Lalbagh Flower Show - January 2011

Every year in the month of January and August, the Lalbagh Gardens at Bangalore hosts Flower Show. If in Bangalore around this time one should not miss the event. (Click on the image for bigger picture)

In the month of January, it is usually organized for 10 days from January 17th to 26th. The theme for this year is metro transport system. To ease the traffic in city the metro train project is currently in progress.

This year another attraction at the event is one of the original city gate towers. It is beautifully made from colorful roses.

On display were lot of varieties of Anthuriam, Orchids, Celosia and Dianthus among others.

Every day thousands people enjoy the beauty of these flowers on display. It is mostly crowded in the evening on the weekdays. Best time to be in this place is the early afternoon. I had been here on the weekend afternoon. Even though it was crowded I had enough space to take some snaps.

Very minimal entrance fee is charged for the show. No charges for camera.

For more visit My World Tuesday

and Mosaic Monday

Elephants in Mysore Zoo

Mysore Zoo is the most popular zoo at Mysore (State: Karnataka) in India. There are various animals and birds at the zoo. One among them is Elephants.

They have been provides lot of space to move around. There are both Indian as well as African elephants here.

This is a nice place for the kids to get know about the various wild species. The trip through the zoo consumes more than half a day.

Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysore

The historical Chamundeshwari Temple of Goddess Durga is located on the top of Chamundi Hills about 13 km from Mysore (State: Karnataka). (Click on the image for bigger view)

The original shrine was built sometime in the 12th century by Hoysala rulers and its tower was probably built in the 17th century by the Vijayanagar rulers. The temple tower is seven story tall and is decorated with intricate carvings.

On top of the sanctum is a small tower that can be seen from outside the temple. Around the temple are small beautiful carvings of Goddess in black stone. They are present both on inner courtyard as well as outer walls of the temple.

When in Mysore, even though outside city the visit to the temple is really worth.

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Mellow Yellow Monday
and Mosaic Monday

Chamundi Hills, Mysore

The Chamundi Hills with an elevation of 1000 meters is located close to Mysore (State: Karnataka) as many interesting sites. The temple top cab reached either by vehicle or by climbing around 1500 steps. From the top you can get a panoramic view of the Mysore and surroundings. At the top of the the hill are few temples. most prominent among them is the temple of Goddess Chamundeshwari. (Click on images for bigger view)

En route to the top, one can see

• the large monolithic statue of Nandi the Bull.
• the statue of Demon Mahishasura.

At the top temple of Goddess Chamundeshwari

We started from Mysore to the Hills at around 7:00 a.m in the morning. It was drizzling on the the way. And at the top the temple tower was covered by mist. On the way we saw group of horse riders.

For more visit My World Tuesday
ABC Wednesday and Camera Critters

Bannerghatta National Park

Bannerghatta National Park (Karnataka) is at a distance of 22 kms from Bangalore. Total area of park is approximately 104 sq.kms and is covered by mostly dense forest and scrub land. It is home for various wild animals such as tiger, lion, bison, leopard, wild boar. (Click on the image for bigger picture)

Other attractions include a zoo, crocodile farm, butterfly park. In addition, a portion of the park is used as a sanctuary for rescued wild animals, mainly from circuses. Below are set of images from the zoo.

On Tuesdays, the Park remains closed.

Barah Kaman, Bijapur

Barah Kaman constructed in 1672, is an another interesting monument in Bijapur (State: Karnataka). It is the incomplete mausoleum of Ali Adil Shah II. (Click on the images for bigger picture)

It is an elegant structure with 12 interleaving graceful arches. It was previously named as Ali Roza, but later ruler of Bijapur changed its name to its current name of Barah Kaman as this was the 12th monument during his reign.

It has the tombs containing the graves of Bijapur ruler Ali, and his queens.

For more visit Shadow Shot Sunday

ASI Museum, Shimoga

In Shimoga (State: Karnataka) in the fort area is the 16th century Shivappa Nayak Palace of Keladi Dynasty. Today, this palace also serves as a museum for Archeological Survey of India (ASI). (Click on the images for bigger view)

Like any other museum on display are here various sculptures belonging to various periods. Apart from the sculptures there are also manuscripts on display. The sculptures are not only inside the palace, but also out in the garden. Here we will see some of the sculptures that are inside the palace.

