Random Jottings

The capital city of the State of Karnataka, Bangalore or Bengaluru as it's now known, is famous for its grand gardens and super cool climate throughout the year. Despite all its oddities and short comings, the city offers several memorable moments and landmarks to savor.

In these random jottings I have tried to capture the essence of this beautiful city:

1. Adigas, Barbeque Nation, Chokidhanis  and countless Darshinis
   If you ever thought you can diet and get back to shape in Bangalore, better choose a different city. Bangalore offers you the best of eateries you can find in India - and at very affordable range too.  Though I did struggle to locate the best quality Vadapavs and Misal Pavs joints or for that matter even the Bhel joints, you are however better advised to try out all the clean Darshinis dishing out some fine local delicacies and some fabulous by-two coffee/tea. You also have your pick of great theme restaurants at the upmarket malls that dot the city.
   
   If you want to explore some true local flavors you would do no better than to join the queue in the local Bangaloreans' march: Vidhyarthi Bhavan, Brahmins Café, South Indies and several joints in Basvangudi. The Halli Mane in Malleshwaram, MTR in Lalbagh Road, Maiyas in Jayanagar... well, I can go on and on. You can also explore the Food Street at VV Puram in the evenings, but be sure that you reach in the early part of the evening else you would end up treading  on the piles of garbage on the street strewn by the feasting revelers. In Bangalore one can explore the Art of Eating, be prepared to indulge and break several calorie-counting records.
2. Bannergatta National Park
   If you ever need to visit a National Park without losing a sweat, Bannergatta National Park is the place to be. You would be surprised by the greenery that is on offer at Bannergatta National Park and, unlike in other forest areas, you are not disappointed for not sighting wild animals. The park safari is nicely designed and you invariably pass through a series of enclosures sporting labels such as Deers, Bears, Tigers, Bisons, and Lions. Avoid weekends and national holidays as this place can get too crowded. The butterfly park is also a nice place to visit towards the end of your safari. Even the Zoo is in a sprawling campus and is good to walk around.
3. Cubbon Park and Lal Bagh
   If you ever want to see a huge green spot within the city then Cubbon Park and Lalbagh are wonderful indeed. These parks are very good to explore in the early mornings when both parks are full of morning walkers and joggers. The 'lungs of Bangalore' are  intact for now and different species of birds would be blessing the Bangaloreans for sparing the 'axe effect'  on several trees housed in the park. The flower show in Lalbagh during the week of 26^th January and 15^th August each year is a 'must see'. You can also catch up with some international cricket action at the Chinnaswamy Stadium which is very close to the Cubbon Park.  The museum and aquarium near Cubbon park are also great to explore.
4. Decathlon Store
   The Decathlon Store outlets on Sarjapur Road and Bannergatta Road are worth visiting. Your outlook towards sports and outdoors might well change dramatically after a visit to Decathlon. Sports goods of over 50 sports disciplines are up for grabs. The store works on a membership basis and it would be easy if you have a membership card handy before planning a purchase.
5. Electronic City
   While Bangalore is known for countless IT companies several of the big guns have created huge facilities in Electronic City (EC) on the Hosur Road. The elevated expressway can be a challenge to get on to, especially during peak hours and you need to reserve some special minutes for braving the mess at the toll booth. Each and every space is utilized in EC and the narrow width of roads can be very frustrating at times.
6. Faulty auto meters
   Getting into an auto rickshaw can be a challenge and the rickshawallahs particularly in the outskirts can behave like their cousins, the Chennai rickshawallahs. With a uniform and a towel wrapped around their neck some guys would always keep demanding over and above the meter. Some also have the reputation of tampering with the meters and given to tossing up a different rate than what is reflected by the meter. Not all are bad, but you will run into this. Some rickshaws run with tampered silencers as well, and that sure makes for a lot of noise.
7. Go Green
   If you want to do some real nice adventure in Bangalore then pick up a bicycle and explore the fringe villages in and around Bangalore.  The real estate goons have already started planning for several projects in these fringe villages. Better explore them before the places get completely concretized. Exploring the natural spots in and around Bangalore is better than getting 'mauled' in the malls of Bangalore. The air conditioned buses are also a better way of exploring the city. Newcomers are advised to take a day-pass and familiarize themselves with the routes of Bangalore. Travelling by bus can offer you some relief from the stress of the terrible traffic that would invariably hit you should you decide to drive yourself.
8. House rentals and mushrooming PGs:
   Finding a house for rent, particularly for a single person, is not a difficult task in Bangalore. With the flat system started mushrooming from early 2000 onwards, you will find apartments of different shapes, sizes and colors. PG accommodation is also very popular in Bangalore and all related ecosystems d thrive in and around the PGs.
9. India in Bangalore
   Another prominent feature of Bangalore is the cosmopolitan crowd. Bangalore is home to several students, interstate migrants and a huge floating working population. It offers a perfect cosmopolitan setting for meetings and making new friends.   On the streets of Bangalore I have seen cars and other vehicles with registration numbers of almost all states of India.  Even in offices, one would see a fair representation of employees from different parts of India.
10. Just Books
    You would have seen some good libraries but Just Books would stand out in terms of your experience.  If you happen to see the Rent, Read Return sign of Just Books near your residence or office go for it. Started in Bangalore recently, Just Books is a new generation community library chain that provides a unique reading experience to book lovers with a wide range of books for every type of reader. Just Books provides unlimited reading to its members without charging a late fee. Members can visit the library anywhere in the city to borrow and return or choose to get home delivery of books.
11. Kannada Film Industry
    No name would ever take the place of the legendary (the late) Dr Rajkumar, the most popular hero of Sandalwood. Besides being a great actor, Rajkumar was a very accomplished singer. His sons are carrying the torch further and are popular in their own space.
    
