Bengaluru: 7 Iconic Landmarks & Their Stories
( All Image Credits: Gemini )
Anaika Sohal
Jun 05, 2025
This place is known as the seat of Karnataka government and its an architectural marvel which was built in 1956.
This palace is inspired by England's Windsor Castle and it was once the home to the Wodeyars and echoes tales of royalty, grandeur and gothic charm.
A huge green place in the heart of the city and this 300 acre park was established in 1870. It was named after British commissioner Sir Mark Cubbon.
This palace is entirely built of teakwood and is Indo-islamic palace that reflects the love for architecture, and resistance against the British.
This garden was commissioned by Hyder Ali and completed by Tipu Sultan. Lalbagh features exotic plants and a glasshouse modeled after London's Crystal Palace.
This is known as the one of the oldest lakes in Bengaluru and is steeped in myth and colonial history.
This modern marvel of Bengaluru is considered as India's Silicon Valley and it began in the 1970s. Read Next Story
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India.com
22 minutes ago
- India.com
5 Unbelievable Birdwatching Spots In Indore You Didn't Know About
Often referred to as the 'heart of India', Indore boasts of rich cultural heritage, mouth-watering street food, and delightful buzzing markets. It is the largest city in Madhya Pradesh and one of the most rapidly developing cities in India. However, despite its metropolitan charm, it still holds some treasure troves for nature lovers with its stunningly beautiful birdwatching locations. Even though Indore is famous as an industrial hub, the city is rich with greenery and many different species of birds. Indore's industrial metropolitan charm makes these avian wonderlands shocking and surprising for nature lovers and other birdwatchers. Why Indore City Is An Exceptional Birdwatching Location Birdwatching has now become more than just a hobby. It also serves as a bridge to reconnect humans with nature and appreciate biodiversity. With Indore rapidly urbanizing, these patches of wilderness need to be preserved to help maintain the ecosystem and help the residents reconnect with nature. Neglecting these imposing structures proves to be disastrous for humans and nature alike. Indore, though expanding, has been fortunate enough to retain some remarkable habitats which are a delight to both amateur and seasoned birdwatchers. 1. Sirpur Lake: A Paradise for Aquatic Birds Among the top birdwatching spots Indore has to offer is Sirpur Lake, perched at the outskirts of the city. This manmade reservoir was built during the British raj and it still holds importance for both migrant and resident birds. In the winter months, that is, from November to February, Sirpur becomes a haven for migrating waterbirds, such as Northern Pintails, Common Teals and Eurasian Wigeons. There are some duck species, like the Indian spot-billed duck, purple swamp hen and little grebe, that stay for the whole year. The wide open waters of the lake are great for wading birds such as Black-winged Stilts and Red-Wattled Lapwings. The best time of the day for visitors to see birds is early in the morning or in the late afternoons. Ospreys and Brahminy Kites could be seen soaring above the lake whilst the sun shines, which makes the scene quite dramatic. With its gorgeous landscape, coupled with the abundance of wildlife, it is easy to see why many photographers and ornithologists appreciate and frequent Sirpur Lake. 2. Pardesipura Garden: An Urban Jewel In the middle of Indore city, the Pardesipura Garden offers soothing relief from the growing concrete jungle. Although this garden is smaller than some other parks, it still sustains a variety of small passerine birds. Tailorbird, White-throated Kingfisher, and Ashy Prinia are among the species that visit the garden for its rich shrubbery and flowering plants. Pardesipura Garden is appealing because it is easy to access. It is situated near populated residential zones which makes it possible for families and novices to observe birds without traveling a long distance. It is good to take relaxing strolls while watching the birds hover about the trees and shrubs. Look out for the colorful bursts of parakeets and sunbirds that add color to the experience. 3. Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary: Nature's Gift The Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary is an excellent option for anyone willing to travel a bit further from the city's center. Located about 25 kilometers towards the southwest of Indore, this reserved site is protected and is 400 hectares large. It consists of dry deciduous forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Its dry deciduous lateral and rare habitats support many of the fauna which are already afftected or endangered. Highlights of Ralamandal include the Indian Peafowl, Grey Francolin, and Jungle Bush Quail. The skies are patrolled by raptors like the Crested Serpent Eagle and Shikra, while Spotted Owlet and Indian nightjars take over at sundown. The Greater Flamingo and other migratory birds provide additional winter beauty to the sanctuary's ponds. The network of trails at Ralamandal is well maintained, making navigation within the sanctuary easy. Birdwatchers who want to know more about the region's plants and wildlife can sign up for guided tours. One thing to keep in mind is that permits to enter the sanctuary need to be requested ahead of time to avoid wildlife disturbances. 