Part 1 – Bangalore,Karnataka (6 & 7 June /2 Nights)
On 6 June 2011, we left the boys at my sis’ place in Kajang and took the Komuter Train to KL Sentral. It was a 40mins journey. From KL Sentral, we took Air Asia’s SkyBus and reached LCCT airport in an hour. Checked in tickets, then boarded AK241 to Bangalore at 3.25pm.
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| Bangalore Airport - N with his backpack |
Bangalore Airport was clean and spacious. Only setback was customer service. The passport counters were manned by unsmiling tired-looking middle aged men. And they weren't in uniform. One serious faced staff asked us for an address in Bangalore even though we didn’t have one. We had to ask a fellow passenger (Bala) to share his address.
First impression is important, missing were the fresh and smartly dressed staff who greet you as you enter a country and say ‘Welcome’. Well, on a brighter note, at least people queued.
First impression is important, missing were the fresh and smartly dressed staff who greet you as you enter a country and say ‘Welcome’. Well, on a brighter note, at least people queued.
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| Bangalore Airport Immigration check - people queued |
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| Equally excited me |
Bala, the fellow passenger from Coimbatore, but works in Bangalore, took us thru our first STD call to N’s cousin and host, Satish, for pick-up. While waiting, we had coffee outside the main entrance, in a café called Expresso at RS80 per cup! Expensive.
Bangalore’s cool air was refreshing. Bala took a ride with us into town and made lots of effort to convince us India is great. But whatever he said didn’t quite gel with what we saw in the streets. The horrendous construction everywhere causing massive jams. Vehicles squeezing into whatever space there is just to pass, and the endless blaring of horns. The dust and missing road pavements. People walking on the roadsides instead, oblivious to traffic all around and without mask. Men pissing with their backs turned. Shacks and tiny shops sitting on pavements. So chaotic!
Bangalore’s cool air was refreshing. Bala took a ride with us into town and made lots of effort to convince us India is great. But whatever he said didn’t quite gel with what we saw in the streets. The horrendous construction everywhere causing massive jams. Vehicles squeezing into whatever space there is just to pass, and the endless blaring of horns. The dust and missing road pavements. People walking on the roadsides instead, oblivious to traffic all around and without mask. Men pissing with their backs turned. Shacks and tiny shops sitting on pavements. So chaotic!
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| Bangalore roads |
It took a good 2 hours to reach Satish’ apartment. And when I opened the car to get down, I stepped right into a pile of cow dung! Great! Best welcome ever.
Satish and wife Supriya were gracious hosts. They sacrificed their bedroom for us and slept in the hall, I am not sure many in Malaysia will do this. Supriya ‘s briyani with chicken gravy was superb. In fact, this meal will remain the best throughout our stay in India. N’s other cousin, Prakash, helped book a day tour of Bangalore the next day. For RS400 for 2 pax, the full-day guided tour will cover 6 places of interest in Bangalore, in a non A/C mini bus.
Though scheduled for 7.30am, the bus took off only at 10.00am. They waited for all tourists to fully board the bus. We were the only non-Indian tourists, the rest were from other states in India. While waiting, we booked a package trip to Mysore the following day with the same operator. The package trip comprised a full day A/C bus tour of 10 places of interest in Mysore, 2 nights stay and a guide. Cost = RS2400 for 2 pax.
Though scheduled for 7.30am, the bus took off only at 10.00am. They waited for all tourists to fully board the bus. We were the only non-Indian tourists, the rest were from other states in India. While waiting, we booked a package trip to Mysore the following day with the same operator. The package trip comprised a full day A/C bus tour of 10 places of interest in Mysore, 2 nights stay and a guide. Cost = RS2400 for 2 pax.
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| The Travel and Tour Agency |
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| Our Bangalore Tour Mini-Bus |
Also while waiting, we cannot help but observe every aspect of the locals’ daily activities. The well-spoken tour operator and excellent marketeer, the patrons of a tiny restaurant who ate while standing, the tea served in very small portions in what looked like half cups, the easy manner in which everyone discarded rubbish, which is simply throw.
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| Stand-and-eat Food Stall |
We met this old gentlemen, smartly dressed using a cane, coolly reading a paper next to his dog, and what a dog it was - a Great Dane! A tall and huge fellow yet so gentle.
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| The Great Dane |
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| Our guide, Mahdev |
As the mini-bus left, the guide (Mahdev) gave a briefing. He said there is an entrance fee to some of these places so we had to fork out RS140 (RS70 each) to him; we also paid him a RS20 guide fee. Total cost for the Bangalore tour actually came up to RS500 for 2 pax.
The 6 places we visited in Bangalore were :-
1. Science Museum (Vishweshwaraiah Technological Museum (VIT Museum))
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| Science Museum - a 'clap and the bell rings' experiment |
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| Entrance to the Science Museum (note the school kids) |
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| The exhibit outside the Science Museum |
Wouldn’t recommend this place, tailored more for locals and students’ on study trips.
2. Venkatappa Art Gallery
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| Venkatappa Art Gallery, Bangalore |
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| The imposing Art Gallery |
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| The art collection |
Interesting collection of sculptures all carved in stone (camera disallowed here). And the building itself was well maintained.
