Travel

Pic: Deepa Mohan Auto-drivers come in all shapes and sizes: old, young, thin, fat, toothless, handsome, smelly, bearded, grumpy, cheery, etc. Like a good box of chocolates, you never know what kind of driver you’re going to get. Sometimes you can depend on them and you feel like they are there to support you… At other times, they seem to derive joy from your frustration, they tease you when they pass by, they try to kill you with their reckless driving, and when you need them the most, they are nowhere to be found. After a few weeks of taking…

Anand Sankar, who transported his two cats from Bangalore to Delhi by air, writes:  Just thought I should share my experience of transporting my cats by air (domestic, within India), could be useful for anyone! From a cursory reading online and through forums, I found that budget airlines don't have much interest in transporting pet animals. And I wouldn't trust a budget airline with my pets. The choice boiled down to Air India or Jet Airways. -- Air India has a strange policy of not allowing pets in cargo holds. They have to be carried in the cabin, but only…

Go! Make a Difference (GO!MAD) is a four day fun and fundraising cycle trip from Bengaluru to Gudalur in the Nilgiris, kick starting on February 19th 2015. All one needs is a cycle, the ability to pedal 80 km every day and a big heart! The idea is not to win any race, but to enjoy the experience, soak up the local culture and raise much needed funds. All facilities from accommodation, food, support vehicles and medical help will be taken care of by the Gudalur family. While the tour promises to be physically challenging, it will also offer participants a…

  Women of the Tigala community looking their best during the Karaga festival at the Dharmarayaswamy Temple. The Tigalas, also referred to as Vanhikula Kshatriyas, are by tradition, gardeners and flower traders whose contribution in nurturing many of the city’s parks including Lalbagh is widely acknowledged. They believe that are the descendants of Veerakumaras –‘hero-sons’, a warrior clan that the mythological princess Draupadi put together to fight the demon Timarasura. A section of the Pete (old Bangalore) area is called Tigalarapete, recognising the predominance of the community in the region. They celebrate what is arguably Bengaluru’s biggest and most well-known…

A performer in Dasara celebrations in Mysore. Pic: Raghavendra K S Prathibimba is a photography exhibition, scheduled to be held on the 58th Rajyotsava of Namma Karnataka, at Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore from October 31st to November 2nd. The exhibition is the culmination of the journey of six photographers from diverse backgrounds, who set out to have an intimate rendezvous with the state of Karnataka through their lenses. In an attempt to capture the myriad reflections of the grandeur of the state, their journeys took them from the explored to the unexplored jewels of Karnataka, framing the state that we live in and…

In view of Mysore Dasara-2014, KSRTC has made elaborate arrangements for operating extra buses as mentioned below in addition to the existing Express, Karnataka Vaibhav, Rajahamsa, Volvo and Volvo Multi-Axle services to provide transport facility to the travelling public coming from various places of the State and Country to attend the World Famous Dasara Festival being held at Mysore. From September 25, 400 special busses will be operated in a phased manner. 170 special buses are operated exclusively from Mysore Road Bus Station to Mysore. Apart from this, special buses will also be operated to Dharmastala, Kukke Subramanya, Sringeri, Horanadu,…

A view of the lake in the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens. Pic: Christopher Martin Lopaze Here are a few things listed by a Bangalorean for a first-time visitor to namma Bengaluru. Bangalore is the capital city of Karnataka state in South India. Kannada is the local language spoken in the city though in the current times, most are well-versed with English and Hindi as well. There are a significant number of people who can speak Tamil, Telugu and other Indian languages, even though it may not be their native language. Similarly, there are migrants to this city who are from various…

A distant view of Biligudda (white hill) across a river. Behind white hill is Karigudda (black hill). Pic:Christopher Martin Lopaze The day after my one-day guided bike tour to rural Bengaluru, my forearms were slightly sunburned, my palms were tender—my fingers were spared fortunately—and my legs and behind were sore; temporary souvenirs I’ve now lost. But the experience is one I shall not forget. I booked a guided bike tour because I wanted to leave the city behind, and see the countryside. Only one other rider, Ray, was on the tour. The total trip distance was about 35 km.  A…

My memory of arriving in Bengaluru is as fresh in my mind as the sweat on my brow was as I exited my plane at the Bangalore Airport about 1 am on July 1st. The weather was warm and humid as I expected, but I was taken aback by its intensity; the atmosphere was oppressive. I’m used to the cooler climate of Seattle. In my hometown of Yakima, a medium-sized town in Eastern Washington, where I spend my summer vacations, the temperature could climb upwards of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but it was dry instead of humid. As I know now,…

Bengaluru has much to offer. That much is clear even to someone who is new to the city. Normally, if you plan to visit all of the major sightseeing locales available, it would take several trips. The Bangalore Rounds bus service makes it easy to condense a planned excursion into a single day-trip for those without much time. It’s the equivalent of marathoning a favorite TV show on Netflix, but instead you can experience sunshine, learn more about the history of the city, and revel in the amazing architectural designs. Although it’s unlikely you’ll be able to visit every landmark…