On
a grassy expanse over a few hundred acres in the centre
of Bangalore is Cubbon Park, planned and laid out in
1864 by Sir Richard Sankey, the then
Chief Engineer of Mysore. It is named after Sir Mark
Cubbon, Bangalore's longest serving Commissio-
ner. Lawns with vibrant flower beds, shady bowers and
flowering trees, make this an ideal place for fitness
freaks and the elderly to take their morning jogs or
evening walks. The Park has elegant classical buildings
like Attara Kacheri (the Karnataka High Court) and the
Visveswaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, Government
Museum, Aquarium, Venkatappa Art Gallery and Seshadri
Iyer Memorial Hall, all of which are well known. Besides
these, it also houses Bal Bhavan - an amusement park
for children.
Cubbon Park is open to the public at all times, but
is closed to traffic from 5 am to 8 am every day.
Click
below for viewing high resolution pictures. The
wait will be worth your while!
Click
here
to see the map location of Cubbon Park.
Click
here
to see the 360 Degree View of Cubbon Park.
Lalbagh
Park
Surrounding
one of the towers erected by Kempe Gowda, the founder
of Bangalore, is the 240 acre landscaped Lal Bagh gardens.
Haider Ali, the warrior-king of Mysore, decided to create
this garden in 1740 on the lines of the Mughal Gardens
that were popular during his time.
The park has some rare species of plants brought from
Persia, Afghanistan and France. Hyder Ali's son, Tipu
Sultan, added to the beauty of the garden by publicising
his wish to receive much-sought-after species of plants
from visiting dignitaries.
With an intricate watering system for irrigation, Lal
Bagh is aesthetically designed, with lawns, flower beds,
lotus pools and fountains. Most of the centuries old
trees are labelled for easy identification.
During season, the rose garden is beautiful to behold.
Apparently, when the young Tipu saw this profusely flowering
rose garden he exclaimed, "Lal Bagh!" and
that is how Lal Bagh got its name!
While walking around, do not miss the Lal Bagh Rock,
one of the oldest rock formations on earth actually
dating back to 3000 million years!
The
Glass House, a later addition to the Garden, now hosts
a permanent flower show which is in addition to the
extravaganza held every year on Independence Day and
Republic Day.
The Lal Bagh Botanical Gardens, as it is called now,
is open to public from 9 am to 6 pm for a nominal fee
of Rs.2/- for persons above 12 yrs. In addition, for
the benefit of early morning joggers, and fitness freaks,
the gates are open from 6 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 7 pm,
when entry is free of charge. Entry for school children
and the disabled is free.
Click
below to view high resolution pictures. The wait will
be worth your while!
Click
here to see the 360 Degree
View of LalBagh Glass House.
CARIAPPA
MEMORIAL PARK
As
a memorial to Field Marshall K.M. Cariappa of
Karnataka, the Cariappa Park was laid out in 1996
in a portion of the parade
grounds between M.G. Road and Cubbon Road. Spread
over 22 acres, the park has six segments, an entrance
plaza and a seven-feet monolithic monument of Cariappa.
There is a huge man-made waterfall and a pond that
attracts birds to the park. At the bandstand which
is an elevated lawn, six military bands perform every
fortnight. The grassy dunes around the bandstand provide
comfortable seating for the public. The garden is
maintained by various divisions of the Army.
A play area has been scientifically created in military
style to improve physical strength and mental co-ordination
of children. There are sand pits, a spiderweb, Tarzan-swing,
Burma bridge, zig-zag tunnels and balance bars.
A walker's track, paved with cobblestones, is 1.8
kms long. About 3000 species of plants and trees both
indigenous and imported can be found here. In an effort
to be eco-friendly, no chemical fertilisers or pesticides
are used for growth or maintenance of the plants.
Cariappa Memorial Park is open to public on Saturdays
between 1 pm and 7 pm, on Sundays between 9 am and
7 pm, and during the rest of the days between 5:30
pm and 8 pm. Eatables, drinks and pets are not allowed
inside.