4. Bijasen Mata Temple Hill: Spirituality Among Birds Bijasen Mata Temple sits on top of a hillock overlooking Indore. While the temple is not usually a birdwatching destination, it is likely to attract some bird species because of its height and the presence of wooded areas. Visitors to the temple have to climb some stairs, but while doing so, they get the opportunity to watch flocks of Rose-ringed Parakeets, Asian Koels, and Golden Orioles resting on the trees. The hilltop location is particularly captivating for terrain-loving locals and tourists because of its fantastic views of the entire city. Observers of the bird world are provided with a great vantage point from which watching swift and swallow birds gliding and swooping down towards the horizon becomes a reality. For birding enthusiasts, the cooler temperatures of early mornings tips the scale in their favor, making it the best attraction during those hours as more birds are visible within the area. 5. Kaliasot Dam: Where Unmatched Engineering and Nature Collide Kalosiot Dam is an unexplored bird watching site. The location preserves nature's beauty while aiding in the birdspertise. It lies at the eastern reach of Indore, roughly 20 kilometers away. The breathtaking reserve is nestled amongst rocky hills and sparse shrubbery, forming an underwater body when the Kaliasot river is present, making it an instantaneous attraction for birdwatchers. Witnessing Painted Storks, Wooly-necked Storks, and a variety of herons including Pond Herons and Grey herons is exceptionally common in Kaliasot. The dam also attracts other ordinary birds like Pied Kingfisher Raptors and shorter toed snake eagles. These amazing birds soar high around the dam and eagle eye the view beneath them looking for their next meal. Less crowds are guaranteed in the dam's remote region, providing a higher chance of uninterrupted bird watching sessions. Because of the limited facilities, taking essentials such as field guides, binoculars, and adequate drinking water is crucial before visiting. Birdwatching Tips for Indore Here are some tips to help you fully enjoy birdwatching in Indore: Timing: Birds are most active during dawn and dusk, so try to plan your trips accordingly. Gear: Bring a good pair of binoculars and a camera with a good zoom lens for capturing distant birds. Clothing: Try to wear clothes with neutral colors to avoid startling the birds. Respect Nature: Try to keep human impact to a minimum by maintaining silence while walking, sticking to designated paths, and not littering. Local Guides: Ask local experts or join birdwatching groups to understand more about birdwatching in particular places and during certain times of the year. Final Thoughts Even though Indore is not commonly known as a birdwatching paradise, it does have a rich avian diversity because of the diverse ecosystem. From Sirpur Lake with its calm waters, to the rough beauty of Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary, each location and region has its own set of surprises. These sites serve as a reminder that amidst all the commotion of the busy cities, there is wilderness that offers peace and wonder to those who seek it. Encircled with nature and urban life, Indore is a birdwatching spot that offers enriching experiences whether you are a dedicated birdwatcher or someone that just wants to take a break.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
You can draw cities on maps, but they truly exist in memory
The city, for me, was never just the sum of its buildings, roads, or skylines. These were its costumes, perhaps. The choreography was elsewhere — in the stories, the silences, the discoveries. As someone who moved every few years — six schools, two colleges, and a map dotted with places such as Asansol, Patna, Madras, Bidar, Ooty, Bagdogra, Chabua, Gwalior, Bhatinda, Noida, Delhi, London, Mumbai, and Doha — my memory of any place was rarely geographic. It was always narrative. Some of these cities were still in rehearsal — aspiring, awkward, on the cusp of cityhood. Others were old performers, already exhausted by the glare. And yet, what remained with me wasn't their roads or rivers, but what happened in their shadows — stories whispered in school corridors, passed around during lunch breaks, or folded into goodbyes. Bagdogra, for instance, came to me with the story of the Teesta. A mighty, indignant river — never just water, always mood. At nine, a classmate warned me, eyes wide, 'If the Teesta gets angry, she floods everything.' The way children personify nature is poetic instinct. Later, I would learn that Teesta had indeed raged before — in the 1960s — drowning parts of Jalpaiguri. My friend believed it was because people had made her angry. We all promised not to throw garbage into her waters. That was childhood environmentalism before hashtags. Driving into Bagdogra from Jalpaiguri, my parents told me of the tea estates — neat rows of green ambition — and of how workers had long come from Nepal and nearby states to pluck dreams from bushes. Our Nepali house help had her own version of that migration, told with less romance and more tiredness. It was also in Bagdogra where I first heard of Naxalbari — barely 10 km away — tossed around by older students predicting a bandh. I didn't understand the politics, only the tension. Chabua, in Assam, brought with it a slow, spreading loneliness. At school — a remote convent tucked deep into nowhere — I didn't look or sound like anyone else. A few classmates called me 