    If you tune into some radio channels you will be surprised to hear Sonu Nigam, Shreya Goshal, Udit Narayan, Kailash Kher singing songs in Kannada films. The numbers are catchy and one would enjoy them on several occasions.
12. Lakes of Bangalore:
    Like the green gardens Bangalore has several large lakes. Some like the Sankey lake near Mekhri Circle are maintained well. A government body known as Lake Development Authority is supposed to maintain and develop the lakes; however these lakes have only seen another kind of  'development' -  that of weeds and  water hyacinth.  These once lovely water bodies are today literally crying for attention. Nevertheless, despite the civic authorities' inefficiency several lakes still attract migratory birds which are a sight to see during rains. You will be surprised to see many lakes right in the middle of the city.
13. Malgudi (Malleshwaram + Basvangudi)
    The imaginary town of Malgudi, popularized by the great writer R.K Narayan, remains to some extent  the 'heart' of Bangalore and is typified by the suburbs of Malleshwaram and Basvangudi.
    
    Malleshwaram gets its name from the historic Shiva temple of Kadu Malleshwara.  There are several old temples in and around the Kadu Malleshwara temple. Some new malls in the vicinity of Malleshwaram have provided a 'modern touch' to this traditional place.
    
    Basavangudi too boasts of several temples including the famous Nandi temple, Shankara Mutt, Ramakrishna temple and Ram Anjaneya temple. Close to Basavangudi is the famous Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple. A large number of devotees visit the temple on January 14th or 15th every year on Makara Sankranthi day to Gavi Gangadhareshwara to witness the  sun rays fall on the Shiva linga deep inside the cave temple
14. Nandi Hills
    Located ahead of the Bangalore International Airport near Devenahallli,  Nandi Hills is a popular driving destination for Bangaloreans. Located at about 70 km form Bangalore, Nandi Hills is a nice green hill station situated amidst rocky terrain. This is kind of surprising as the terrain in and around Nandi Hills is entirely rocky. Nandi Hills derives its name from the famous Bhoganandeeshwara temple. Monkeys are present is great number, so watch out!
15. One-day trips
    Bangalore offer several options for one-day trips. You may head towards Mekedatu on the Kanakpura Road, Kokrebellur on the Mysore Road, or try out Melkote, Savandurga, Antargange, Chintamani, Malur, Hoggenakkal - and several more. Get hold of the Outlook book 'Week- end Breaks from Bangalore'. Slowly start exploring the week- end getaways and enjoy the south of India to the fullest.
16. Planetarium
    The Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium near Raj Bhavan is a nice place to visit and catch up with some information and shows on the planetary systems.  The Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE) is a good organization to join if you really want to know more about Astronomy. Opposite the Planetarium is a nice garden which has a sound-and-light musical fountain that's on in the evenings.
17. Quest for Landfills
    Bangalore recently came into the news for its sloppy garbage disposal techniques. With absence of landfills for waste disposal on account of protests by villagers, the contractors of the civic authorities struck work - and the result: garbage piling up all across the city. This incident has shown the callous attitude of the BBMP (the city corporation) and the near absence of planning. It's time a sound waste management system is put in place.
18. Red and green signals
    Nowhere in India would you see Red signal and Green signal together. Better watch out for this tricky signal that is found in several places in the city. Red means 'no right turn' and the Green means 'go' for the vehicles proceeding straight to keep moving.
19. Speed humps/breakers
    Bangalore has some back-breaking speed breakers. If you happen to be little lax you can end up on the bumper of some vehicle or even on the roof of a bus or truck. Some speed breakers are shaped like a launch pad and there is no standard for the hopeless shape of the humps. The black and white marking would invariably be missing and so if you happen to overspeed in your car you are sure to damage your power steering kit. If you want to stay clear from experiencing the roof top hit while on the drive be vigilant. Some speed breakers are placed immediately after a signal or just before a signal. What this does is just throw the traffic into a complete mess.
20. Traffic
    When I moved to Bangalore in 2008 from the relatively smaller city of Pune, I was totally blown away by the sheer size of the city.  Getting your bearings in such a chaotic city is a challenge by itself especially if you reach a point when you have five or six lanes to choose from. Similarly decoding a flyover or underpass signs can be a nightmarish experience. If you happen to get into a wrong road or miss a turn you are assured of getting to all other destination but yours! One could write a lot about the terrific traffic in Bangalore but I would leave it for you to safely experience it.  People missing flights and trains are a common occurrence in Bangalore. So plan to leave at least few hours in advance. Even the metro running for a few km presently is in no way solving the dying need for enjoyable travel within the city. The cab drivers, buses, water lorries and tractors it would seem have their own traffic rules and ethics resulting either out of color blindness or outright callousness.
21. UB City
    Centrally located in the CBD (Central Business District) of Bangalore on Vittal Mallya Road, UB City is just 1.5 km away from the MG Road - Brigade Road junction. If you want to experience some luxury go on and check out this luxury mall.
22. Vidhana Soudha
    The seat of the state legislature of Karnataka, the Vidhana Soudha is wonderful piece of Architecture.  Walk through Cubbon park and enjoy the sight of this seat of democracy. The marauding metro construction activities can obstruct your view, but it is still a good view to capture.
23. Warrior Bakery
    Bangalore is famous for its bakeries. One stand out bakery is the Warrior Bakery in Rajaji Nagar. Do taste all the items.  You will cherish the taste and the experience.
24. XYYZ
    Can't think of some noteworthy jottings for XYZ.  But I am sure any XYZ person would sing praises of the city like this author who has come to love this city so much in the relatively short time he has been there.

Topics: Travel

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