Bangalore, officially known as Bengaluru, is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka.
It is the third-most populous city in India, with over 8.4 million residents.[3] Located in southern
India on the Deccan Plateau, at a height of over 900 m (3,000 ft) above sea level, Bengaluru is
known for its pleasant climate throughout the year.
Bengaluru is known as the "Silicon Valley of India" because of its role as the nation's leading
information technology (IT) exporter.
It is home to many educational and research institutions in India, such as Indian Institute of
Science (IISc), Indian Institute of Management (Bangalore) (IIMB), National Institute of Design,
Bangalore (NID R&D Campus), National Law School of India University (NLSIU)
The city also houses the Kannada film industry.
History:
The region of modern day Bangalore was part of several successive South Indian kingdoms.
Between the fourth and the tenth centuries, the Bangalore region was ruled by the Western Ganga
Dynasty of Karnataka, the first dynasty to set up effective control over the region.
Modern Bengaluru had its beginning in 1537 by a vassal of the Vijayanagara Empire, Kemp Gowda
I, who aligned with the Vijayanagara empire to campaign against Gangaraja who he defeated and
expelled to Kanchi, and who built a mud-brick fort for the people at the site that would become the
central part of modern Bangalore.
Bengaluru fort was captured by the British armies under Lord Cornwallis on 21 March 1791 during
the Third Anglo-Mysore War and formed a centre for British resistance against Tipu sultan.
In the 19th century, Bengaluru essentially became a twin city, with the "pt", whose residents were
predominantly Kannadigas, and the "cantonment" created by the British, whose residents were
predominantly Tamils.
In 1906, Bangalore became one of the first cities in India to have electricity from hydro power,
powered by the hydroelectric plant situated in India.
Bengaluru's reputation as the "Garden City of India" began in 1927 with the Silver
Jubilee celebrations of the rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV.
After India's independence in August 1947, Bengaluru remained in the newly carved Mysore State of
which the Maharaja of Mysore was theRajapramukh .
Climate:
Bengaluru has a tropical savanna climate (Kppen climate classification Aw) with
distinct wet and dry seasons. Due to its high elevation, Bangalore usually enjoys a more moderate
climate throughout the year, although occasional heat waves can make summer somewhat
uncomfortable.
The coolest month is December with an average low temperature of 15.4 C (59.7 F) and the
hottest month is April with an average high temperature of 36 C (97 F).
The highest temperature ever recorded in Bangalore is 38.9 C (102 F) (recorded in March 1931).
However, the suburbs of bangalore recorded temperatures as high as 41 C (106 F).
The lowest ever recorded is 7.8 C (46 F) (recorded in January 1884).[68][69] Winter temperatures
rarely drop below 12 C (54 F), and summer temperatures seldom exceed 37 C (99 F).
Bangalore receives rainfall from both the northeast and the southwest monsoons and the wettest
months are September, October and August, in that order.
The summer heat is moderated by fairly frequent thunderstorms, which occasionally cause power
outages and local flooding. The heaviest rainfall recorded in a 24-hour period is 179 millimetres
(7 in) recorded on 1 October 1997.
Population:
With an estimated population of 8.5 million in 2011,[76] Bangalore is the third most populous city in
India and the 18th most populous city in the world. [77] Bangalore was the fastest-growing Indian
metropolis after New Delhi between 1991 and 2001, with a growth rate of 38% during the decade.
Residents of Bangalore are referred to as "Bangaloreans" in English and Bengaloorinavaru in
Kannada. The cosmopolitan nature of the city has resulted in the migration of people from other
states to Bangalore.[78]
According to the 2001 census of India, 79.4% of Bangalore's population is Hindu, roughly the same
as the national average.[79] Muslimscomprise 13.4% of the population. Christians and Jains account
for 5.8% and 1.1% of the population, respectively, double that of their national averages. The city
has a literacy rate of 89%.