'Lalu-Kalu' — a mocking blend of my home state's then-chief minister and my skin tone. But amid this discomfort, there was Barkha Gogoi — the youngest daughter of a local doctor. Every afternoon, Barkha stayed back with me at the school gate until the buses came. She made the wait feel less endless. One day, when I mispronounced the town's name in my — for lack of a better word — North Indian accent, she gently corrected me: 'It's Chah-bua — the place where tea is planted.' As I tried to get the consonants and vowels right, she added: This was where India's first tea garden was established by the British. History, I was beginning to learn, was often hidden in everyday conversations. Barkha and I bonded over English classes. She always topped the exams and loved speaking in full, perfectly-formed sentences. It made me feel seen. She also introduced me to the word ULFA — the insurgent group active in the region during the '90s. When school was cancelled for security reasons, she would call our landline and whisper stories she had overheard at her home: Extortion, missing men, gunshots. She told them with the same calm clarity with which she recited William Wordsworth. Gwalior felt like a small big city. It was less than a year after the Kargil War. Our fathers were finally home, and a quiet relief settled over every household. Life was allowed to return to its small dramas. Everyone spoke and understood Hindi, which instantly put me at ease. For the first time, we began venturing beyond the Air Force station —stepping into markets, visiting forts, even eating at restaurants now and then. Gwalior's geographical proximity to Delhi gave it an added aspirational glow. In the town, we were shown schools and colleges where Atal Bihari Vajpayee had once studied. The idea that the Prime Minister had walked the same streets made us feel proud. Elite, even. At math tuition, where I went with a few friends and a boyfriend(ish) named after a famous aircraft designer — one who helped shape the MiG fighter jets — our stories quietly unfolded. One afternoon, we arrived in matching T-shirts, a coincidence I chose to believe was fate. Bored in class, we blushed and whispered about the Scindias and the Maratha wars, and old royals becoming politicians. Later, as we cycled home, one hand on the handlebar, the other in his, I made a quiet promise to ditch maths, and read more history. Mumbai, years later, felt like breath. After Delhi's caution and curfews, it offered me oxygen. Friends spoke of 2 am cab rides taken solo, of 'no need for a male friend to drop me home'. That freedom felt revolutionary. In Mumbai, I learned to move without fear, to feel safe without reason. Safety became the city's story. In Invisible Cities (1972), Italo Calvino writes of cities imagined by Marco Polo, which are all, in the end, reflections of one's inner world. That is how I remember cities — not as physical locations but as emotional cartographies. I remember someone correcting my pronunciation. Someone sharing a river's myth. A classroom where I was made fun of. A phone call during a curfew. A T-shirt worn by two awkward teens. Cities, to me, are not places. They are plots. You can draw them on maps, but they truly exist in memory — messy, moving, and always unfinished. The writer is a journalist based in Doha, Qatar
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Holding my father's fingers
My father would sometimes take me out with him when I was growing up. Perhaps in earlier times, this was a common practice. However, these are 'digital times' where emotions have been kept in the backburner. What was the reason for him to do so? Maybe to show the world outside or just an outing, I cannot say. But I remember my father in many ways, and one such is when I accompanied him holding his fingers! My earliest memory is when he took me to Lansdowne on vacation from Allahabad. I had spent my childhood in Lansdowne. It was a happy childhood with my brother and the large family. My grandfather edited a newspaper from there, and his mother (my great-grandmother) was alive and active then. We brothers received so much love from her and from our grandfather, uncles and aunts, neighbours; our memories are full of joyful days of that period. We have plenty of photos in our album of those times in 'Subedar Mohalla', which gives happiness still. Therefore, my visit called back those times, and I could relate to that place — the church which housed a school where I studied, the park which was my favourite place, the bazaar and chocolate burfi of Kanhaiyalal. Since then, we brothers go regularly to Lansdowne to look at our rented house opposite the park in the small and calm cantonment town. My father had plenty of tales to tell about Jim Corbett and his hunting expeditions. These formed part of the bedtime stories, and he would relate the story with much action and the roar of the tiger, etc. I took from him and would tell the stories to my children in a similar manner. In the sixties, he managed a van and took us to Corbett National Park, and the sight of an elephant herd chasing our dark grey van still excites me. Later, I would read books by Corbett and found him to be a wonderful writer — The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag is among his best works. Corbett National Park has remained my favourite sojourn and retreat, much to the reluctance of my wife and children, who insist on exploring new sanctuaries. Though I have not yet sighted a tiger, I prevail that where