Market , Tel : 2286 5434 One of the oldest churches in Bangalore , the legendary St . Mary ' s Basilica is a spot of calm in the otherwise chaotic Shivajinagar . Located across Russell Market Square , the basilica had humble beginnings as a small chapel set up by a travelling Frenchman Abbe Dubois . The chapel was transformed into an ornate Gothic church by Rev LF Kleiner in 1874 . The baroque structure displays vaulting arches , stained glass windows from Paris and Corinithian capitals with a profusion of bunched grapes . However , more than its architectural razzle-dazzle , it ' s the powerful faith that this church invokes , which gives the basilica its special reputation . Shrouded in mysterious lore , it is believed that the St . Mary here possesses miraculous powers of healing . The story goes that prayers to at the basilica once quelled a plague epidemic that struck the city . Even today , belief in the powers of the St . Mary of Shivajinagar is overwhelming . Come September , thousands of believers flock to the basilica for an annual feast , dressed in customary orange .
Ulsoor Lake
Ulsoor Once upon a time , Bangalore was a city of lakes . Although most of these have been lost in the quest for urban development , the Ulsoor Lake still stands as testament to the city ' s lake legacy . Spread over a three-kilometre radius , the origins of the Ulsoor Lake ( or Halasur Lake as it was formerly known ) go back to the reign of th
Kempegowda II , a 16 century chieftain of Bangalore . But the lake in its current form was built by British Commissioner , Sir Lewin Bentham Bowring . Speckled with tiny islands , the picturesque Ulsoor Lake has been cleaned up from time to time . Boat rides are offered here . There ' s a walkway around the lake , which is a favourite with walkers and joggers . The
Shiva Temple Kemp Fort , Airport Road A 65-foot marble statue of Shiva holds centrestage at this recently built temple on Old Airport Road . The ginormous Shiva idol is seen seated in meditation , with Goddess Ganga flowing out of his matted locks – an artificial waterfall depicts her descent . A manmade replica of the Manasarovar lake with artificial caves and ' Jyothrilingas ' make this temple a popular attraction among the religiously-inclined .
lake is best-visited in the wee hours of the morning . Just across from Ulsoor Lake is the Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha .
Sankey Boat Club
Sankey Tank Another major lake in th
Bangalore from the late 19 century , the Sankey Tank was constructed by Col Richard Hieram Sankey to provide water to Malleswaram , a suburb in west Bangalore . While the 500-year-old manmade water body has been intrinsic to the ecology of Bangalore , it is also a tourist spot where you pedal and motor boat rides can be had across its greenish-blue expanse . There ' s a park built around the lake , making this space green and welloxygenated .
STREETS AND MARKETS
Brigade Road If you are in Bangalore , a visit to Brigade Road is a must in your itinerary . It is one of the biggest commercial centres in Bangalore . This busy shopping street is one of the favourite hang outs among Bangaloreans . The street is lined up with shops , restaurants and pubs . It also has many retail shops of international brands . Brigade Road connects M G Road with Residency Road and Hosur Road .
Commercial Street Commercial Street is the busiest commercial area in Bangalore . The street is the most famous shopping destination among Bangaloreans . There are a lot of shops of different items lined up in the street which include garments , accessories , jewellery , shoes , slippers , etc . Commercial Street offers you both expensive and inexpensive goods according to your budget .
100 feet Road Indiranagar 100 Feet Road situated in Indiranagar , is in a suburban part of Bangalore . This is one of the happening places in Bangalore today . A number of shops , restaurants , offices buildings are present in 100 Feet Road . You can also find many IT companies that have also established themselves in 100 Feet Road . Though the place has been commercialized , this part of Bangalore is still a very good residential area . This road also boasts of some of the good schools in the city . The road is also famous for the handicraft and furniture stores that line up on the street .
Residency Road This place is famous among the young people in Bangalore because of all the pubs that are
situated here . The famous Bangalore Club is one of the major attractions of this place . It is also popular for the Gateway Hotel located on this road . Apart from these , this place also has some prestigious educational institutes to its credit .
Cunningham Road Cunningham Road is one of the happening places in Bangalore . It is a perfect place to hang out with a lot of eateries that adorn the street . It has outlets of almost all the famous eateries and coffee shops to its credit . The famous Sigma Mall is situated on this road which attracts a lot of crowd .
80 Feet Road , Koramangala 80 Feet Road in Koramanagala is one of the fastest developing places in Bangalore . It is near to Forum Mall . The place has a lot of shops , restaurants and offices which makes it one of the happening places in Bangalore .
MALLS Mantri Square
Mantri Square is the largest mall in India . It is spreadout across 1 million sq . ft . having 250 + stores . The mall has a huge food court and a 6 screen multiplex . No . 1 , Sampige Road , Malleswaram + 91 80 3016 0000
The Forum The Forum , developed and brought to Bangalore by Prestige Group could be called
M G Road The ‘ South Parade ’ of Bangalore became Mahatma Gandhi Road or M G Road after the independence . This is one of the busiest roads in Bangalore with its shopping centres , office buildings and theatres . M G Road lies between Trinity Circle and Anil Kumble Circle . The much-awaited Bangalore Metro rail will pass through M G Road . p 18 whats around ?