55 Brilliant Bangalore Facts About The 'Silicon Valley Of India'

Popularly called the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore is a soulful city, located in Southern India, where nature and city life beautifully meets.

With nature and traffic literally everywhere, the colorful city chaos is nicely complemented with natural scenic spots that you can witness in and around Bangalore. Your visit to Bangalore is more likely unfinished if you have not tried some delicious Rava Idlis.

Keep reading to learn more about this mouth-smacking south Indian delicacy, along with other interesting facts about the beautiful city of Bangalore.
 

Origin and History of Bangalore

Previously known as Bangalore, this Indian city was renamed in 2014, to Bengaluru, after the persistence of locals to restore its original name.

Even years after being renamed, the city continues to be popularly known as Bangalore among tourists and native migrants from Northern India.

Bangalore is the first city in the country, which organizes the Cartoon Gallery. The Cartoon Gallery exhibits famous works by renowned cartoonists around the country.

Inaugurated in 1959, Bangalore is the first city in India, where the oldest radio club was started. The club goes by the name of Bangalore Amateur Radio club.

The Bangalore Club is touted as one of the most elite clubs, which was established in 1868 by the British.

Bangalore is also accredited with being the birthplace of Bangalore Torpedo, an explosive designed by Captain McClintock, used in World War II.

Fun Fact: You can hear the word 'Bangalore' in the opening sequence of the game, 'Call of Duty WWII'.

Bangalore is home to many of the local south Indian cuisines. Over the last two decades, this garden city also saw a huge influx of northern Indians migrating to the city.

This also introduced locals to some of the famous north Indian and Indo-Chinese snacks, which you will find at almost every corner.

The now-popular Rava Idlis were originally created as a result of rice shortage. During World War II, the city experienced an unfortunate shortage of rice, which is typically used to make traditional Idlis.

To combat this issue, the Mavalli Room chain of restaurants used rava as a substitute for rice, which is how the journey of delicious Rava Idlis to our plates began.

This fluffy rava cake is a breakfast delight, which you should not miss for light munching.
 

Bangalore Climate and Population

Bangalore city is the fourth most populous city in India, with an estimated population of 8.4 million.

The city shelters both native and non-native Kannadigas. At present, only 41% of local Kannadigas currently reside in the city.

Bangalore ranks first when it comes to the most densely populated city in the country. You can literally feel the density of its population if you are traveling by foot, car, or public transport.

Considered the city with the highest congestion, the traffic in Bangalore is so terrible, that even locals have made memes and jokes out of their gruesome traffic experience.

If there is anything that locals love to boast about Bangalore, it is the city's weather. Given that Bangalore is located about 3000 ft (914 m) above sea level, the city's climate is pleasant all year round.

The summers and winters are so pleasant that you would get a spring-feel all year round, except in the months of May and June.

Unlike most of the other cities in the world, every month is a month to plan your visit to Bangalore. It can be enjoyed most of the year and never gets too cold.
 

Tourist Attractions in Bangalore

From stunning temples to national botanical gardens and parks, this city houses some of the best tourist attractions in the country. So, no matter which age group you fall into, there is something for everyone.

The most recommended place to visit in Bangalore by locals, has to be the Lalbagh Botanical Garden. This beautiful garden, located in the center of the city, was built in 1760 by Hyder Ali.

Lalbagh is a perfect relaxation spot, which offers you some fresh air to breathe amidst all the hustle and bustle. The garden is spread over 95 ac (0.3 sq km) of landscape and is particularly known for its rose garden.

It also has a tree, which is believed to have been around for more than a century. Aquariums and lakes are other spots within the garden, which you and your kids will definitely love. To enter the garden, you must buy a ticket.

Followers of Krishna Consciousness will know a thing or two about ISKON temples that are located all around the globe. Inaugurated in 1997, the ISKON temple of Bangalore is not merely a temple, but also a spiritual ground dedicated to the deities of Sri Radha Krishna.

Nandi Hills is one of the best campsites in south India, located about 37 miles (60 km) away from the city, where you can submit yourself to nature.

Locals refer to this place for people interested in experiencing sunrise and sunset while feeling the cool air on their skin, because it is located above sea level.

Nandi Hills is the best place for hikers who wish to set up camps and enjoy the pleasant weather up below the clouds. You can visit the hills whenever you want to, except at night, and there is no entry fee required.

Located nearby, on the outskirts of the city, Bannerghatta National Park makes up a significant fraction of sightseeing in Bangalore. The park has a vast variety of flora and fauna and is spread over an area of about 25946 ac (105 sq km).

The park is known to have established the country's first butterfly park, which began operating in 1970. From tigers to crocodiles, to other exotic animals, there is plenty of nature and various animal species to experience.

For those of you who like visiting religious sites, be sure to head to St. Mary Basilica. The church was built in 1882 and is considered to be the oldest church in the city.

