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India.com
5 days ago
- India.com
Bengaluru's Seasonal Secrets: When To Visit For The Ultimate Experience
The 'Garden City of India' and the 'Silicon Valley of India' are names given to Bengaluru because it is a destination to visit any time due to its pleasant weather and bustling city life. Nevertheless, every season has its unique flavor making different times of the year suitable for different activities. This spring, summer, winter, and autumn pattern is known as Bengaluru's seasonal calendar. Each season has advantages and disadvantages that help determine the best time to visit. Here's an exploration of Bengaluru's seasons to help you decide the best time for your visit. (February to April) Spring in Bengaluru is an excellent time to enjoy the natural surroundings of blooming flowers and beautiful gardens. The overall temperature in this season is between 18°C to 30°C which makes this season optimal for outdoor activities. A wonderful combination of these elements brings floral displays interconnected with nature, like the Annual Flower Show which is celebrated during the spring season in January or August. These months mark blooming seasons where one can visit Cubbon Park for amazing colorful blossoms alongside tranquil pathways. This season is characterized by heavy strolls in Lalbagh Botanical Garden, which has its flowers flowering for visitors to enjoy. Spring is a great season to explore Bengaluru's natural beauty without worrying about heavy rainfall or extreme sun. Features of visiting in Spring: This is the time we recommend visiting for comfortable weather accommodating any outdoor activities. Forget-Me-Nots, Oleander Lilies, and other beautiful flowers can be seen blooming in wonder during this season at gardens such as Lalbagh and Cubbon Park. Usually, cultural ceremonies like Ugadi, or the Kannada New Year, are celebrated around this time too. (May to June) Bengaluru is known to be cooler during the summer when compared to other parts of India where summer is extremely hot. Summer temperatures in Bengaluru range anywhere from 20°C to 35°C. Although afternoons can get warm, mornings and evenings are comfortable mainly due to the high altitude of the city. During summer, you'll find many people escaping the heat by enjoying the air-conditioned malls, art galleries, and museums in Bengaluru. The default option like the Bangalore Palace and National Gallery of Modern Art both cools and culturally satisfies. If you are in the need of escapism, then Nandi Hills is a hill station that provides a breath of fresh air to enjoy for the day. Features of visiting in Summer: Bengaluru has reduced heat, making it enjoyable when compared to other Indian locations. If you love indoor attractions and hill stations, then this is perfect for you. Karaga and Varamahalakshmi festivals are equally celebrated here with ceremonies starting from summer. (July to September) The lush greenery along with the frequent monsoon showers give an invigorating feeling alongside the charming fresh smell of rain. The weather during these months is comfortably cool, with temperatures ranging from 19 degrees to 28 degrees celsius. Such rainy days allow you to enjoy Bengaluru's lovely assortment of coffee shops and its cafe culture. Quirky cafes and eateries are spread all over the place in Koramangala and Indiranagar, serving delicious coffee, tea, and tasty snacks. Monsoon season is also one of the best times to enjoy the peaceful beauty of Ulsoor Lake or watch an engaging cultural performance at Ranga Shankara theatre. Be aware that the city's drainage system needs an update, so waterlogging and traffic delays are bound to happen due to heavy rainfall. Highlights of visiting in Monsoon: Perfect time to go trek and gaze at nature since the weather is delightful. Go café hopping and participate in cultural events. Best time for light outdoor activities because of the rainfall. (October to November) Bengaluru looks spectacular in autumn with the clear blue skies and slightly chilly temperatures. With the temperature ranging from 15°C to 28°C, this is when you can enjoy exploring the city to the fullest. Along with this, the city has festive events like Dasara (Dussehra) and Deepavali (Diwali), which include cultural shows, fairs, and citizens decorating the city with lights. Along with these spectacular events, this is a great time to enjoy the local food while doing some shopping at Commercial Street and the Chickpet market areas. Nature enthusiasts can plan their day trips after monsoons to waterfalls like Shivanasamudra