Bangalore is one of the largest cities in India. It is also the capital city of the state of Karnataka. It is known for its infrastructure and development. The city has seen a consistent growth in every field and it is known as the Silicon Valley of India because of its state of the art software industry. Bangalore was recently renamed as Bengaluru. It is one of the most developed places in the country and the upcoming infrastructure has put it on the world map. It is also known as the Garden City of India.

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History:

After centuries of rule of the Western Gangas, Bangalore was captured by the Cholas in 1024 which later was passed on to the Chalukya-cholas in 1070. The history of the city starts from 1537 when Kempe Gowda I, widely regarded as the founder of modern Bangalore, built a mud fort and established it as a province of the Vijayanagara Empire. In the 19th century, Bangalore essentially became a twin city with the "pete". The people were predominantly Kannadigas, and the "cantonment" was created by the British.

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A tourist visa applicable for the entire country (India) is sufficient.

 Indian Rupee (INR) is the acceptable form of currency here. ATM's are common and its highly unlikely that you'll be far from one in any part of the town. There are many foreign exchange offices in Bangalore. Thomas Cook and American Express are two places that change travellers cheques. Credit cards and debit cards are accepted at all major hotels and shopping malls. 

Bangalore has one of the best weathers in the country. The weather remains pleasant and calm all through the year. The summer is not too extreme, the highest temperature being 35°C and winter is cozy- the temperatures drop down to 7°C. The best time to visit Bangalore is any time between October and March.

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By Air : Bangalore's HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) Airport is India's fourth busiest airports. It is used for domestic and international flights. Indian Airlines, now renamed as Indian, connects Bangalore with all parts of the country.  JetLite flies into Bangalore from other major cities. Paramount Airways has a service to Chennai and other southern cities. Air Deccan is a popular no frills airlines that operates to most cities and large towns. Other no-frill airlines that operate from Bangalore include Go Air and SpiceJet.  Kingfisher Airlines offers regular flights between Bangalore, Delhi, Goa, Mumbai, Belgaum,Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Hubli-Dharwad, Coimbatore.

International Flight:

Bangalore's HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) Airport is India's fourth busiest airports.Bangalore has direct flights to many major European and Asian destinations. Notable international flights are from Frankfurt on Lufthansa, from Singapore on Singapore Airlines, from Kuala Lumpur (KL) on Malaysian Airlines, from London on British Airways, from Dubai on Emirates, from Paris on Air France and from Bangkok on Thai Airways.

 Source: wikipedia / wikitravel

By Road: Bangalore is very well connected by National and State Highways. All intercity buses arrive and depart from Bangalore bus stand, which is located opposite the city railway station. Officially 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. The main bus stand of 'the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) ,' which maintains bus services within the city, is located next to the Kempegowda Bus Station. BMTC has now introduced Air conditioned Volvo buses.

By Rail: The Bangalore City railway station is situated in the center of the city, around the Majestic Bus stand. All trains, both local and long-distance, arrive and depart from here. A new terminal at the Yeswantpur railway station (not very far away from the main railway station) is growing and there are a few outbound trains that regularly arrive and depart from it. Bangalore is well connected with trains from  major cities and towns in India like Chennai,Delhi, Hyderabad, Goa. Mumbai, Kolkata. 

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•   The Bangalore Fort: This majestic structure was built by Kempe Gowda and expanded by Tippu Sultan. Within its walls is the well preserved 16th century Ganapathi Temple.

•  The Bangalore Palace : It was built in 1887 on  400 acre land. Inspired by the Windsor castle, this palace was built in the Tudor style, complete with Gothic windows that echo style and elegance. This palace has been constructed largely of wood and is famous for its exquisite carving and paintings.

• Lal Bagh: Hyder Ali laid out this famous botanical garden and his son added horticultural wealth to them by importing trees and plants from several countries. The garden today houses over 1000 species of flora which include rare and enchanting collection of tropical plants, trees and herbs. The Glass House, built along London's Crystal Palace, is the center of attraction in this 2400 acre park.

•  Cubbon Park: This wooded park was laid out in the heart of the cantonment in 1864. Lush green lawns, shady flowering trees, vibrant flower beds, make it an ideal place for morning joggers and alike.

• Government Museum: This is one of the important buildings in Karnataka, and is also one of the oldest in India (1886). Special attractions here are the antiquities from Mohenjodaro period.

•  The Bull Temple: This temple houses the magnificent stone statue of the sacred bull, Nandi. It stands over 15 feet tall and is over 20 feet long . In Nov/Dec every year, when the groundnuts have been harvested, a groundnut fair is held near the temple. The first groundnuts are offered by the farmers to the sacred bull as per the custom.

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

•  The Iskcon Temple, built on a hillock atop scenic surroundings, the Hare Krishna temple is a perfect blend of modern technology and spiritual harmony. The huge cultural complex was built to promote vedic culture and spiritual learning. The annual Krishna and Balarama Rath Yatra is attended by thousands.

Where To Eat:

One can enjoy all kinds of cuisines in Bangalore, as it is an international city. Roadside vendors, tea stalls, South Indian, North Indian, Lebanese, Italian, Chinese and Western fast food are all very popular in the city. Udipi restaurants are very popular for their style of coffee and South Indian cuisine.

There are five star hotels in Bangalore because of its importance as an international city. There are a lot of options in terms of comfortable hotels and boarding and lodging facilities.

One can find the world’s most known and reputed brands and labels in Bangalore. At the same time one can get a taste of the local flavor by shopping for artifacts and souvenirs from the street vendors and local shops. The Government emporiums have some great local handicrafts on display. Check out the following stores.

• The Cauvery Arts & Crafts Emporium, M G is a large store, offering a wide selection of some of Karnataka's best hand made products. The carvings made of Mysore sandalwood are an especially good buy.
• Central Cottage Industries Emporium (CCIE), M G Road - A government run store promoting traditional Indian hand crafts. 
• Royal Arts & Crafts, K.H. Road, has a particularly wide selection of silk carpets and paper mache products.
• Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation

Source: wikipedia / wikitravel

One can find  lot of night clubs, pubs and discotheques in Bangalore. It is sometimes referred to as the Pub City of India.

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Bangalore is one of the liveliest cities in India. It is a place that has something to offer to everybody – historians, trekkers, pilgrims and travelers alike. In the outskirts one can find a lot of villages and towns that are home to many a sacred temple in India.