Places to see in Bangalore-

Bangalore ,popularly known as the "garden city" has numerous places to see which includes, historical monuments, beautiful parks and gardens ,temples and much more.Bangalore offers a perfect trip to spend your vacation with your friend and family.

Monuments in Bangalore-

Vidhan Soudha-

This place was built in 1956 and is the Legislative House of state of Karnatka. The building has been constructed in neo-dravidian style and is one of the most imposing structures in India. The sight of this building is worth seeing on sundays between 7 pm- 8 pm when it fully illuminated. It was conceived and executed by Kengal Hanumanthaiah, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka in 1956.
One of the interesting feature of this building in grand stairs in its front. The grand stairs has a flight of forty-five steps 62 m (204 ft) wide 21 m (70 ft) deep giving a direct access to the foyer of first floor leading to an Assembly Chamber.

Vikaas Soudha-

It was constructed in february 2005 and lies just adjacent to Vidhan Soudha.Built in same style as Vidhan Soudha it s equipped with latest gadgets and gizmos to govern the state.

Attara Kacheri-

This building built in Gothic style is the high court of the State of Karnatka.The building was built in 1867 and lies directly opposite to the Vidhan Soudha.

Bangalore Palace-

The palace built in style similar to that of castles of Normandy and Englahttp://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5585635416827887281&postID=8194176807164850742nd during medieval period was built in 1887 by Waldeyar dynasty. The interior of the palace has beautiful wood carvings and Tudor-style architecture.For many years the building was neglected as a tourist attraction, but is now open to the public. The fee is Rs. 100/200 Indian/Foreigner and 500 to take photos even of the exterior. Within the premises of the Bangalore castle lies a well preserved Ganpati temple.

Seshadri Iyer memorial hall-

Located in Cubbon park this place is the state's library and has huge collection of reference books.The building is made from red stone and is a magnificient building in Bangalore. The grounds include a children's recreation area with a toy train, fairground and theater. The library remains closed on Monday.

Tipu Sultan's Palace-

This monument was built in 1790 and was the summer retreat of Tipu Sultan.The building is a two storeyed structure mainly made of wood with finely embellished balconies, pillars and arches. The palace was built by Haider Ali and was completed by his son Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan used to call it as 'The Envy of Heaven'.

Gardens in Bangalore-

Lal Bagh-

Covering an area of about 240 acres this park was laid out by Haider Ali in 1760.The Glass House, inspired by the Crystal Palace in London is a favourite spot in Lalbagh which hosts the famous Flower show during the month of August.
It is said to be the most romantic park in India and contains many lotus ponds, glass houses and 3.0 billion years old stone formations.A flower show is held during the week preceeding Indian Independence day (August 15) and Republic day (January 26) in the Glass House. This flower show features exquisite flowers and patterns designed by the experienced gardeners of Lalbagh.

Cubbon Park-

This park is named after Lt.General sir Mark Cubbon who laid out this park in 1864. Spread over a span of 250 acres this park is quite apt for long walks and lazing away sitting in the shade. Inside the park there is a children's amusement park, a doll's museum toy train. Because of its location in the centre of the city ,this park is also called as the lung of the city.

Bannerghatta national park-

Located on the southern outskirts of the city this national park has a span of about250 sq. kilometers and is is home to wild animals like bison, leopard, wild boar as well as being an important corridor for elephants migrating between the eastern and western ghats.

Lumbini Gardens-

This newly built garden is quite an apt one to spend your vacations with your friends and family.Boat rides, wave pool and children' garden are the major attractions of the park. A boat ride here is really enjoyable.

Wonder la amusement park-

Like Lumbini Garden this is also a newly built park in Bangalore and infact most enjoyable spots present in Bangalore .It is located on the outskirts of the city on the Mysore Road.You can get more information about this park on wonderla.com.