Even if you are not religious, you should still visit St. Mary Basilica to appreciate its appealing architecture from medieval times.

This church's intricate architectural details and vibe are so mesmerizing that they are sure to take you back to the colonial days.

For all the shopping and dining lovers, Bangalore's Commercial Street is the place to be. The street is located in the Central Business District of Bangalore and is flooded with many small vending shops and thrift stores.

You can also find some of the best boutiques in the city for tourists who are into high-end products. Once you are finally done with your shopping spree, be sure to gorge on some of the famous street foods that Bangalore has to offer.

One of the biggest water amusement parks in the state is Bangalore's Wonder La, which attracts thousands of visitors every day. This park is a perfect place for someone who is into experiencing thrill and an adrenaline rush.

The Wonder La Park features a large variety of fun water rides that are safe and inexpensive at the same time. The ticket charges start at 700 INR ($9) and while some of the rides would cost you individually, there are about 60 rides, which you can enjoy for free.

Considered as the mecca of startups, the focal point of many IT startups and industries in India has always been Bangalore. So, when you visit Bangalore, be sure to check out some of the headquarters of major tech companies, including Wipro, ISRO, Infosys, and Adobe.

This beautiful garden city is also home to many research institutions, including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Who says tourist attractions can only be places? Well, traditional cuisines and street food also make up a huge fraction of tourist attractions in Bangalore.

There are various restaurants and vendors, where you can try some of the traditional and contemporary south Indian cuisines loved by foreign tourists.

Bisi Bele Bhath, or Hot Dal Rice, is a popular local dish that is made out of lentils, rice, and veggies. A popular south Indian version of Khichdi, the dish is unique in the way it tastes and smells. The secret ingredient is khadi leaves.

Bisi Bele Bhath is a very common rice staple found in most south Indian restaurants and is usually served with boondi raita and namkeen.

Idlis and dosas are two loved items available practically everywhere in the city, including small street vendors and high-end restaurants. People enjoy them with Sambhar and coconut or peanut chutney.

Paper dosa is one of the famous versions of dosas, which locals love for its crunchiness. They are so thin that you can literally see through them. With sambhar on the side, this dish is very popular and must be tried by visitors.

Gobi Manchurian found its way into the city's heart in the last two decades.

It is probably one of the most chomped-on Indo-Chinese cuisines that will give you the best of both worlds. RS Shiv Sagar offers some of the spiciest Gobi Manchurians you would ever have in your lifetime.

Bangalore not only gets the credit for innovating Rava Idlis. In fact, Bangalore has credits for many innovative cuisines under its belt, too, including Bun Nippat.

Bun Nippat is a crisp, deep-fried masala chaat sandwiched between fresh buns. Usually tossed with cheese and onions, this dish is a firm favorite of the kids. Check out Chetty's Corner to try some of the best Bun Nippats in the city.

Bangalore is equally famous for its non-vegetarian cuisines with a touch of south Indian spices. There are many steakhouses around the city, where top-quality steak is served with your choice of cut.

From rare to medium-rare, the steaks are so flavorsome and delicious that you cannot help but ask for more. If you are someone who doesn't like to take chances on your steak, head to the Millers 46.

You would be amiss to end your meal and your food spree without indulging in some traditional desserts. Mysore Pak, as the name hints, originated in Mysore, but is now available all around the Karnataka state.

Mysore Pak is a flavorsome sweet dish prepared from ghee, sugar, and gram flour, and the texture is reminiscent of a buttery, dense cookie. Visit Annand Sweets or Gundappa Sweets to try some authentic Mysore Pak.

Did you know...

If you are still craving more Bangalore facts, we have some more in our bucket to share with you.

Bangalore was initially the capital of the Mysore state. In 1956, when Karnataka was formed, Bangalore was then announced as the capital of the Karnataka state.

Bangalore is perhaps the only city with the highest number of Nobel Prize nominees. C.V. Raman, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1930 for the Raman Effect, also hailed from Bangalore.

R.K. Narayan authored the famous novel series, 'Maalgudi Ki Kahaniyan'. The inspiration of Narayan's fictional town of Malgudi was none other than Bangalore.

Bangalore was the first city in India to get electricity in 1905, thanks to the development of the hydroelectric power plant at Shivanasamudra, which is located at the shores of the River Kaveri.

'Bangalored' is a term coined by Americans, to tease an employee whose job was outsourced to an IT office in Bangalore. There is an English movie called 'Outsourced', based on this principle.

There have been many titles and recognitions awarded to Bangalore over the years. For instance, Bangalore is also called the City of Gardens as well as the City of Lakes, because of the number of well-maintained gardens and lakes around the city.

Bangalore is known as the Silicon Valley of India, because it claims the number one spot of being India's leading IT (Information Technology) exporter.

In Bangalore, there is a palace that was modeled on Windsor Palace in England, named Bangalore Palace.

The official language of Bangalore is Kannada.

There are over 13 million people living in the metro area of Bangalore.