Above is the idol of Jain Thirtankara Adinath belonging to the 12th century A.D. Every detail is carved beautifully.

Above is the idol of Gajalaksmi belonging to 11th century A.D. Here Goddess Lakshmi can be seen flanked by elephants on either side.

Above is the idol of Mahisusaramardini belonging to 12th century A.D. Every detail is carved beautifully.

St. Aloysius Chapel, Mangalore

The St. Aloysius Chapel in Mangalore (State: Karnataka) is located in the campus of St. Aloysius College. In 1184, it was built by the Italian Jesuit Antonio Moscheni (Click on the image for bigger view).

The chapel which looks simple externally is an architectural gem. People who have seen chapels outside India say that it can be compared with any other chapels in Rome.

The uniqueness of the chapel is in the paintings inside the chapel that cover every inch of the walls. The paintings are still in good shape. A glimpse of painting can be seen in the above image.

Mysore Zoo

Mysore (State: Karnataka) the heritage city is located at a distance of 145 kms from Bangalore. Here there are various tourist attractions. One among them is Mysore Zoo. Established in 1892, it is one of the oldest and most popular zoos in India. It is home to a wide range of wild species. Officially the zoo is named as Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, named after the founder of the zoo.

This is one of the well maintained place, where animals are well taken care of. This is a nice place for the kids to get know about the various wild species. The trip through the zoo consumes more than half a day.

Shimoga

The city of Shimoga (State: Karnataka) is located at a distance of 274 kms from Bangalore. The city is well connected by road and rail links. The city has its own historical importance.

It has been part of various dynasties since 3rd century such as Mauryans, Kadambas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Rashtrakutas and the Vijayanagara rulers till late 17th century. There are several places of historical importance in and around the city. There are a quiet lot of natural beautiful places around the city.

Places of interest in the city are:

• Shivappa Nayaka Palace
• Kote Sri Seeta-Rama Temple
• Sacred Heart Cathedral
• ASI Museum (1, 2)
  

Poinsettia

The Lalbagh Botanical Garden, Bangalore the Garden City is a lush green paradise with an area of 240 acres in the heart of the city. (Click on the images for bigger view)

Recently I had been to Lalbagh with guests. As they were the plant lovers they wanted to check out the nursery. Since, it was the December month we could see the Poinsettia the Christmas Flower.

In Mexico, it is also known as the "Flower of Holy Night".

Upli Burj, Bijapur

Upli Burj constructed in 1584, is an another interesting site in Bijapur (State: Karnataka). General Hyder Khan in the service of ruler Ibrahim II built this watch tower. (Click on the images for bigger picture)

This is a circular tower measuring 80 ft in height. There are 70 steps leading to the top of the tower where there are 2 canons. This tower is also known as Hyder Burj.

Flowering Tree - Red Bottle Brush

Bangalore (State: Karnataka) known as Garden City true to its name as lot of flowering trees on either side of most of the roads. They bloom with flowers of various colors. One such tree is Bottle Brush tree also known as Callistemon. (Click on the images for bigger view)

The flowers are bright red, and attract nectar-feeding birds and insects. The flower spikes of this tree are made of several individual flowers. The name is apt as can bee seen from the bright red flowers which have the shape of a bottle brush.

The tree grow only as big as 15 feet. They enhance the beauty of any garden. They grow superbly in the regions where the climate is warm, humid, and receive full sunlight. The flowers produces small woody fruit that contain numerous seeds.

The fine leaves and the bright red inflorescence make this tree one of the beautiful trees that enhances the landscaping of any gardens or parks.

Taj Bawdi, Bijapur

Taj Bawdi constructed in 1620, is one of the interesting sights in Bijapur (State: Karnataka). Ruler Ibrahim Adil Shah built this well in honor of his queen Taj Sultana. (Click on the images for bigger picture)

It measures 223 sq feet and 52 feet deep. The entrance to the well has a 35 feet span majestic arch and is flanked by two octagonal towers. On the eastern and western sides of the tower there were the rest houses for the tired travelers. Beyond the archway is a small platform and a flights of stairs on either sides of the platform leads one to the water.