Temples in Bangalore-

Bull Temple-

This temple got its name because of a vast statue of the bull that has been carved out from a single boulder, which depicts Nandi, the sacred bull of lord Shiva.The temple is located in Basavangudi.
One of the oldest temples of Bangalore, Dodda Ganapathi is situated just beside the Bull temple.

ISKCON Temple-

ISKCON are centers of spiritual learning through Godly association, where a visitor is inspired to learn more about Spiritual life. The ISKCON temple is situated in Rajajinagar on the top of a hillock and is surrounded by awesome scenic beauty.There is a magnificent main temple hall, which houses the altars of Their Lordships Sri Radha Krishna-Chandra, Sri Krishna Balarama & Sri Nitai Gouranga. Also one can see the Golden Chandelier that is shaped like an inverted Lotus Flower.

Maha Bodhi society temple-

This is relatively anewer structure and is replica of the main Mahabodhi Stupa of Bodh Gaya, in state of Bihar.The calmness of the environment here is mesmerizing.

The Shiva Statue-

Located on the Old airport road this place has a huge statue of Lord Shiva (about 65 mts. high) surrounded by a pool of water.It has the backdrop of Mount Kailash the Lord's heavenly abode and the river Ganga flowing from his matted locks as depicted in the mythology. The place is heavily crowded during the festival of Mahashivratri.








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Vacations in Delhi

• Delhi ,India: General Information
• Historical Monuments in Delhi

Vacations in Mumbai

• Mumbai ,India: General Information
• Mumbai Attractions: Places to see in Mumbai

Vacations in Chennai

• Chennai ,India: General Information
• Places to see in Chennai

Vacations in kolkata

• kolkata ,India: General Information
• Places to see in kolkata(coming soon)
  

Vacations in Agra

• Agra ,India: General Information
• Agra: Places to see in Agra

Bangalore: General Information-

Bangalore now called as Bengalooru is the capital city of the southern state of Karnatka and one of the famous places in India frequently visited by tourists travelling to the state of Karnatka in India.It is one of the most fastly growing metropolitan in India has second highest literacy rate among metropolitans.

A legendry story is associated with the name of this city.The story has been beautifully described at karnatka.com and so I am citing the words from this site.

Legend goes that King Veeraballa of Vijayanagara once lost his way in forest. Hungry and tired, he came upon a lone hut in the thick forest where he met an old woman.When he asked for food, she gave him baked beans ('Benda Kalu' in Karnataka).The King found this humble meal taste better than the richest fare.To commemorate this incident, he called the place "Benda Kalu Ooru"(place of baked beans). Bangalore today is getting popular though for a different variety of Beans-JavaBeans.
source

Owing to its predominant contribution in IT industry Bangalore is also known as the 'silicon valley of India'.Bangalore is the "Garden City of India" with its many gardens and boulevards. Its pleasant climate and laid-back charm attracted many senior citizens and thus later on came to be called at "the retired man's paradise". And of course what is Bangalore without all its Pubs. Its is now also called the Pub City with over 200 Pubs all over the town.

How to reach Bangalore-

Being a fastly growing cetre and heart and hub cetre for most of the multinational IT companies ,Bangalore is well connected to most of the parts of India and also to many parts of Asia and Europe.

Reaching Bangalore by flight-
Bangalore international airport was opened in May 2008 and became one of the busiest and moden airports in India. It is located 30 kms away from main city at Devanahalli. It receives direct flights from many parts of Asia and Europe. It also receives many domestic flights connecting Bangalore to almost every major city of India .By the end of 2008 it has started receiving many other parts of the world like USA, Singapore, Australia and middle east.

Reaching Bangalore by Train-
Bangalore two major railway stations-

• Bangalore City and,
• Yeshwantpur

Bangalore city station is situated in the heart of the city and most of the trains (both intrastate and interstae) arrive and depart from here.
Yeshwantpur junction is located on Tumkur road (NH-4) and it mostly receives a few mostly long distance trains from northern part of India.
Ticket bookings can be done through many railway counters situted all across the country or it may be done online.To book a ticket online visit the official website of railway or search for an online travel agent through google.

