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?