This place is not maintained that well, and if not taken care soon will be ruins. The landscape of Bijapur is full of historic monuments. Every inch of a place here has a tale of its own to depict. It is impossible to maintain them, unless the people themselves take the initiative.

Shivappa Nayaka Palace, Shimoga

In Shimoga (State: Karnataka) the fort originally had occupied around 200 acres of land. Of which now only 10 acres of land is occupied by fort area. Even though I could not see any fort walls, I did see a 16th century palace built by ruler Shivappa Nayak of Keladi Dynasty. This beautiful palace is situated on the banks of river Tunga in the old city. (Click on the images for bigger view)

This was much larger structure, of which currently only the Durbar Hall survives the ravages of the war against Bahmani Kings. The Durbar Hall is built with wooden pillars giving an elevation of almost twenty feet from the ground level.

The carved pillars and artificial roofs is made of teak and rosewood. The roof of the palace is covered with Mangalore tiles. The wooden staircase leads up to the first floor. And there is a projected wooden balcony in the central part.

There are beautiful floral carvings on the pillars and arches between the pillars.

The architecture of the palace is Indo-Saracenic where one can see elements of Rajput, Islamic styles. Today, this palace also serves as a museum for Archeological Survey of India (ASI). The palace is maintained by ASI and as of today no charge or ticket for visiting this elegant palace.

Flowers of Cubbon Park, Bangalore

The Cubbon Park or "Sri. Chamarajendra Park" in the heart of the Bangalore (State: Karnataka) city and it occupies around 250 acres of area. (Click on the images for bigger view)

It is home for several variety of flowers.

For more visit Ruby Tuesday

Festival of Lights

Deepavali is rightly called "Festival of Lights" as can be seen from the images here. It is celebrated for 5 days and on all nights the sky is lighted by bursting crackers.

The crackers light the sky with various designs and patterns.

These are some of the images on the night of Deepavali sky over Bangalore.

At this time in India the sky is brightly lighted.

Queen Victoria Statue, Bangalore

Cubbon Park in Bangalore (State: Karnataka) is one of the biggest parks in the city. There are several statues installed in this park.

In the year 1906, the Statue of Queen Victoria of Britain is installed in this park.

This statue is located at one end of the park near Mahatama Gandhi Circle.

Flowering Tree - Bauhinia Variegata

Bangalore (State: Karnataka) known as Garden City true to its name as lot of flowering trees on either side of most of the roads. They bloom with flowers of various colors. One such tree is Bauhinia Variegata popularly known as "Orchid Tree" (Click on the images for bigger view)

It is an ornamental tree grown in subtropical and tropical climates from southern China west to India. The flowers are conspicuous, bright pink or white, 8-12 cm diameter. These scented flowers have only five petals.

It is a small to medium-sized tree growing to 10-12 m tall. The leaves of the tree are broad and split in the middle.

During the season the tree is full of flowers and with green leaves and pink flowers they look lovely.

Nadi Narasimha Temple, Dodda Mallur

This small temple is located right on the banks of a river Kanva. If one gets out of the temple from one of its entrance they can get down into river. The deity of the temple is Lord Narasimha. As it is on the edge of river (nadi) the name of the temple is "Nadi Narasimh". But we had been here in peak summer and river had dried up. (Click on images for bigger view)

The temple is belied to be 1000 years old, but it might have been renovated some 300 years back. The brick wall seen above is not part of the temple. It is an enclosure build around the temple to provide shade.

The towers of the temples have beautiful sculptures and they have been painted. If on one side of the temple there is river, on the other three sides are sugarcane field, vegetable field and coconut garden.

How to Reach: It is located at a distance of 70 kms from Bangalore on State Highway 17 en-route to Mysore. There is a diversion to the right, 2 kms after Channapatna. After passing through a railway Crossing on this road, a mud road will lead to the temple.