Reaching Bangalore by Bus-
The main bus stand of Bangalore is known by three names- 'Kempegowda bus station' or 'Karnatka state road transport corporation' or 'Majestic bus station' and receives buses that run between Bangalore and nearby major cities like Mumbai, Goa, Chennai, Mangalore, Coimbatore etc.Buses can be luxury buses, deluxe buses, A/c volvo buses and even buses with sleeper facility for night travel.

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 in order to maintain the status of the IT city.

Where to stay in Bangalore-

Being a fast growing metro city, one of the favourite travel destinations in India, and heart and hub centre of IT industry Bangalore has numerous hotels spread all over the city but most of the hotels are expensive.Finding a chjeper hotel in Bangalore is like finding a needle from a heap of straw.Most of the hotels charge higher amount when compared to the facilities they provide.
Wikitravel has got a list of hotels here.

It is always advisable to make prior arrangements of accommodation through a travel agent or through internet to avoid hassles when you reach there or to avoid getting ripped off your money by touts.

Eating out in Bangalore-

Bangalore has numerous fast food stalls spread all over the city.They are cheper option to enjoy to enjoy some nice south indian vegeterian recipes.Idlis, vadas, Dosa and other other south indian recipes are not hard to find in Bangalore.Many restaurants also offer some north Indian cuisines that you would love eating.
Apart from budget places to eat you can also find mid-range, and expensive places to eat.If you are not able to find an appropriate place to eat, just ask some local person.They will help you out.Locals of Bangalore are very much helpful.



You Might also be Interested in Following Famous cities in India :


Vacations in Delhi

• Delhi ,India: General Information
• Historical Monuments in Delhi

Vacations in Mumbai

• Mumbai ,India: General Information
• Mumbai Attractions: Places to see in Mumbai

Vacations in Chennai

• Chennai ,India: General Information
• Places to see in Chennai

Vacations in kolkata

• kolkata ,India: General Information
• Places to see in kolkata(coming soon)
  

Vacations in Agra

• Agra ,India: General Information
• Agra: Places to see in Agra

Places to see in Bangalore

Monuments in Bangalore
* Vidhan Soudha
* Vikas soudha
* Attara kacheri
* Bangalore Palace
* Sheshadri Iyer memorial Hall
* Tipu Sultan's Palace

Gardens in Bangalore
* Lal Bagh
* Cubbon Park
* Bannerghatta national Park
* Lumbini Garden
* Wonder la amusement Park


Temples in Bangalore
* Bull Temple
* ISKCON Temple
* Mahabodhi society Temple
* The Shiva Statue


Images via - wikipedia

Chennai, Tamil Nadu : Places to visit

Chennai is a nice amalgamation of historical places, sea beaches, religious places and fantastic nightlife ,that is why, vacations and holidays in Chennai are suited for everyone.With many monuments ,temples, churches, beaches, amusement parks and fairs and festivals , Chennai can be one of the dream places to spend your vacations with your friends and families.In this post I would talk about some of the most visited holiday destinations in Chennai.

Monuments in Chennai-

Chennai has a very long history dating back to 1st century but it developed as an urban place during british rule.Due to such a long history, Chennai has many historical monuments which every visitor visits when he/she comes to spend a vacation in Chennai.Some of the important monuments in Chennai are-

Fort St. George-

Fort St. George is regarded as the earliest fort built by British.Built in 1640 this fort was used by east India company for trading and later evolved as the birth place of modern Indian Army. There are many monuments situated inside the premises of Fort St. George.
St. Mary's church located inside its boundry is one of the oldest surviving churches made by British.
150 ft tall flagstaff is another imposing structure made in the premises of Fort St. George.The structure is completely build of teakwood.The original flagstaff is no more visible but its remain can still be seen in the premises.
Fort St. George Museum containing the relics of British Personnel who lived here and many artifacts of british colonial period.The museum was built in 1795.

