Namma Bengalooru

Benda Kalooru:

There is an interesting story behind how the city came to be called as Bangalore.Veera Ballala II was wandering in the forest after he lost his way during a hunting expedition. He approached an old woman for food. Since she didn’t have any food left, she gave him a handful of boiled beans and the King so pleased with her hospitality called it 'Benda Kalooru' or 'Town of Boiled Beans' (after a poor woman feeds him beans in the forest) Under the influence of British, the name got anglicized and now is called Bangalore.

Quick look at History:

Kempegowda was instrumental in building the city. He was a feudal lord who served the Vijayanagar kings. Kempegowda 2 built four watchtowers to guard the city. When the Vijayanagar Empire fell, it was taken over by Adil Shah. Adil Shah later gifted Bangalore to his trusted lieutenent Shahaji Bhonsale, the Maratha king. Later it was passed on to Wodeyars and later to Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan. After the death of Tippu Sultan, it was passed on to the British and again back to Wodeyars.

Geography of Bangalore: Bangalore is the capital city of Karnataka and is called as the Silicon Valley of India. The city of Bangalore lies towards the southeast in the South Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore’s area is 2190 sq.kms and is 3000 feet above the sea level.

Some Local wonders:

Bangalore Palace: A Wodeyar king built The Bangalore Palace in 1887 on the 400-acre space. This summer palace has been constructed largely of wood and is famous for its carving and paintings.

Lal Bagh: Hyder Ali laid out this famous botanical garden and his son added horticultural wealth to them by importing trees and plants from several countries. The garden today houses over 1000 species of flora which include rare and enchanting collection of tropical plants, trees and herbs.

Cubbon Park: It was laid out in 1864. In the Cubbon Park are the Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, which houses the public library, the High Court and the Jawahar Bal Bhavan. It is a famous for its flora, fountains and amusements for children.

Government Museum: One of the important buildings, the Government Museum is one of the oldest in India (1886). A special attraction here is the antiquities from Mohenjodaro period.


Jumma Masjid:The Jumma Masjid is probably the oldest mosque in the city. It is an imposing structure with tall ornamented granite pillars adorning the elevated prayer hall. Scores of devote Muslim worshippers throng this masjid during the annual festivals of the Muslims. It is located in the busy market area of Bangalore, K.R.Market.

The Bull Temple:This temple, built by Kempe Gowda, houses the magnificent stone statue of the sacred bull, Nandi. It stands over 15 feet tall and is over 20 feet long. In Nov/Dec every year, when the groundnuts have been harvested, a groundnut fair is held near the temple. The farmers offer the first groundnuts to the sacred bull.

St. Mary's Church: Established by a French missionary Abbe Dubois in 1811, St.Mary's church is the only church in Karnataka state to be elevated to the status of a minor Basilica.

Tipu's Palace:Built in 1791, this beautiful two-storeyed ornate wooden structure with exquisitely carved pillars, arches and balconies was one of Tipu's favourite summer retreat.


Did you know?

1.Aurangzeb’s army captured Bangalore and sold it to Wodeyars for 3 lakhs.
2.Hyder Ali built Lal Bagh.
3.Maratha king Shivaji Rao was married to a Bangalore girl.
4.Kempegowda had named Bangalore as “gandu bhoomi”meaning heroic place.
5.The Glass House of Lalbagh is modeled on London’s Crystal Palace.
6.The earliest reference to the name "Bengaluru" was found in 9th century Western Ganga Dynasty.
7.Texas Instruments was the first multinational to set up base in Bangalore in 1985.
8.Bangalore has the highest number of software companies in India and has 21 engineering colleges, which is highest in the world in any given city.
9.Bangalore was the first city in India to receive electricity.
10.Bangalore has produced the maximum number of scientists considered for Nobel Prize nominations (from India).