and Chunchi Falls. Picnics in parks are also a good option. Highlights of Autumn: Excellent temperatures for sightseeing and festivals. Soothing waterfalls and greenery after the monsoon. Fabulous markets and celebrations. (December to January) The best time to visit Bengaluru is uncontestedly during December to January when the temperatures sit between 12°C and 25°C. The air is crisp and cool, which is refreshing and makes enjoying the plethora of city attractions much easier. Explore Vidhana Soudha, ISKCON Temple, and Bannerghatta National Park during this season and sweat not. And don't forget the enormous variety of food and music festivals Bengaluru offers, such as Karavali Utsav and the NH7 weekender during winter which people from all over the country are drawn to. For adventure junkies, winter provides the opportunity for trekking around the outskirts of Bengaluru too, Savandurga or Makalidurga for example. Highlights of Winter: Festivals and events bring vibrancy to the city. Ideal time for trekking and nature excursions. Comfortable weather and great for outdoor activities. Conclusion Amidst the numerous factors that make Bengaluru an all year round destination, it is without a doubt the climate that stands out the most. Depending on your personal preferences, the best time to visit may vary. For someone looking to experience adventure sports and cultural festivals, winter is the best season. Spring provides a colorful experience at the city's gardens. Monsoon and summer are the best for comfortable outings as well as indoor tourist attractions. Autumn is festive and full of beauty, offering the best of both worlds. Bengaluru is guaranteed to be a wonderful experience irrespective of when you visit because its history, culture, and modernity never fail to astound.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
RCB's victory parade today in Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and team to ride open bus from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium
NEW DELHI: Bengaluru will turn red again this evening as Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrates its maiden IPL title with a grand victory parade through the city. Led by Rajat Patidar, the team is expected to land in the city by 1:30pm and will embark on an open-bus parade from Vidhana Soudha to Chinnaswamy Stadium by 5pm. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Over 50,000 fans are expected to join the celebrations inside the stadium. RCB Parade Schedule (Tentative) 10:00am – Team departs from Ahmedabad 1:30pm – Arrival at HAL Airport, Bengaluru 4:00-5:00pm – Team meets CM Siddaramaiah & DyCM D K Shivakumar at Vidhana Soudha 5:00pm onwards – Victory parade begins towards Chinnaswamy Stadium 6:00pm – Public celebrations inside the stadium A sea of red-and-gold awaits RCB as Bengaluru braces for massive crowds along the parade route. The buzz in the city has barely died down since Tuesday night, when RCB defeated Punjab Kings by six runs to lift their first-ever IPL trophy. From Indiranagar to Rajajinagar, and from Bellandur to Koramangala, fans are expected to line the roads in team colours as the champion squad makes its way to Chinnaswamy. The scenes on Tuesday night were nothing short of a carnival. Fireworks lit up the skyline, pubs and apartments hosted live screenings, and fans poured into the streets, chanting RCB slogans well past midnight. In venues like Uru Brewpark, Social, and Long Boat Brewing, the turnout rivalled New Year's Eve, with walk-ins turned away hours before the match even began. 'It felt like a festival — bigger than Ugadi,' said Malleswaram resident Adi Sharma, whose family turned the match night into a community gathering. RCB fandom, from Bengaluru to Boston Support wasn't just local. From gated communities in Whitefield to groups of NRIs in Boston, RCB fans stayed glued to their screens. For many, it was an emotional full circle after years of heartbreak. 'I've been supporting them since high school exam nights,' said Indiranagar's Ashwini Ramaswamy. 'To see Kohli finally hold that cup — it felt personal.' Kohli's words still echo across Bengaluru: "I've given this team my youth, prime and experience... My heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore." Today, the city returns the love — one red jersey at a time.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
IPL 2025 final: How Bengaluru united & celebrated RCB's long-awaited triumph