Kamaraj Memorial hall-
Located in T.Nagar this memorial hall is built in memory of Shri Kamaraj, Former chief minister of Tamil Nadu.The two storeyed building contains many his personal photographs,luxuriant Felicitation Shawls, his simple attire, his suitcases, timepiece, pens and utensils. One of the prized possessions of this exhibition is the prison coat, worn by him while serving term in prison in the year 1942.

Freemanson Hall-
Located in the Agmore area of Chennai Freemanson hall was built by British East India Company.It is the living example of the cultural and traditional heritage of the people who inhabited the ancient city of Madras.The building was built with a purpose of creating a military lodge secure to foreign hands.The large sized pillars and italian tiles and marbles ,say loud about the Greek style of engineering.

Government Museum-
A chennai vacation without watching this museum is not complete.The origin of this museum dates back to british colonial period and is regarded as one of the oldest museums in India.The museum was designed by H.Irvin and was inaugurated by Sir Arthur Elibank Havelock, the then Governor.
The museum complex having six independent buildings and 46 galleries in them, has a splendid hall, marvelous reading room and striking Teak wood shelf and stands divided into a number of sections. These sections include those on Geology, Archeology, Zoology, Anthropology, Numismatics, Botany and Sculpture. Also, there are four galleries in the museum. They comprise of the Hindu Sculpture Gallery, Bronze Gallery, Amravathi Gallery and National Art Gallery.

Valluvar Kottam-
Dedicated to Poet Thiruvalluvar , The monument is built in a shape of temple chariot and contains an imposing and lively statue of the poet.It also contains an auditorium of 4000 capacity.The amazing thing about the auditorium is that it stands unsupported from even a single pillar.The verses of Thirukkural, written by the poet has been inscribed on the walls of the monument.

Senate House-

Located in the campus of University of Madras near Marina beach, Senate house is undeniably one of the most commanding monuments in Tamil Nadu.Its structure is a creative and harmonious blend of Indo-Saracenic style, with Byzantine architectural features. The central room of Senate Hall is huge in measurement and is supported with six mammoth stone pillars on each side. With time this magnificent structure has been withering away and losing its age old charm. Ignorance and the fury of the nature are responsible for its deteriorating condition.

MGR memorial-

Dedicated to former actor and politician of Tamil Nadu ,MGR Ramachandran, this memorial was built in 1990.It used to be the residence of the actor.According to MGR's will, the memorial is maintained by the revenue generated from the market he owned at Alandur. From the day of its inception, thousands of his fan and visitors have thronged the place to experience the splendor of the beloved actor-cum-politician and remember him with affection.

Beaches in Chennai

Chennai is located on the shore of Coromondal coast of Bay of Bengal, so , your vacation to chennai is not complete until you enjoy your time here on the beaches of Chennai.Some of the most visited beaches of Chennai are-

Marina Beach-
Marina beach is the most popular beach in Tamil Nadu and one of the longest beaches not only in India but all over world.This sandy beach is around 12 kms long and starts with Fort St. George in north and stretches upto Besant Nagar in South. Many statues of Indian leaders annd celebrities has been established alongside the road of Marina beach.A must see beach to make your vacations in Chennai worthwhile.

Elliot Beach-
Located towards the southern end of Marina Beach,Elliot beach is very popular among foreign tourists for taking a nice sunbath.One of the cleanest beach in Chennai, Elliot beach is largely secluded with very few tourists coming on this beach.So, the beach is quite an apt one for long walks.

Covelong Beach-
Located about 40 kms away from Chennai, Covelong beach is an idyllic beach for peace lovers, as there is no hustle bustle of city here.Covelong is a small hamlet which presents an ideal blend of sun, sand and sea. This has made the beach a sought after tourist destination in every season. It is flanked by beautiful palm trees and white sands.The beach iss famous for fishing activities and provides nice facilities for water sports.

