Postcards from India

Via Milano

2008-03-16T23:11:00.001+05:30

Via Milano [#607, Asha Plaza, 3rd Floor, 80ft Peripheral Road, Koramangala] serves some authentic Italian food in a very elegant and minimalistically decorated restaurant.

Cauvery Emporium

2008-03-15T21:59:00.000+05:30

Cauvery Karnataka State Arts & Crafts Emporium [#49, M.G. Road] sells sandalwood and rosewood carvings, carpets and silks. www.cauverycrafts.com

Bangalore Palace

2008-03-15T21:44:00.000+05:30

Bangalore Palace [Sankey Road, Vasanth Nagar] (influenced by the architecture of Windsor Palace) is a decrepid building that the owner (Wodayar Raja of Mysore) is in the process of renovating. To pay for these renovations, he charges an exhorbitant Rs. 200 for a tour which consists largely of family photos displayed in rundown rooms and corridors. Don't even think of trying to take a photo, either inside or outside the palace as you will be charged Rs. 500 (about $13) for the privilege. If you want my advise -- skip this place.

Grand Safari

2008-03-15T21:40:00.002+05:30

White tiger

Grand Safari combines herbivore, bear, lion, and tiger safaris into an hour long tour of Bannerghatta Biological Park.

Bannerghatta Biological Park

2008-03-15T21:35:00.001+05:30

Elephants in the zoo

Bannerghatta Biological Park (also known as Bannerghatta National Park) is located 25km south of Bangalore. The park houses a zoo, an aquarium, and a museum.

Kashmir Government Arts Emporium

2008-03-12T22:37:00.001+05:30

Kashmir Government Arts Emporium [#49, Commercial Street] sells beautiful pashmina/woollen shawls, silk/woollen carpets, wood carving items, and chain stitch rugs.

Kashmir Arts & Crafts

2008-03-12T22:33:00.001+05:30

Kashmir Arts & Crafts [#175, Commercial Street] offers pashmina shawls, silk scarves, handicrafts, hand-made wall hangings, and table covers at good prices.

100ft

2008-03-10T23:09:00.001+05:30

100ft Boutique Restaurant [#777/I, 100ft Road, HAL 2nd Stage, Indira Nagar] is a boutique, a bar, and a restaurant that offers Mediterranean cuisine in a quiet lounge setting. The boutique sells various items ranging from cushions and curtains to coffee mugs and pottery.

St. Mary's Basilica

2008-03-09T20:57:00.001+05:30

St. Mary's Basilica

St. Mary's Basilica, built in Gothic-style, is the oldest church in Bangalore and the only church in Karnataka state that has the status of a basilica.

Gomateshvara statue

2008-03-08T22:33:00.000+05:30

Statue of Lord Bahubali

Most people come to Shravana Belagola to see the 1000-year-old giant statue of Lord Bahubali on top of Indragiri Hill. 18-metre high, this is the world's tallest monolithic statue.

Shravana Belagola

2008-03-08T22:21:00.001+05:30

View from Indragiri Hill

Shravana Belagola is a small town situated between Indragiri and Chandragiri Hills. It is named after the tank (pond) lying in the middle of the town. In Kannada, bel means white and kola means pond. This important Jain pilgrimmage centre is located 145km west of Bangalore.

Lost in translation

2008-03-06T22:10:00.000+05:30

At the entrance of HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) airport there is a sign that reads "Beware of your belongings".

Cricket

2008-03-05T20:46:00.001+05:30

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. Indians are very passionate about it. There is even one TV channel that shows cricket matches 24/7! Yesterday, Team India has outplayed the world champions (Team Australia) and had their first tri-series win in Brisbane, Australia. Only a couple of days earlier, the Under-19 team has won the World Cup in Malaysia.

Bindu

2008-03-04T21:19:00.003+05:30

Milan with bindu

Bindu is a small dot worn by Hindus in the middle of the forehead or between the eyebrows at the point of the third eye. It is made of red powder (kunkuma), sandalpaste or clay. It is a sign that one is a Hindu. It is also a form of a blessing one receives from the priest in a Hindu temple. It represents the "third eye," or the "mind's eye," which sees things that the physical eyes can't see. Bindu in Sanskrit means "A drop; small particle; a dot." -- from www.experiencefestival.com/bindu

Ayda

2008-03-01T23:16:00.002+05:30

Ayda Restaurant [#1, 1st Floor, Church Street] serves Persian along with Indian cuisine.

St. Andrew's Church

2008-03-01T23:09:00.000+05:30

St. Andrew's Church

St. Andrew's Church (The 'Kirk') [#27, Cubbon Road] is Scots' Presbyterian church, built in 1864 to the North of the British Cantonment.

Ulsoor Lake

2008-03-01T23:03:00.001+05:30

Ulsoor Lake

Ulsoor Lake [close to M.G. Road], spread over 1.5 kilometres, is the biggest and most beautiful lake in Bangalore.

Laundry service

2008-03-01T22:57:00.001+05:30

Drying the laundry

Typical scene of how laundry is washed and dried in the outdoors.

Cake Walk

2008-03-01T22:51:00.003+05:30

Cake Walk [#297, 100ft Road, Indira Nagar] has excellent selection of cakes and pastries. Their chocolate-almond cake is one of my favourites.

ISKCON Temple

2008-03-01T22:45:00.003+05:30

ISKCON Sri Radha Krishna Temple

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Temple [Hare Krishna Hill, Chord Road] is one of the most popular (and highly commercialized) places of worship in Bangalore. www.iskconbangalore.org

Bengaluru International Airport

2008-02-29T21:20:00.003+05:30

On March 31, Bangalore will get a brand new airport -- Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) at Devanahalli, about 45 minutes northeast of city centre. www.bialairport.com

International Tech Park, Bangalore

2008-02-29T21:06:00.007+05:30

The International Tech Park, Bangalore or ITPB (also known as International Tech Park Limited or ITPL) [Whitefield Road, Whitefield] is one of India's first world-class IT parks. ITPB consists of six buildings named Discoverer, Innovator, Creator, Explorer, Inventor, and Navigator. Over 130 IT companies have their offices located here. www.intltechpark.com

Very, very Indian

2008-02-26T23:36:00.004+05:30

Indian food is very tasty. But often, it is very hot (spicy), very salty, and very greasy -- none of which is good for one's health.

Cubbon Park

2008-02-23T22:45:00.003+05:30

Quiet time in the park

Cubbon Park is Bangalore's version of Central Park. It was created in 1864 and named after Sir Mark Cubbon who was Bangalore's Commissioner.

Ebony

2008-02-23T22:31:00.001+05:30

Ebony Restaurant [Barton Centre 13th Floor, #84, M.G. Road], located at the top of Barton Centre, has the best view on town centre. Their mutton dhansak (mutton in lentil gravy), a traditional Parsi dish, is very delicious.