HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PLACES IN KARNATAKA

Home     Package details     Contact us     Karnataka     Kerala     Tamil Nadu     Andhra Pradesh
Bangalore :  It is the capital city of Karnataka and the fifth largest city in India. It is the country's fastest growing metropolis today. Situated at 920 meters (3021 feet) above sea level, Bangalore is blessed with a salubrious climate. It was founded by Kempe Gowda in the year 1537 A.D. He also built the Gavi Gangadhareswara temple at Gavipuram and Bull temple at  Basavanagudi. The places to be visited are :-
Lalbagh : It was laid out in the year 1760 A.D by Hyder Ali & developed by Tippu Sultan. This 10-acre botanical garden is the loveliest spot in Bangalore. It houses many century-old trees, lakes, lotus ponds, flower beds, a deer park and one of the largest collections of rare tropical and sub-tropical plants in India.

Vidhana Soudha : It was erected in 1956 A.D. This magnificent granite structure built in the neo-Dravidian style of architecture, is one of the most spectacular buildings of India.This four-storeyed building houses both the Karnataka Legislature and Government Secretariat. It covers an area over 5,00,000 sq.ft., with towering columns, ornamental frescoes and exquisite carvings.

Cubbon Park : This beautiful park was laid in 1864 and covers an area of about 300 acers in the centre of Bangalore with its beautifully laid out lawns, grassy expanse, flowering trees, childrens' play ground and a bandstand.Within the park are the red Gothic buildings which house the Public Library,the High Court, the Government Museum, Visveswaraya Technological & Industrial Museum, the Government Aquarium, the Century Club and Jawahar Bal Bhavan.

Bangalore Palace : It is situated in the midst of a well- laid-out garden in the high grounds, north-west of the Vidhana soudha. It resembles the Windsor Castle in London.

Venkatappa Art Gallery : This art gallery is a wing of the Government Museum.

Visvesvaraya Museum : Attractive models depicting the industrial and technological development in India.

Govt. Museum : Established in 1886 A.D, it is one of the oldest museums in India. Contains sections on archaeology, ethnology, geology, numismatics and art relics from Mohenjodaro(dating back to 5000 B.C).


Mysore :
The aura of grandeur and royalty is still there in Mysore, the official capital of the erstwhile maharajas. Wherever you are in Mysore, you find the reflection of the Iavish ways of the former royal rulers. The best to visit is during Dasara (September - October). The places to be visited are :-
Maharaja's Palace : Built during 1911-12 in the Indo-Saracenic style. The palace has a magnificent Durbar Hall with a 200kg gold throne inlaid with precious stones.

Chamundi hills : There is a temple dedicated to Chamundeswari on the top of the hill. The temple has a jewel Nakshatra-Malike, donated by Mumudi Krishnarajendra Wodeyar with 30 Sanskrit slokas inscribed on it. The top can be reached by climbing 1000 steps.

Brindavan Gardens : It is situated at the base of the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam built across the river Cauvery. The Dam, 2.4km long and forming a 130-sq-km lake, is one of the biggest in India. It has been built in stone without cement and comprises parapets and a grotto for the river-Goddess Cauvery.

Zoological Gardens : This century-old zoo houses nearly 2000 animals. It has the distinction of breeding wild animals in captivity.

Somnathpur : The Sri Somnath temple here is known for its Hoysala architecture. Built in 1268 A.D. by Hoysala King Narasimha III, the temple is seated on a star-shaped base, set on a chiselled plinth and gaurded at intervals by miniature elephants.
Belur-Halebid : The Belur temple is dedicated to Lord Channakeshava. The temple is one of the finest specimens of Hoysala architecture. It was built by the Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana around 1116 A.D. The Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebid is another specimen of Hoysala architecture.
Sravanabelagola : This famous Jain piligrim is situated in Hassan district. It is known for the 57-foot-tall monolith of the jain sage Gomateshwara (Lord Bahubali), which stands on top of Indragiri hill. It is nearly 1800 years old.

Agumbe :
Situated on the Western Ghats, it is known for its breath-taking spectacle of sunset, especially during November & December.
Udupi : It is a well-known piligrim center. The Udupi Paryaya festival attracts devotees from all over the country. The image of Lord Krishna at the temple here was installed in the 13th century by Sri Madhavacharya, the exponent of the Dwaitha system of philosophy.
Bijapur : It was the capital of the Adil Shahi dynasty during 17th century. The city is famous for Gol Gumbaz, the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah. It has a floor area of 18,337 sq. ft. and walls of 10 ft. thickness. It is consturcted in such a way that the tick of a watch or the rustle of a paper can be heard across a distance of 124 ft. in the whispering gallery of the huge dome, and the sound is echoed eleven times over. The Gol Gumbaz, not supported by pillars at any point, is considered the second largest in the world next only to St. Peter's in Rome.

Hampi :
It was once the capital of the mighty Vijayanagar Empire. This city has a Krishna temple built by Krishnadevaraya with a monolithic statue of Narasimha. The Vittal temple here has 56 pillars, each of which produces different musical notes when tapped.
 Top     Home     Package details     Contact us     Karnataka     Kerala     Tamil Nadu     Andhra Pradesh