3. Nandi Temple (Bull Temple)
Nandi means Bull. This is the 4th largest Nandi in India. The bull was oiled so it felt greasy when touched. It seems the devotees apply coconut oil . There was a gold trident on the bull’s forehead. The shrine in which the bull sat seemed small compared to the size of the Nandi.
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| The stairs leading up to the Bull Temple |
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| Bull Temple entrance |
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| The Nandi |
4. ISKCON Temple (The International Society for Krishna Conciousness)
I would say this was the best temple we ever visited in terms of crowd control, noise control and crowd behavior. There was an easy-to-follow system of movement in the compound leading up to the main shrine.
The vibration was good as soft chants were ongoing and played live and the whole place was clean. There was even a sign telling parents to control their children. Marketing and sale of merchandise were plentiful including the sale of food items. And prasad (free food) was available towards the end of the temple tour. ISKCON feeds a record 1.2 million school-going poor children every day.
They don’t allow camera inside; you need to surrender your camera which is tagged and deposited in a pouch that is then hung on a string like hanging clothes. Very secured I would say.
The vibration was good as soft chants were ongoing and played live and the whole place was clean. There was even a sign telling parents to control their children. Marketing and sale of merchandise were plentiful including the sale of food items. And prasad (free food) was available towards the end of the temple tour. ISKCON feeds a record 1.2 million school-going poor children every day.
They don’t allow camera inside; you need to surrender your camera which is tagged and deposited in a pouch that is then hung on a string like hanging clothes. Very secured I would say.
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| ISKCON from the outside (camera banned inside) |
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| ISCKON Temple lakeview |
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| ISCKON Temple on a hill |
5. Lalbagh Botanical Garden
This is a famous park in Bangalore. We were told to look out for a Glass House but we found it empty. We explored the park a bit, there is a mini-train that you can ride for a fee. We explored the many tiny shops that sold agricultural produce from banana fries, dried jackfruit and mangoes.
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| Lalbagh green park |
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| Lal Bagh trees |
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| Rock formation |
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| 3000 million years' granite |
6. Tippu Sultan’s Palace
Interesting place made of teakwood. The wood looked fragile, no wonder they had signs warning people not to touch or lean on the wooden doors and pillars. Looked like an ancient Baba Nyonya type of abode. But goodness, what is with kings, palace and pillars? Pillars are just about everywhere.
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| Tippu Sultan Palace entrance |
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| The Palace - From the 1st Floor Balcony |
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| Pillars and more pillars |
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| The description outside the palace |
For lunch, we were taken to Kamat Restaurant, a decent place. You can get a South Indian Thali set for RS40. We also ordered fresh mango juice and mousambi juice (lime). And mind you, the rice portions are huge. We really enjoyed this meal simply because we were so hungry at that time.
The other thing we noticed was that part of a typical package tour includes shopping visits. Usually it is the state-owned handicraft and souvenir shops. When we shopped at Karnataka State Emporium, we were told that prices here are cheaper than privately owned commercial shops. Mysore Silk Saree sold in Bangalore is said to be cheaper than those in Mysore.
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| Karnataka Arts & Crafts Emporium |
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| Silk Arts & Crafts Emporium |
Our last night in Bangalore, we wanted to see one of the most happening places. So, Satish and Supriya drove us for coffee at Garuda Mall near M.G.Road; and they treated us dinner (Naan and Chicken) at Gokul Restaurant in Indira Nagar – so much better tasting than all the Naans I have had in Malaysia!
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| Coffee with Satish and Supriya |
If you ask me to describe Bangalore in one or two words today, here is my list :-
1. Metro construction
2. Traffic congestion
3. Parks, greenery
4. Foreign cars
5. Auto rickshaws
6. Rubbish sweepers
7. Women heading to office
8. Men in pants
9. Pissing men
10. Multilingual people
11. Buses and buses
12. Schools, universities,colleges
13. Handphone shops
14. Indian Oil/Bharat Petroleum
15. Low-rise apartments
16. Children in neat uniform
17. Cool evenings
18. Billboards
19. People spitting
20. Cows and dogs
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| Bullock cart in the midst of a busy road, the guy actually stopped for a photo |
Some tips :-
- There aren’t that many places to visit in Bangalore; I would say it sufficient just to do a one day tour
-Traffic is bad, even short distances take a long time to get to
-Traffic is bad, even short distances take a long time to get to
- Don’t worry about food here; there are plenty of choices
- The climate is good, chill at night
- Most people are able to speak English
- Expect your travel in town to take longer than usual; traffic jam all over
Thank you...
Photos : NIKON COOLPIX P300
- Expect your travel in town to take longer than usual; traffic jam all over
Thank you...
- Satish for booking the online train tickets, for picking us up on arrival, and everything else
- Supriya for the wonderful dinner and company
- Prakash for booking the Bangalore tour (never got to say goodbye)
- Mr Chandru for the Bangalore/Mysore travel tips and info
- Mr Mahdev for the guide service
- Mr Mumbai jeweller, our tour companion
- Bala, N's flight companion for the healthy arguments about India
Photos : NIKON COOLPIX P300
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