Vishwa Shanthi Ashram, Bangalore

Address: Vishwa Shanthi Ashram, Arasinakunte, Nelamangala Taluk, Bangalore- 562123

Maru Village, Karnataka

Maru Village Primary School for children

A road towards jungle

Side view of Maru village.

Lal Bagh Botanical Garden, Bangalore

Lalbagh Botanical Garden is considered to be one of the most diverse botanical garden in South Asia. Lalbagh Botanical Garden is located in the southern part of the city, about 4 km from Vidhana Soudha and M.G. Road (GEO 12.97°N 77.56°E). Lalbagh has four approach gates. The main gate is at the North facing towards Subbaiah circle, the West gate is towards Basavanagudi, the South gate is towards Jayanagar and the East gate is towards the Double Road.
Lal Bagh was initiated by Hyder Ali, one of the most famous ruler of Mysore in 1760 and was further devloped by his son Tipu Sultan. Further it was extended to the great heights by British Bureaucrats.
Lalbagh is currently under the aegis of the Directorate of Horticulture, Government of Karnataka. The Directorate is housed amidst the splendid environs of the botanical garden. Lalbagh was given the status of a Government Botanical Garden in 1856, and since then, it has been an internationally renowned centre for scientific study of plants and botanical artwork and also conservation of plants.

A Gelogical Monument for the Peninsular Gneiss formation is also a tourist attraction at the gardens. This monument has been erected by the Geological Survey of India on the Lal Bagh hill which is made up of 3000 million year old Peninsular Gneissic rocks. One of the four cardinal towers erected by Kemepgowda II, also a major tourist attraction, is seen above this hillock.

Lal Bagh remains open daily from 6.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. throughout the year. For the benefit of joggers, tourists and fitness enthusiasts, entry is free from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. At other times, a fee of Rs.10/- is charged. Entry for school children and the disabled is free all day.

Flower shows are conducted every year to educate people about the variety of flora and develop public interest in plant conservation and cultivation.

The Government of Karnataka organizes "Janapada Jaatre" in Lal Bagh on the second and fourth weekends (both Saturday and Sunday) of every month. Janapada Jaatre, which translates to Folk Fare, features Folk Dance, Music and Plays performed by troupes from all parts of Karnataka. The show mainly depicts the cultural folklore of Karnataka, the traditional costumes and musical instruments.

Coorg- Scotland of India, Karnataka

Coorg is known as 'Scotland of India', but comparing two places one of which is situated near North pole and Coorg which is near Tropical of Cancer, in India make no sense. Every place has its importance and nature do not duplicate itself.
Coorg (Kodagu) is a mountaineous district located in the south of india, know for its beautiful scenery. Those travelers who love nature, the unspoiled charm of villages should get off the beaten track and visit Coorg, a wild and rugged region located in the state of Karnataka.252 km away from Bangalore, capital of Karnataka, this place is heaven for nature lovers, photographers, researchers and trekkers.
The beautiful landscape of Coorg is a combination of shallow valleys, gentle slopes and intermingled swamps. The trees are spread widely opening up patches of grassland. Big timber trees like rosewoodand teak dominate the areas of the forests where the undergrowth is dense and rainfall is high. The areas of the forests that are drier provide a home for the shorter trees like the Flame of the Forest, bamboo, Indian Laburnum etc.
Attractions:


Medikeri:Madikeri is the headquarters for the district of Coorg and where you will find many interesting tourist attractions. Some of the more notorious attractions are the former Palace, the Raja Seat, the Omkareshwara Temple, the Fort and the Gaddige or Rajas' tombs.

Abbey Fall: It is not known that how this fall has got its name, but this fall is synonymous to Medikeri, situted 10 km from Medikeri.

Talcauvery: Every year, at a predetermined time, water gushes out from a small pond at Talacauvery, the birthplace of river Cauvery. Talacauvery is located 44 km from Madikeri, on the slopes of Brahmagiri Hill. Besides being a pilgrimage center, Talacauvery is known for its natural beauty.

Still at 62

India has moved up three places on the list of the world's attractive destinations, but is still at a low of 62nd position in the global ranking, which is topped by Switzerland, according to a report released by the World Economic Forum on Wednesday.

Switzerland is followed by Austria, Germany, France and Canada in the top five of the annual 'Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report' for 2009, which features a total of 133 countries.

India has moved up from its 65th position last year, but is still below its neighbour China, which has moved up to 43rd place from 52nd in 2008.

"India is ranked 11th in the (Asia-Pacific) region and 62nd overall, up three places since last year. As with China, India is well assessed for its natural resources (ranked 14th) and cultural resources (24th), with many World Heritage sites, both natural and cultural, rich fauna, and strong creative industries in the country," WEF said.

Bull Temple, Bangalore

Year of Construction: 1537 AD

Place: Basvangudi, South Bangalore. ‘Basava’ in Kanada means Bull and ‘Gudi’ means temple.

Transportation: BMTC and KSRTC buses are available at regular interval from Majestic Bus Stand, near Bangalore City Railway Station. One can also hire private car or auto to the temple.

Bull Temple is located on the Bungle Hill. Bull temple is one of the oldest temples in Bangalore and dedicated to Lord Nandi, the mount of Lord Shiva. This 4.5 meter tall and 6 meter long monolithic is much older than the temple housing it. The carving of lord Nandi is a typical style of Dravidian Architecture, and carved on a single granite rock. The Granite Rock turned black due to application of coconut oil during rituals and prayers.