Bangalore, India Travel Pictures

By lying at 900 meters above sea level, Bangalore has a temperate, comfortable climate, even in summer. Despite being the high tech capital of India, it's infrastructure is in poor state and air quality, especially near the roads, is appalling. There are day or two's worth of interesting sights in the city and a day trip to Mysore adds to it's attractiveness. Bangalore is one of the few cities which still have metered auto-rickshaws. Others such as Delhi or Chennai have gone over to pre-negotiated fares. I stayed at the Hotel Empire International (click for review) while I was there, which was quite acceptable.

Justly proud fruit seller with his impeccable produce in the City Market area

Highly revered small shine

Hawker-lady in the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

At the bull temple with the massive granite Nandi inside

Corn-on-the-cob is popular, cheap and tasty

In one of the first-floor rooms of Tipu Sultan's Palace

Exhaust fumes from unfiltered combustion engines create evening smog

Young fruit seller wetting her wares

Fruit seller with intricately cut pineapple ready for business

The glasshouse in the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens was built in 1889 to commemorate the visit of Prince Albert of Wales to Bangalore. Designed on the lines of the Crystal Palace in London, the Glass House was built to provide a sequestered locale for flower shows.

Lalbagh Botanical Garden view

Nandi posing for a photograph at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

A rocky hill at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens declared a national geological monument. A plaque says: "This monument is over a typical exposure of peninsular Gneiss, a geological term for a complex mixture of granite rocks extensively developed in peninsular India. The peninsular Gneiss is among the oldest rocks of the earth dating back to 3000 million years"

Inside Tipu Sultan's Palace, completed in 1791. The pillars are of teak

Lots of stuff gets transported in this fashion. Safety second (or third)

Bangalore Fort entrance. Unfortunately, it had already closed

The wares of these vegetable hawkers at City Market seem to be in high demand

Intricate decoration made out of flowers

Two friends

The outer facade of the Bull Temple

The top decoration of a temple

This shop was sporting loads of glitzy, illuminated, flashing religious goods

The arches inside Tipu Sultan's Palace

Figures on the Bull Temple

Vidhana Soudha, home to the secretariat and state legislature, was built in 1954

Fruit hawkers

Auto rickshaws are a particularly notorious source of smog

Temple facade

Rather worn steps in Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

Inviting rubbish bin

Interesting old tractor

Temple facade in in Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

Temple figure in Lalbagh Botanical Gardens

On MG (Mahatma Gandhi) road, the main commercial thoroughfare of Bangalore

The High Court at night

Posing duo

Inside City Market

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