritual master Sathya Sai Baba. Spread over 50 acres, it is surrounded by Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning and the Sri Sathya Sai Hospital.

BANGALORE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTRE (BIEC)

Tumkur Road

A multi-purpose facility spread over 34 acres, is a common ground for industry exhibitions, conferences, product demonstrations and training programme.

MATA AMRITHANANDAMAYI MATH

136, Ullal Cross Road, 2nd Stage Jnana Bharathi Like her ashrams across the world, this one is run by Amma’s disciples and regularly holds spiritual discourses and classes. It manages the Bramasthanam Temple, an engineering college, Amrita Vidyalayam, Amrita Krupa, a charitable clinic that offers free medical check-ups.

CUBBON PARK

Near the Vidhan Soudha is this 334-acre park laid out in 1864 by Richard Sankey, the Chief Engineer of Mysore, and named in honour of the then Chief Commissioner of Mysore, Sir Mark Cubbon. It is dotted with statues, giant bamboos, flowerbeds, natural rock formations.