about Bangalore

Bangalore (Bengaluru)

Bangalore now known as Bengaluru is the capital of Karnataka. Once best known for its lovely climate, sedate lifestyle and gracious hospitality, Bangalore has been through a rapid metamorphosis as it leaped into the 21st century.

Bangalore is the face of the new India that is emerging as a global player. Once the “Garden City of India” and a “Pensioner’s Paradise” is today – India’s Fastest Growing City, India’s IT Capital, The Silicon Valley of India, The Biotech Capital of India and also among the fastest growing cities in the World.

With its salubrious climate, tree-lined avenues, trendy, yuppy downtown, and the software flood, Bangalore truly offers one a picture of striking contrasts. There are old beautiful bungalows, parks, hallowed places of worship and traditional market-places on the one hand, balancing with fashionable shopping malls, pubs, new architectural wonders and modern looking religious centres on the other.

With a youthful, upwardly mobile population, Bangalore wears the look of a city for the young. Its roads are busy; its awesome variety of restaurants, pubs, “coffee bars” and stores are full.

Bangalore is also considered as shopper's paradise. You can find Karnataka's fabulous traditional silks, coffee, jewelry and handicrafts at shops that are reliable and well stocked.

But modernization has not changed the essential character of the city. It still has the old-world warmth and hospitality for which it was known and loved. And, while colonial bungalows may have made way for multi-storied buildings, it is still a city of parks and gardens, trees and flowers.

• Area: 484 sq km
• Altitude: 920 meters (3000 ft above sea level)
• Geographical Location:
  • Latitudinal Parallels: 12 degree 8' N
  • Longitudinal Meridians: 77 degree 37' E

Bangalore lies in the Southeast quadrant of the state at 12 degrees 8 minutes N Latitude and 77 degree 37 minutes East Longitude. As much as 119 sq km of the city is covered with lakes and tanks- Floor Lake, Kempambudhi Tank, Sankey's Tank, Sampangi Tank are to name a few.

Climate & Seasons:
There are four main seasons that are characterized by different climatic conditions. Located at an altitude of 920metres (3,021 ft.), Bangalore boasts delightful weather throughout the year. Winter is the best time to visit the city.

• Summer - March to May (warmest months)
• Monsoon – Average rainfall 87cms
  June to September (rainy - South-West Monsoon)
  October to December (rainy - North-East Monsoon)
• Winter - December to February (coldest months)

Mercury level: Maximum - 33°C and Minimum - 14° C

Languages: Kannada, English, Hindi, Telegu and Tamil.

Religion: Population is predominantly Hindu. But all faiths are observed here and people live with great cooperation and respect for each other's faith.

Literacy Rate: 85.74%

Population: around 7.2 million

Airport:
Bangalore international Airport, known as 'HAL Airport' is situated on Airport Road and well within the city- about 8kms from MG Road -the city centre. A busy Airport with over 70 international and domestic flight landings everyday, this airport is divided into two terminals.

Travel to the city by tourist taxi takes about 20 minutes and costs about Rs.180. Prepaid taxi service are also available. An auto rickshaw, charging about Rs.80 takes nearly the same time.

Domestic Airports

1. Indian Airlines - 140,141, 2221 1914
2. Jet Airways - 22522 1929
3. Sahara Airlines - 2522 3286
4. Deccan Airways - 2525 0429
5. International Airports Air India - 2227 7747
6. Air France - 2558 9397
7. Australian Airways - 2558 5394
8. Lufthansa - 2558 8791

Telecommunications:

• International dialing code - ++91
• Local area code for Bangalore - 080