Languages:
The language that is mainly spoken in Bengaluru is its native language Kannada. Other languages
such as Urdu, Indian English, Tamil, Telugu,Malayalam and Hindi are also spoken in a few places.
The Kannada language spoken in Bangalore is a form of Kannada called as 'Old MysuruKannada'
which is also used in most of the southern part of Karnataka state.
English, (as an Indian dialect), is extensively spoken and is the principal language of the
professional and business class.
Economy:
Bengalru's 523 billion (US$8.2 billion) economy (200607 Net District Income) makes it one of the
major economic centres in India,with the value of city's exports totalling 432 billion (US$6.8 billion)
in 200405.
With an economic growth of 10.3%, Bangalore is the second fastest growing major metropolis in
India
Bengaluru is called as the Silicon Valley of India because of the large number of information
technology companies located in the city which contributed 33% of India's 1442
billion (US$23 billion) IT exports in 200607.
Transport:
Bengaluru is served by Kempegowda International Airport (IATA: BLR, ICAO: VOBL), located
at Devanahalli, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the city centre. It was formerly called Bengaluru
International Airport.
Bengaluru is a divisional headquarters in the South Western Railway zone of the Indian railways.
Garden City
Bangalore is known as the Garden City of India and has two nationally recognized botanical gardens
Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park, which attract a lot of visitors through the year. The city was the
recipient of the Indira Priyadarshini Vruksha Mitra award in the late 1980s, in recognition of its
extensive green cover.
Culture
Bangalore is sometimes called as the "Pub Capital of India" and the "Rock/Metal Capital of India"
because of its underground music scene and it is one of the premier places to hold international rock
concerts. In May 2012,Lonely Planet ranked Bangalore 3rd among the world's top 10 cities to visit.
Biannual flower shows are held at the Lal Bagh Gardens during the week of Republic Day (26
January) and Independence Day (15 August).Bangalore Karaga or "Karaga Shaktyotsava" is one of
the most important and oldest festivals of Bangalore dedicated to the Hindu GoddessDraupadi.
Art and literature[edit]
Bengaluru did not have an effective contemporary art representation, as compared
to Delhi and Mumbai, until recently during the 1990s, several art galleries sprang up, notable being
the government established National Gallery of Modern Art.
Kannada literature appears to have flourished in Bangalore even before Kempe Gowda laid the
foundations of the city.
As a cosmopolitan city, Bangalore has also encouraged the growth of Telugu, Urdu, and English
literatures.
Theatre, music, and dance[edit]
Bengaluru is home to the Kannada film industry, which churns out about 80 Kannada movies each
[Link] also has a very active and vibrant theatre culture with popular theatres
being Ravindra Kalakshetra] and the more recently opened Ranga Shankara.
The city has a vibrant English and foreign language theatre scene with places like Ranga Shankara
and Chowdiah Memorial Hall leading the way in hosting performances leading to the establishment
of the Amateur film industry.
Bengaluru is also a major centre of Indian classical music and dance. Performances
of Carnatic (South Indian) and Hindustani (North Indian) classical music, and dance forms
like Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi,Kathakali, Kathak, and Odissi are very popular.
Sports:
Bengaluru's pleasant climate makes it a suitable place for a variety of outdoor sports. Cricket is by
far the most popular sport in Bangalore. Bangalore has many parks and gardens which provide
excellent pitches for an impromptu game of cricket.[218] A significant number of national cricketers
have come from Bangalore, including former captains Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble. Some of the
other notable players from the city who have represented India include Gundappa Vishwanath, Syed
Kirmani.
The Indian Premier League franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore and the I League club Bengaluru
FC are based in the city. The city hosts the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Bangalore
Open tournament annually.
FOOD
Rice and vegetable is the staple food. Rava Kichadi is a popular dish in Bangalore. Other South Indian specialties like Idli ,
Vada and Dosa are also available. However, you can get almost every cuisine from around the world in this cosmopolitan,
food-loving city.
