The upbeat rhythm, of what was once considered the destination of choice to retire, has certainly changed the course of your explorations of this Silicon Valley of India. Powered instead by the pursuits of the young ‘Sultans of Silicon’ the city pulsates with an energy that has long spilled into its neighbouring environs. But let’s just take a quick pause here… Though cutting edge information technology and high commerce still rule its frenetic pace, one may still discover the slow-paced Bangalore of yesteryears in its fabulous gardens, its iconic heritage buildings and old markets. Joyfully, these still have a very important place and space in the ‘now’ of things and have thus melded easily with the modern visage of Karnataka’s First City.
A good place to start enjoying this grand banquet of experiences is trawling its ancient roots. Soaking in the sights and scenes unravelling before your eyes today, it may be hard to recall that Bangalore is over 1000 years old! Wandering through some of the very atmospheric oldest parts of the Pete (city), as also some modern section you will follow the reminders from its medieval past to the days of the British Raj. Along the way, you pass through bustling market streets with their spillover of shop fronts, ancient shrines and a few very old eateries.
To further recapture the old world delights of the city it’s important also to explore the laidback Basavanagudi area in Southern Bangalore; this was the very heart of the intellectual hub of the city and hangout place for great writers, thinkers, theatre artists the rich and the famous. Soak in vignettes of local history, urban myths, and anecdotes while sampling the joyful aspects of Kannada culture on your wanderings here. You will adore the contemplative air here as also some of the beautiful century-old structures and the famous Bull Temple. Gandhi Bazaar, the bustling neighbourhood market is an excellent custodian of the local history and a mirror of its society. Gorge on traditional south India fare, eaten the way old school Bangaloreans still do! Use your fingers to tuck into the best idlis and dosas in town.
The olden day suburb of Malleswaram has now been gathered close to the bosom of the city. An evocative hub of frenetic activity it is steeped in nostalgia for many Bangaloreans. Temples and shopping outlets, eateries and flower and spice bazaars intermingle in a host of thrilling cultural delights for the visitor here. Unmissable hot spots here are the Kadu Mallikarjuna Temple, Dakshinamukha Nandi Teertha Kalyani Kshetra, the CTR tiffin room, Venugopalaswamy Temple, Wood Museum and Sankey Lake.
Lalbagh is a massive green lung in the heart of the city. A guided tour of this fabulous park is highly recommended, for its astonishing botanical wealth. This pleasure garden of a sultan and the Mysore royals was transformed by a European horticulturist into a massive botanical park.
A leisurely walk through Cubbon Park is perfect for discoveries of the city’s botanical wealth and explorations of ‘Colonial’ Bangalore. This is richly documented in its array of churches, bungalows and public buildings. Colonial Bangalore is as engaging as the old city and offers some very interesting insights into its history and heritage. Also worth exploring is Bangalore’s Anglican-era to be found in the streets of Cleveland Town, Fraser Town and Richards Town in an area called ‘Bangalore East’. St John’s Church, a landmark Anglican Church in Cleveland Town, is famous for its pipe organ, probably amongst the oldest and rarest in India.
A window into contemporary Bangalore’s start-up eco-system should definitely be on your bucket list when exploring this beautiful city of heritage buildings, sultan-era parks and old bazaars. To go about delving into the city’s start-up culture one can look at doing a dedicated tour which allows one to meet entrepreneurs and solution finders and a visit to creative workspaces associated with the journey of the seeds of ideas transforming into reality; the tour can also involve a visit to a start-up accelerator and a co-working space.
If one has time in hand a day trip out of town to nearby Talakadu can be very rewarding. This once flourishing capital of the Bangalore region is rich in history with major players being the Gangas, the Cholas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagara rulers and the Mysore royals. Of interest here are five beautifully sculpted temples recovered out of the 30 that were buried in the sand. Talakadu offers a wonderful day out in the tranquil rural spaces near Bangalore where one can also visit a silk farm and mango orchard.