Religious Places in Chennai

Temples in Chennai

Kapaleeswarar temple-
Located on Kutchery road , This 37 m long pyramidal temple is an excellent example of the Dravidian style of architecture.As you enter the temple you can view a sculpture, which has an interesting story behind it. It is believed that a saint known as Gnanasambandar sung and brought a dead girl back to life in this temple.
Inside the temple ,you will find Goddess Parvati in the form of peacock worshipping the idol of Lord Shiva.You can also see the bronze carvings of the 63-Shaivate saints, which are carried in procession during the Aruvathumoovar festival, which is held in March-April.


Parthsarathy Temple-
Located in the heart of Chennai on the Peter's road, Parthsarathy temple is a great delight to watch during your vacations in Chennai. Parthsarathy temple is dedicated to various incarnations of Lord Vishnu but the main deity in this temple is Lord Krishna.The word "Parthsarathy" is the another name for Lord Krishna.

Adeeswar temple-
Located in the Polal village 9kms from Chennai city, Adeeswar temple is a Jain Temple and is believed to be constructed in 1st century BC.The principal shrine in this temple is the Rishabhadev, and the first Tirthankar of Jainism. During the earlier years the Polal village was flocked with the followers of Jainism and it was developing immensely. Still now you can see the Vaishnavas at almost every corner of the village.

Vadapalani temple-
Vadapalani temple is located at Andavar Koil Street in Chennai.You can reach here by hiring a taxi or an auto-rickshaw.The main deity of this temple is Lord Muruga and its origin dates back to about125 years ago.

Kandaswamy temple-
This temple is located in Cheyyur and you can reach here by a bus or a taxi.Lord Kandaswamy or Shiva is the principal shrine of this temple. There are also the shrines of Lord Someswara, Goddess Meenakshi and Muthukumaraswamy, which is also called as Samharamurthy.

Churches in Chennai

San Thome Cathedral Basilica-
This famous landmark of Chennai derives its name from St. Thomas who is believed to have come to Chennai in 52 AD. He was killed in 78 AD on St. Thomas Mount just outside city and was entombed on St. Thomas beach where a church was built later.After several years ,the church was built further inside the city as a cathedral and in1896 it was made a basilica.The church contains the mortal remains of St. Thomas.The church is built in Gothic style and serves tourist with a spiritual vacation in Chennai.

St. Mary's Church-
St. Mary's church is located inside the premises of Fort St. George. St. Mary's church is believed to be one of the oldest churches in India built by British East India Company.Built in 1680, this church's courtyard contains oldest British tombstones in India.This ancient prayer house solemnized the marriages of Robert Clive and Governor Elinu-Yale, who later founded the Yale University in the States.

Mosque in Chennai

Thousand Lights Mosque-
Built in 1800 AD this mosque is located on Anna Salai Road and is a well known muslim worshipping place in Chennai.In early 19 th century the place used to be the assembly place of muslims. Later on an assembly hall was built after which the Mosque was built.There is an interesting story behind the name of the mosque. It is said that 1000 lamps needed to be lit in order to illuminate the assembly hall.It has an exhilarating structure, with multi domes and spearing minarets. The average height of the minarets is around 64 feet above the ground. Besides, the mosque is adorned with the quotes from the holy book of Muslims, the Quran.



You Might also be Interested in Following Famous cities in India :


Vacations in Delhi

Vacations in Mumbai

Vacations in kolkata

Vacations in Agra

Vacations in Bangalore (Banglooru)

Chennai: General Information


Short History of Chennai

How to reach Chennai
* By Air
* By Train
* By Road

Where to Stay in Chennai

Eating out in Chennai

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India:

General Information

Chennai, located along the Coromandal coast of India, is the 4th largest metropolitan city in India and the capital of Tamil Nadu, one of the states in India.With a rich history, many places of religious interest and some exotic beaches, Chennai vacation is full of enjoyment and some great travelling experience for people visiting this famous place in India.
The city is served by an international airport and two major ports; it is connected to the rest of the country by five national highways and two railway terminals. Thirty-five countries have consulates in Chennai.Chennai hosts a large cultural event, the annual Madras Music Season, which includes performances by hundreds of artists. The city has a vibrant theatre scene and is an important centre for the Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form.

