Bangalore: Perfection & Splendour In Every Aspect Of Life

Lucky is how I felt when all of a sudden one day, I finally got a chance to explore Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka. My aunt (my mom's sister) stays there at a place called Yalhanka. My cousin brother, Satyam, had a scheduled off from his office on the coming Friday, therefore I planned for a three-day weekend trip to Bangalore. As I arrived there, the city welcomed me with fascinatingly pleasant weather. Dada, that is what I call my cousin, told me that the main attractions of this historical city of Tipu Sultan lie in its monumental heritage.

On the bright and sunny Friday morning, we left for the beautiful Bangalore Palace. This 1887 monument seems to be quite similar to Windsor Castle of England. The palace has lavish and elegant interiors because of which it is, now-a-days, used as a venue for high society parties, weddings, and music concerts. Built in the Tudor style, the palace has wonderful Gothic windows, foiled windows, battlements, turrets, carving and paintings. While driving towards Vidhan Soudha, I observed countless multinational companies and numerous IT firms. The city is so developed with all these firms that it has been termed as the 'Silicon City'.

Vidhan Soudha, the seat of the state legislature of Karnataka, is the best example of neo Dravidian architecture. This most stunning structure was completed in 1956 when Shri Kengal Hanumanthaiah served as the chief minister of Mysore. The workers who built the structure were mostly prisoners who were set free after they completed the building. We had crispy dosas and a rice bowl along with sambhar in lunch at traditional restaurant. Another wonderful experience was the hot tea served in the earthen pots. Dada told me that Bangalore is the hub of Sandalwood (Kannada film industry) where more than fifty films are released every year. He also promised to take me to a concert the very next day.

We then headed for the famous Tipu Sultan's Tomb. This 1790 structure, built in teakwood, has a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha. I was mesmerized to see the intricately carved pillars and the art gallery of the fort. Another best attraction in Bangalore was the famous Lal-Bagh, built in about 240 aces of land. The garden houses over 1000 species of flora that include rare and enchanting collection of tropical plants, trees and herbs. It is also frequented for its Deer Park and Glass House. Our last destination of the day was MG Road, from where I bought a few traditional handicraft items like silk saris, intricately carved sandalwood items and tribal jewellery for my mom and aunt. We also had a plan to go to some pub or discotheque to unwind the hustle and bustle of the tiring day, as Bangalore has an energetic and vivacious multi-ethnic nightlife.

Relive The Glorious Past At Hampi

The Meteorological Office predicted that the monsoon this year would reach India a week earlier than usual. It was definitely a good news for all to get relief from the intense summer heat. I was delighted to note that Hampi, about 350 km from Bangalore, remained mostly clear and the temperature was also soothing. To reach Hampi, I need to cross Hospet. The nearby area is popular for a number of Buddhist sites. Hospet, basically, is the gateway town to the Hampi ruins. As I reached Hospet bus station (KSRTC bus station), I saw most of the long distance state buses terminating for Hampi from here. While in Hospet, I enjoyed a few snacks at a roadside dhaba and paid short visits to the unique Anantashayana temple of Anantashayana Gudi.

After spending a couple of hours in Hospet, I headed for Hampi, the erstwhile medieval Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagar. On entering the small city I was actually amazed and overwhelmed to see the wonderful temples, monolithic sculptures and monuments. The excellent workmanship of all these structures reflects the splendor of the Vijaynagar Empire. I hired an auto to explore the major attractions of the city. Kuldeep, the auto-driver, told me that Tungabhadra River is the most prominent feature of the city. He told me that Hampi can be broadly divided into two areas from tourism point of view: the Hampi Bazaar area and the Royal center near Kamalapuram. We started exploring the city from the Hampi Bazar area. The 15th century Virupaksha Temple is simply a unique structure. Dedicated to Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva, the temple rises about 50 m from the ground. I also visited Jain temples and a monolithic sculpture of Lord Narasimha (a form of Lord Vishnu) at the Hemakuta Hill on the southern part of the Virupaksha temple. I also devoted a little time to visit the World Heritage Vitthal temple (built in the 16th century), the deserted Sule Bazaar, the Achutraya temple, the Monolithic statue of Lord Ganesh, Nandi, the Kodandarama temple and the Krishna temple.

After having lunch in the Hampi Bazar, Kuldeep took me to the Royal Center, where I saw the Lotus Mahal, a perfect blend of Indo-Islamic architecture. The Archaeological Museum at Kamalapuram, Mustard Ganesha and Noblemen's palace are again the masterpieces. Famous for its architectural ruins, Hampi is declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. After having such a great experience at Hampi, I moved on to Bangalore.