Click
below to view high resolution pictures. The wait will
be worth your while!
Click
here to see the map location
of Cariappa Memorial Park.
Bal
Bhavan
Bal
Bhavan, within the Cubbon Park is an imaginatively planned
amusement park and recreation centre for the young.
Children will enjoy the 1.5 km long ride on a toy train
through the park. They can also visit the Doll's museum
which has an interesting collection of dolls and toys
from all over the world.
A
mini park has swings, horse rides and tree houses. To
trigger the enquiring mind there is a 20 million year
old tree, a gift from the Geological Survey of India.
The Vijayaranga Theatre screens children's films and
stages plays. Craft and hobby classes for children are
also conducted in Bal Bhavan.
Click below to view high resolution pictures. The wait
will be worth your while!
Click
below to view high resolution pictures. The wait will
be worth your while!
Going to a zoo can be a vastly different
experience from seeing animals in the wild. Although
the Bannerghatta Park is not on the scale of Jim Corbett
National Park, it does give nature lovers a glimpse
of wild animals in their natural habitat. Situated 25
km from the heart of the city, its main attractions
are bisons, lions, bears, elephants and panthers among
other wildlife. It also has a Serpentarium and a crocodile
farm. Being a picnic spot it is always teeming with
people.
The park officials organise a Tiger Safari, Lion Safari
and a Grand Safari for those interested. You could also
wander through the Zoological Garden, with its canopy
of shady and sturdy trees, find a quiet resting spot
beside a pond and watch waterfowl frolic. A children's
corner provides an added attraction. Trekking enthusiasts
will enjoy Uddigebande (3.5 kms.) a natural rock formation
called Hajjamana Kallu (3 kms.) and Mirza Hill (1.5
kms.)
Another major attraction now in the park area
is a Butterfly park. It houses a large variety of these
colourful creatures that you feel tempted to hold them.
But do not touch them and see them flying all over the
place.
Location: 22 kms. south of Bangalore Area: 104.27
sq. kms. Flora and Fauna: Dry deciduous forests and
thorny scrub, with patches of moist deciduous forests
along the streams. Mammals: They include the elephant,
gaur, leopard, jackal, fox, wild pig, sloth bear, sambar,
spotted deer, bears barking deer, common langur, bonnet
macaque, porcupine and the hare. The tourist area in
the north of the Park has a lion safari, tiger safari,
herbivore safari, a mini zoo, a reptile park, a butterfly
park, mini aviary and a museum. Best Season for Visit:
Year-round. .
Click
here to see the map location of Bannerghatta National
Park.
Click
here to see the colorful butterflies of Bannerghatta
National Park.
7:59:45 AM 
Surrounding
one of the towers erected by Kempe Gowda, the founder
of Bangalore, is the 240 acre landscaped Lal Bagh gardens.
Haider Ali, the warrior-king of Mysore, decided to create
this garden in 1740 on the lines of the Mughal Gardens
that were popular during his time. 
rade
grounds between M.G. Road and Cubbon Road. Spread
over 22 acres, the park has six segments, an entrance
plaza and a seven-feet monolithic monument of Cariappa.
There is a huge man-made waterfall and a pond that
attracts birds to the park. At the bandstand which
is an elevated lawn, six military bands perform every
fortnight. The grassy dunes around the bandstand provide
comfortable seating for the public. The garden is
maintained by various divisions of the Army. 
Going to a zoo can be a vastly different
experience from seeing animals in the wild. Although
the Bannerghatta Park is not on the scale of Jim Corbett
National Park, it does give nature lovers a glimpse
of wild animals in their natural habitat. Situated 25
km from the heart of the city, its main attractions
are bisons, lions, bears, elephants and panthers among
other wildlife. It also has a Serpentarium and a crocodile
farm. Being a picnic spot it is always teeming with
people.
