The city of Bangalore is India’s third largest city and the state capital of Karnataka, known for being a modern, cosmopolitan metropolis at the helm of the country’s IT-boom. Bangalore is a shopper’s haven overrun with big malls and shopping districts, as well as a food lover’s paradise with one of the highest concentrations of places to eat in the continent. Spotted with parks and natural lakes, Bangalore is alternately known as ‘The Garden City of India.’ Recently voted as the most livable metro in the country, Bangalore is known as‘Pensioner’s Paradise’ on the one hand and as ‘Start-up City,’ on the other, attracting youth from across the world with its trending markets and rapid availability of jobs. With Bangalore’s ever-doubling IT infrastructure, it is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India.
Another aspect of Bangalore is soaked in the history of bygone, ancient cultures. Bangalore has been peopled for up to 3000 years, bearing megalithic monuments that treasure its rich past. Bangalore, as we know it today, was established in 1537 by KempeGowda I, who constructed a well-planned city within an oval mud fort in the area that is today known as City Market. Gradually, Bangalore grew into a commercial center and a chief part of the silk industry. Over successive centuries the Marathas, Mughals, Wodeyars and the Mysore Sultanate, all did their bit to develop the city further. In 1809 the British set up a cantonment in Bangalore, drawn by its pleasant weather and central location.
The earliest recorded usage of the name Bengaluru is found in today’s ‘Old Bangalore,’ in a 9th century temple. According to legend, King ViraBallala was once lost in the jungles that once overran these parts. He was wandering, tired and hungry, when an old woman revived him with her hospitality and a plate of boiled beans. Out of gratitude the King consequently named the area ‘Benda KaaluUru’ (Town of Boiled Beans). It was only in 1831, when the British seized Mysore from the ruling Wodeyars that the capital was shifted to Bangalore. The anglicization of Bengaluru turned it into Bangalore until it was recently reverted back to its original.
Although Bangalore is not a popular tourist destination, there are many sites worth taking a tour of. The legislative House of Karnataka, VidhanaSoudha, is one of the Chief attractions of Bangalore. It was built during the 1950s using granite in a neo-Dravidian style of architecture. Other places of historical interest include the Bangalore Palace, constructed by the Mysore Maharajahs and Tipu Sultan’s Palace, built around 1790 as Tipu’s summer retreat.
A tour of Bangalore must also include Lalbagh Botanical Gardens- built by Hyder Ali in 1760, and the Bannerghatta National Park- a 25,000-acre zoological park one and a half hours away from Bangalore City. Educational tours of Bangalore may include the Vishweshwaraiah Industrial and Technological Museum, the State Archaeological Museum, the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, the Venkatappa Art Gallery and the Karnataka ChitrakalaParishad. Religious tours of Bangalore cover the Bull Temple in Basavanagudi, the Maha Bodhi Society Temple- a replica of the Bodh Gaya Stupa, the ISCKON temple, the Maruthi Temple, the GaviGangadeshwara Cave Temple as well as many other temples, mosques and churches of historic significance.
Due to an average elevation of 920 meters above the sea level, Bangalore enjoys a cool climate throughout the year. Although summers can get hot with dry heat waves, it seldom exceeds 35 degrees Celsius and hovers around a mean temperature of 24 degrees Celsius.
About Hampi
Now a tiny village in Karnataka, Hampi Sugama Tourists was once the proud and prosperous capital of the Vijaynagara kingdom. Designated a World heritage Site by the UNESCO, it is a hill-town full of romantic ruins and incredible greenery. At its peak, it was a city full of magnificent temples and palaces. Its grandeur was finally lost when it was attacked by the Mughals in the latter half of the 16th century.
Two brothers from the Sangama family, Harihara and Bukka, gave it the status of their capital in the year 1336 A.D. Over a period of 300 years, 23 kings ruled over this city. Hampi’s most celebrated ruler, Krishnadeva Raya, finally lost the city in 1564. Legend has it that such was its wealth that it took six months and thousand of elephants to carry the loot out.
Hampi was in its glory 700 years ago. It was the capital of the famous Vijayanagara empire. The city is in absolute ruins now. But during the time when it was alive, it was known for its splendor, grandeur, and fabulous wealth far beyond the shores of India.
Hampi was destroyed by Mughal invaders in 1565.
Hampi is located in the northern part of Karnataka state of India, on the banks of the Tungabhadra river, and is about 343 kilometers from Bangalore. The ruins of Hampi is scattered over a 26 square kilometer area amidst boulders and vegetation. You can take a visit from Sugama Tourists to Hampi.
"The splendid remains of palaces and gateways of the broken city tells a tale of men infinite talent and power of creativity together with his capacity for senseless destruction.
Strewn over a large area (about nine square miles) the ruins at Hampi offers to the tourist a remainder of the greatest land in the whole world. Every rock, every path and every monument at Hampi speak the same language; a language of glory and beauty."
Hampi Sugama Tourists has been declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. After long neglect, in March 2002, the Government of India has announced that Hampi would be developed as an international tourists destination centre.
Hampi Sugama Tourists, once a flourishing capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, is a very small village in the Northern Karnataka. Hampi exhibits the vast relics of the city of Vijaynagar, also known as the City of Victory. The Vijaynagar empire extended from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal and from the Deccan Plateau to the tip of the peninsula. It was built as a showpiece of imperial magnificence. The main attraction in Hampi are the temples built by the Vijaynagar empire. The temperature in Hampi ranges from 23 to 38 degree Celsius in summers and 10 to 15 degree Celsius in winters. Hampi can be visited throughout the year, except from April to June, when it is very hot.
The main tourist attractions in Hampi are its temples. The various temples in Hampi are Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple. The other tourist attractions in Hampi are Lotus Mahal, Hazara Rama Temple, Queen's Bath and Tungabhadra Dam. You can visit these places by Sugama Tourists
Hampi is connected with all parts of Karnataka and to Hyderabad by road. Some of the nearby cities are Pattadakal, Aihole, Badami, Bijapur and Bangalore. Make a shot to visit only by Sugama Tourists
The Hampi city was wealthy, greater than Rome, with a market full of jewels and palaces plated with gold, having held a monopoly of trade in spices and cotton, bejeweled courtesans and joyous festivities. However, with the defeat in 1565 at Talikota at the hands of the Deccan Sultans, the dazzling city was largely destroyed. Now the city has ruins of stone temples, elephant stables, barracks and palaces. The ruins of Hampi lies scattered in about 26 sq. km area, amidst golden brown granite boulders and vegetation. So plan trip Hampi to view this places by Sugama Tourists
The Hampi city is also the home of Pampakshetra - home of Pampa, the daughter of Lord Brahma and wedded to Shiva.