in India would you find such tall trees, thick forest, a river flowing, and the largest number of tigers! Allahabad was a city of intellectuals, writers, leaders and lawyers. It also boasts of some of the finest bungalows of the colonial era. Civil Lines area, with broad parallel roads and sprawling residences, was created by the British after the 'First War of Independence' of 1857 by perishing five villages. My first experience of visiting one such bungalow was with my father, who took me to the residence of one Mr. Tiwari, senior advocate near Thornhill Road. A well-kept lawn and garden with a wide variety of plants and flowers and two German Shepherd dogs! This was in the late sixties, and the multi-storey ingress was lurking in the corner! I could experience some satisfaction when I stayed in a bungalow in Katari Bagh, Wellington Island, Kochi during my Navy days! My father would every year order a box (peti) of apples from Chobatia near Ranikhet, Kumaon, which the family looked forward to and relished. He would also distribute some to his friends and associates, and I would often accompany him. The happiness on his face as he handed over the fruits, mentioning with pride about the quality of the fruits from the hills, makes me smile still. Fruit culture is prevalent in hills, and often we would take fruits with us to gift to friends instead of sweets. Train journeys in older times were enjoyable — getting down at remote stations and looking for vendors for tea and local snacks. Some stations are famous still for their unique items, such as 'Sandile ke Laddu' and 'Shankargarh ka Peda'. The reading culture was much prevalent, and before boarding the train, one would buy the latest magazines and newspapers from the countrywide present 'Wheeler's Book Shop'. These were exchanged with the fellow passengers, and on occasions, some interesting discussion would also take place. I recollect one such journey when I purchased, among other publications, the latest copy of the Blitz weekly newspaper, edited by the legendary editor Rusi Karanjia, who was among the earliest to carry out investigative stories. The last page of the paper was always written by the famous writer and filmmaker Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. My father would read many newspapers, and he had told me that he improved his English by reading the English dailies aloud. I too would do the same and, during vacations, would read to my grandfather, who was surrounded by newspapers, magazines and periodicals. That edition of Blitz carried the cover story from cover to cover — it was a special edition on Independence Day. It carried in detail various ideas to make our country 'Great' and consisted of numerous micro and macro suggestions. My father first quickly read the paper and then I read the same, and we agreed that it was a good article, and I clarified some aspects from father. As was the practice, we kept the copy for many days to be shared with other family members and friends. Father possessed a small library from his student days, and books with titles — Light of Asia by Edwin Arnold, Inqilab by K. A. Abbas, Glimpses of World History by Nehru — are retained in me. We brothers too maintain our libraries! Once I accompanied my father to 'Institute of Gandhian Thought and Peace' near Allahabad University. There was some discussion and Z. A. Ahmad, the famous leftist leader and Rajya Sabha member, was also expected. I was among the youngest in the meeting, and among others was Mr. Mulla, the famous senior advocate of Allahabad High Court, and Zia-ul-Haq, the local Communist Party leader. Though Dr. Z. A. Ahmad did not arrive, there was a lively discussion and repartee, and Mr. Mulla was highly critical of the new policy of the government regarding adult education. He said that how does one expect a poor rickshaw-walla to attend classes after a hard day's work! Participating in discussions was much sober in those times! When I joined university, along with my friends, we joined the weekly club 'Elysium' headed by the genial Dutta Sahab, the editor of Northern India Patrika for many years. His nephew, Ranjit Dutta, was my friend. The meetings were held in Barnetts Hotel in Civil Lines, run by the Dutta family, and we were served tea. Many eminent personalities would visit our meetings and talk to us; among them were the famous Justice Markandeya Katju, who was a lawyer at that time and was very popular among students. There are some people whom we cherish lifelong, and one such person was Dr. V. S. Narvane, Professor of Philosophy at the Allahabad University and later visiting professor in US universities. He had taught my father and formed a lifelong association with him and our family. My father took me to him, and I was immensely impressed by his thinking, knowledge and the beautiful house adjacent to Circuit House which he built. His study consisted of a wide variety of books, and I would borrow them sometimes. He wrote in simple, lucid style, reminding me of the style of Hemingway and Nehru. He wrote books on philosophy, culture and literature. Once, he lectured us in the 'Elysium' on 'Indian and Western Art', and there was an overwhelming response in the manner and fluidity of his narration from all of us. Holding my father's fingers unwittingly, I imbibed so much that I could face the world confidently. Sadly, he left us so suddenly and early, depriving me of my duty to hold his hand in old age! 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