Karnataka Cities

Bangalore :

The multifaceted capital city of Karnataka, dotted with modern marvels, lush boulevards, historical monuments & bustling shopping plazas, Bangalore, aptly called the Silicon Valley of India, is every tourist's dream travel destination.

Bangalore, the fifth largest city in India, is the perfect blend of natural beauty and man-made marvels of architecture and technology. Blessed with a salubrious climate and dotted with beautiful parks, its tree-lined avenues, its trendy, yuppie downtown, and the software flood, Bangalore truly offers one a picture of striking contrasts.

Bangalore -- located 1,000m above sea level is one of the most 'happening' places in India. Bangalore, which literally means the 'town of baked beans', was founded by Kempe Gowda, a chieftain of the Vijayanagar Empire, around the 16th century. He built four towers in four directions to specify its boundaries. However, Bangalore has far exceeded these limits since.

Prime Attractions / Places to See :

The Bull Temple - The 4.57m high and 6.10 m long image was built by Kempe Gowda, in the 16th century.

Vidhaan Soudha - A marvel of neo-Dravidian architecture and one of the most imposing building not only in Bangalore but in India, the Vidhaan Soudha houses the state legislative assembly of Karnataka and part of the Secretariat.

Tipu's Palace -The summer palace of Tipu Sultan was built in Bangalore. The entire structure is built of teakwood. This double-storeyed ornate structure was constructed in 1781-1791 AD.

Shopping in Bangalore - Bangalore is famous for the shopping malls, which have some of the finest and biggest showrooms in India. This electronic capital of India has been attracting people for Sandal wood, Silk and hand woven materials.

How to reach Bangalore ?

Bangalore - The Silicon Valley of India and every tourist's dream travel destination is well connected with domestic airlines and also catering to few international flights. Bangalore, being the capital , has excellant road services to adjoining states and has a strong network of rail services with two major stations the Bangalore City and Bangalore Cantt.

Bangalore By Air - Bangalore has its own airport with almost all the major domestic airlines catering services to the city. The airport is 6 kms from city centre. Few selected international carriers also operate their flights to the city.

Bangalore By Rail - Bangalore has two railway stations, the Bangalore City and Bangalore Cantt. The major trains from and to Bangalore terminate & start from the city station. Bangalore is well connected to all the major towns of India.

Bangalore By Road - Being the capital city of Karnataka, Bangalore has very good motorable roads to various parts of the state. Some of the bus services are also serving the adjoining states.


Mysore :

Located 770m above sea level and 140 Kms from Bangalore, Mysore, the imperial city, was the erstwhile capital of the Wodeyars. Also known as the city of Palaces, Mysore has never failed to mesmerise the tourists with its quaint charm, rich heritage, magnificent palaces, beautifully laid-out gardens, imposing buildings, broad shady avenues and sacred temples.

Mysore is the erstwhile capital of Wodeyars, the rulers of Mysore State. The Wodeyar family ruled Mysore since 14th century except for a short period of 40 years when Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were the rulers. Today Mysore is one of the major cities of Karnataka. Mysore has emerged as a thriving market for exotic sandalwood & incense, the Mysore silk sarees and stone-carved sculptures.

Mysore is certainly a charming, old-fashioned and undaunting town dominated by the spectacular Maharaja's Palace, around which the boulevards of the city radiate. Nearby is the city centre with the colourful and frenetic Devaraja Market is inviting a stroll.

On the outskirts of Mysore, Srirangapatnam still harbours architectural gems from the days of the great Indian hero, Tipu Sultan, and the magnificent Hoysala temple of Somnathpur lies little more than an hour's drive away.

Legend :

In the tenth century Mysore was known as "Mahishur", the town where the buffalo-demon Mahishashur was slain by the goddess Durga. The word Mysore expands to "Mahishasurana Ooru", which means the town of Mahishasura. It is believed that during one of the wars between devils and demons on the one hand and gods and goddesses on the other, the demon Mahishasur (Mahishur) overpowered the gods.

The goddess on seeing this, incarnated as the fireceful Chamundi or Chamundeshwari and consequently, Mahishasura was killed by Her atop the Chamundi Hill near Mysore. Ever since, the Mysore royal family has worshipped Chamundeshwari as the palace deity. Hills dedicated to Her stand at the eastern end of Mysore town to this day.