As I was exploring the Silicon Valley, Bangalore, I was unable to contain my excitement and the day had finally arrived. It was 7:00 in the morning and I was waiting, all packed, to leave for Planet Scuba. Satyam Dada, my cousin, told me that Planet Scuba is famous for conducting PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified open water diving courses. I wanted to make a rapid splash at the watery depths of Karnataka, therefore Dada took me to enjoy the thrills of surfing, canoeing and kayaking.
At around 10:30, we stopped for a quick bite and then hit the road again to the Bull Temple. This prominent landmark is located in the Basavanagudi region of Bangalore, and is dedicated to Nandi, the mount of Lord Shiva. This 16th century temple has a 15 feet tall and over 20 feet long structure of Nandi, which is carved out of a single granite rock. We saw the farmers preparing for the Kadalekayi Parishe (The Groundnut fair) which was to be organized the next day. These farmers have a tradition to offer their first crop of groundnut to the sacred bull of the temple. The holy church of Infant Jesus is another amazing attraction in Bangalore, which can accommodate about 3,500 persons inside the worship hall and another 5,000 people in the open podium area.
I, being a History buff and art lover, also liked the Government Museum/Art Gallery a lot. I was quite amazed to see the rarest collections of jewelry, miniature paintings, sculptures and artifacts in its 18 sections. Located near Kasturba Gandhi Road, this Neo-classical structure is one of the oldest museums of the country (1866). After lunch, we visited the famous Cubbon Park (famous for Seshadri Memorial hall, Attara Kacheri and Venkatappa art gallery), Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, ISKON Temple (Krishna Temple; a dainty blend of modern technology and spiritual harmony) and the Gangadhareshwar Temple (known for its four monolithic pillars and the idol of Agni, the God of fire). It was quite late, therefore we could not enjoy the Hindustan vocal concert or any theatre. But the day was very exciting and I realized that Bangalore has much more to offer besides softwares, programming and technology.
