What to do in Bangalore on a weekend

Located in the southern part of India in Karnataka state, Bangalore (officially known as Bengaluru) was once known as a retirement city because of its romantic and beautiful weather throughout the year. To mark the boundaries of Bangalore city, Kempegowda I, the founder of the city, built four watch towers. Today Bangalore has grown much beyond those watch towers, and it is now an Information Technology (IT) capital of the world.

It is my home city, and I was born and brought up in one of the old areas of Bangalore. In this post, I am going to cover the places that you can visit in the two old areas of Bangalore. These areas, Malleshwaram and Gavipuram, were built when Bangalore was forming to be a city. And you can visit these places easily over a weekend in Bangalore.

Day 1 – Places to see in Malleshwaram

Malleshwaram Street Art

Created by a group of artists called Geechagalu, the Malleshwaram Street Art trail is a surprising and colourful element in Malleshwaram. The series of 11 murals symbolise and remind the residents of their childhood memories of how Malleshwaram used to be. These are created as a trail so you can follow and cherish the talent of each artist.

Sankey Tank

Bangalore is also known as the City of Lakes. At one point of time, the city is said to have been home to more than 250 lakes. Due to over construction and urbanisation, there are only a few lakes left that have a history and one of them is the Sankey Tank.

Named after Col. Richard Hieram Sankey, this lake was built in 1882 and was built to meet the water requirements for all the neighboring areas. The lake is now surrounded by a walking path for joggers and walkers to do their morning and evening exercises in the middle of the city.

Kadu Malleshwara Temple

The Malleshwaram area was named after the deity Malleshwara in Kadu Malleshwara Temple. Kadu Malleshwara literally translating to the deity in the forest, the temple is said to be dating back to the 17th century. Built-in the Dravidian architectural style, this temple has also started to celebrate the famous annual fair Kadlekai Parishe (meaning Groundnuts fair).

Eateries

Malleshwaram has plenty of food joints where you can enjoy local and authentic Kannadiga food. Definitely do not miss the Benne Masala Dose (Indian pancakes) at CTR and filter coffee at Veena Stores.

Day 2 – Places to see in Gavipuram

Lalbagh Botanical Garden

One of the oldest public parks in Bangalore is the Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Lalbagh meaning the red garden in Hindi language referred to the flower composition, including the roses, that were planted in the garden when it was built.

Spreading over 240 acres of land, the Lalbagh Botanical Garden is home to more than 1000 species of plants and trees. The best way to enjoy the Lalbagh Botanical Garden is by participating in either some of the walking groups or by taking a heritage walk.

Gavipuram Heritage Trail

Walk back in time admiring some of Bangalore’s oldest and historical buildings and monuments at Gavipuram. The Gavipura Heritage Trail is a 1.5 kilometres trail in Bangalore that starts from one of the hidden gems Kempambudhi lake. Passing through some temples, and parks, the walk finishes at Hari Hara Gudda.

Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple

One of the unique and interesting temples of Bangalore is the ancient Gavi Gangadhareshwara temple in Gavipuram. With a history dating back to the Vedic period, the temple has many mysteries and stories behind it. Situated in a natural cave, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

One of the mysteries is that during the local harvesting festival of Makara Sankranti, the sun ray falls straight on the Lord Shiva’s head by passing through the horns of Nandi (the Bull) for one hour.

Eateries

Charmrajpet is the neighbouring area that is filled with local restaurants and street food. You can try the SLV Chat Corner or Vidhyarthi Bhawan to relinquish delicious South Indian food.

Closing Notes

Also called the Garden City, Bangalore has so many things to offer, including many public parks and green spaces. It is a city with a blend of both traditional culture and modern technologies. So, the next time instead of using Bangalore as just a transit city, ensure to stay back for a couple of days to enjoy the vibrance and culture of this city.

Bio: Raksha from Bengaluru Prayana

My name is Raksha Nagaraj, and I am the owner of Bengaluru Prayana. Bangalore (or Bengaluru) is my home city and I started Bengaluru Prayana to talk and promote Bengaluru as a destination rather than just use it as a transit city. I am an avid traveler who has travelled to more than 45 countries and is now based in Bengaluru and Sydney. Follow Raksha from Bangalore Prayana on Facebook and Instagram.

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