A once charming and quaint town, Bangalore is now a bustling city. Nicknamed the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is currently the ‘it’ place to be in India at the moment. A multicultural and multiethnic city filled with remnants of the Moghul and British rule, Bangalore has a rich and varied culture and history. Here side by side with temples and palaces are glitzy malls, pizzerias, discotheques and software houses. And with its diverse religious background, Bangalore is also home to a myriad of different communities from all over the country.
Weather in Bangalore
The weather in Bangalore is pleasant and temperate all year round. The hottest months here are April and May where the temperature can rise to 35o C in the summer, while January is the coolest month where the temperature hovers around 15o C. Along with the temperature the humidity in Bangalore is at a comfortable level. And while it is okay to visit Bangalore any time of the year, avoid the monsoon season between July and September as it can get quite rainy from time to time.
Shopping in Bangalore
A shopper’s delight, Bangalore is especially known for its silk and handloom fabrics. Also famous here are clothing, woolen carpets, sandalwood items, rare antiques, gold and silver jewelry, perfumes, and ivory artifacts. Brigade Road is a trendy hangout for the younger generation.
On this road you can find any and everything that is in vogue. Bangalore’s busiest commercial area, Commercial Street is strictly a shopping only zone. Here you can buy plenty of clothing, jewelry, fabric and textiles. Mahatma Gandhi Road or M.G. Road is another popular commercial area.
On this road you can find everything from electronic equipment to silk saris and antiques. Some famous shopping malls here are; Shrungar Shopping Complex, Barton Court, and Public Utility Building Shopping Complex. Residency Road plays host to a number of state government showrooms as well as Alankar Pearl Plaza Shopping Complex, Prabhat Shopping Complex, Janata Bazaar and Gupta Market.
What to Wear in Bangalore
With it pleasant climate, you can wear nearly anything in Bangalore. There are no restrictions here as the people are quite liberal minded. However if you are visiting during the summer months makes sure that your cover your arms and legs in the sun otherwise you are bound to get sun brunt. Jeans, T-shirts, shorts, and slip dress are ideal for shopping or a night out on the town.
Travel Around Bangalore
Be prepared to encounter a lot of traffic jams as the traffic in Bangalore is quite rowdy. The best way to get around is by taxi or rickshaws, however be sure to make them switch on their meters first. Bangalore also has an efficient city-bus service that can take you from point A to point B in no time, however these buses are usually overcrowded with locals and the bus staff is can be quite unfriendly sometimes. If you wish to travel around Bangalore by yourself make sure that you get the address written in Tamil or Hindi, as not everyone understands English.
Health Services in Bangalore
When in Bangalore follow these few simple rules and you should be fine. Do not drink tap water, do not eat food that does not look fresh, and make sure that you wash up before every meal. In case of an emergency dial 100 for the police. Some popular hospitals in the city are; the Accident Relief Info Service (ARIS), Ambicare, Bangalore Hospital and Bowring & Lady Curzon Hospital. If you wish to seek ayurvedic treatment you can visit the Kairali Ayurvedic Treatment Centre in Indiranagar.
Bangalore Nightlife
The nightlife in Bangalore is quite buzzing with plenty of things to do. There are many pubs, bars and discos scattered all over the city, however the most of the night activity in Bangalore is around MG Road and Brigade Road. Here there are several movie theatres, old coffee houses, pubs, ice cream shops, pizza parlors and eateries. For more family oriented places, try the Night watchman and 180 Proof. For a more rocking environment, check out Pecos, Guzzlers Inn and Purple Haze which also have live in-house music. To mingle with the locals try the Concorde on Airport Road.
Dining Out in Bangalore
Bangalore offers visitors a variety of food to suit every palette; however the local cuisine is mainly influenced by Hindu and Muslim traditions. Some famous local dishes here that one should try out include; BisiBela Bath, Uppittu, Holighe and Mysore Masala Dosa. If you like you can even try a local thali consisting of a kosambari which is a salad, rice, two or three curries, a sambhar, a saaru or a clear pepper broth and a sweet dish. Some famous restaurants in Bangalore are; The Peacock, Tycoons, Manhattans, Madison Square, Karavalli, Coconut, The Mavalli Tiffin Room, Udupi Sri Krishna Bhavan, and Sukh Sagar Food Complex. Besides these restaurants there are plenty of fast food places scattered all over the city.
Bangalore Business
The main business in Bangalore is its growing IT industry which employs a majority of the population. There are plenty of expatriates who have now come back to live and work in India and set up IT related businesses. Bangalore also has plenty of skilled manpower and has factories of Hindustan Machine Tools, Bharat Electronics Limited and Indian Telephone Industries set up here.