A short history of Chennai

Although the places around Chennai has been a notable administrative ,military and economic centre since 1st century but the credit for establishment of Chennai goes to British. British established this place as one of the important urban centre and naval base.

Prior to that ,Chennai was invaded by Portuguese and then by Dutch but ultimately British east India company raised as supreme powers here.Since then ,Chennai has became a centre around which British expanded their rule over India.Due to its rich historical background ,Chennai vacations are extremely relishing for some one interested in history and historical places.

How to reach Chennai

Chennai is well connected to rest of India as well as by world by air ,railways as well as road.

Reaching chennai by air-
The international airport of Chennai called as Anna International Terminal connects countries of Asia ,middle east, Europe, and north America.Around 30 national and international operate from here.The airport is undergoing further modernisation and a new airport at Sriperumbdur is to be constructed.

The domestic airport in Chennai is known by the name of Kamraj terminal and domestic flights from across the country operate from here.All the major cities of India are well connected to chennai through air.For more details and to know the national and international flight schedule click here.

Reaching Chennai by Railway-
Chennai is well connected from every corner of the country by railway.Trains from almost every route reach Chennai.There are two major railway stations in Chennai- The Chennai Central and Chennai Egmore. Chennai Central mainly handles the interstate trains while Chennai Egmore handles the domestic trains coming to and from within the state of Tamil Nadu.

Reaching Chennai by road-
Five major national highways radiate outwards from Chennai to some famous places in India like- Mumbai, Kolkata, Pondicherry, Trichy and Tiruvallur.Regular buses operate from neighbouring states as well as within the Places in Tamil nadu.

Where to stay in Chennai-

Being one of the largest metro cities in India, Chennai has numerous hotels and accomodation places spread throughout the city.You can find a hotel at virtually any place in Chennai.But it would be advisable to make prior arrangements to avoid hassles when you reach there or to get ripped of by touts and middlemen.The official government tourism website of India has some recommendations and list of hotels that you will find beneficial.Alternatively, you may contact a travel agent on the net to make prior arrangements for you.

Eating out at Chennai-

There are plenty of places to eat out in whole of the Chennai.You can relish the south indian delicacies as well as western foods at every place in Chennai.But don't eat anything from roadside hawkers and unclean places on the sides of the road.Choose clean restaurants and eating places to enjoy your food.Wikitravel has a list of some great places to eat here.


Places to see in Chennai

Monuments in Chennai

*Fort St. George
*Kamaraj Memorial
*Freemanson hall
*Government Museum
*Valluvar Kottam
*Senate house
*MGR Memorial

Beaches in Chennai

*Marina Beach
*Elliot Beach
*Covelong Beach

Temples in Chennai

*Kapaleeswarar Temple
*Parthsarthy Temple
*Adeeswar Temple
*Vadapalani Temple
*Kandaswami Temple

C hurches in Chennai

*San Thome Cathedral Basilica
*St. Mary's Church

Thousand Light Mosque

You Might also be Interested in Following Famous cities in India :


Vacations in Delhi

• Delhi ,India: General Information
• Historical Monuments in Delhi

Vacations in Mumbai

• Mumbai ,India: General Information
• Mumbai Attractions: Places to see in Mumbai

Vacations in kolkata

• kolkata ,India: General Information
• Places to see in kolkata(coming soon)
  

Vacations in Agra

• Agra ,India: General Information
• Agra: Places to see in Agra

Vacations in Bangalore (Bangluru)

• Bangalore India: General Information
• Places to see in Bangalore