Bengaluru: From bustling watering holes to open grounds to gated communities to Metro, bus and railway stations and the airport, it was code red all the way Tuesday. The striking streak of red reigned supreme with a one-line chant: "Ee sala cup namde. " And the big moment did finally come at 11.23pm Tuesday with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) registering a six-run victory over Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League 2025 title clash at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. The city-on-the-move stopped in its tracks, rose as one and celebrated the silverware that was missing from its otherwise-decorated cupboard. The silverware had remained a chimera of sorts, despite RCB coming tantalizingly close to the podium finish on three occasions earlier. Not this time. As RCB broke the jinx and kissed the IPL trophy minutes before midnight, it was a new dawn for lakhs of Bengaluru team's fans who waited for 18 long years to witness the big event. From Bengaluru to Bidar to Boston and beyond, RCB fans were unstoppable. Sporting RCB flags and huge banners fluttering in the air, cars and bikes hit the roads blaring horns at full volume in celebratory rides. Live screenings were hosted at countless venues, turning neighbourhoods into red-and-gold carnivals. Ashwini Ramaswamy, a resident of Indiranagar, said she has supported RCB since she was in high school. "I remember watching matches during exam nights." Others celebrated like a festival. Adi Sharma, a student from Malleswaram, recalled: "My whole family is RCB crazy. We wore our jerseys, made snacks, and sat together like it was Ugadi. My grandmother lit a diya and offered prayers." In many apartment complexes, private screenings brought neighbours together. Kajal Srivastav, a resident of Bellandur, hosted one such celebration: "We set up the screen at my place. By 6pm, it was packed. People were standing in the kitchen to get a view." Balaji Natarajan, secretary of Prestige Tranquility, which has over 2,300 apartments, said: "Today is a big day for RCB. Residents requested a common screening, and we were happy to make it happen. It's not just about cricket; it's about coming together as a community." Subramanyam C, president of Sobha City, home to 1,958 flats, said while clubs and restaurants are booked out, the celebration is all about family and community. "Win or lose, Bengaluru stands with RCB." Most pubs and breweries saw crowds similar to New Year's Eve. Vinay Chandrashekar, co-owner of Long Boat Brewing in Marathahalli, described the electric atmosphere: "It was exciting to see the match with so many energetic fans. We were fully packed — over 1,000 covers were booked, and we had to close reservations on Monday morning itself. Only standing space was left, and even that was full. We've never been booked like this for a Tuesday — it felt like New Year's Eve. " Alister Braganza, senior regional business manager – south, Impressario (which owns Social), told TOI: "All our 11 outlets across Bengaluru were sold out, we couldn't even allow walk-ins because we were jam-packed. People started coming in as early as 3pm to grab seats." A pub owner from Koramangala said, "The entire street of Koramangala V Block was almost filled with red-and-black jerseys, many chanting the team's popular slogan. Many were pub-hopping... One customer said he believed that changing pubs will make RCB win." Suraj, head brewmaster at Uru Brewpark, said Tuesday was bigger than New Year's Eve in terms of bookings. "We had 3-4 live screenings across all our zones. By Tuesday afternoon, we had to stop taking both reservations and walk-ins because we were completely full. We've never seen this kind of crowd for a cricket match before." Multiplexes, too, saw unprecedented turnout. Gautam Dutta, CEO (revenue & operations) at PVR Inox, said: "With 70% occupancy and more than 25,000 tickets sold across 150+ shows nationwide, it was heartening to see fans coming together to celebrate one of India's most electrifying sporting moments. By 6pm Tuesday, Bengaluru alone had 46 shows, with 92% occupancy — and soon, every single one was houseful."
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
Shakti scheme: Devotee numbers double in Chamarajanagar dist
Mysuru: The Shakti scheme, which allows free travel for women in KSRTC buses, has significantly boosted pilgrim numbers in Chamarajanagar district. Visits to religious sites like MM Hills and Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta doubled in the past year. During the 2025 Shivaratri jathra at MM Hills, 7.2 lakh devotees used state-run buses, up from 4.2 lakh in 2024. Male Mahadeshwaraswamy temple of MM Hills, located in Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district, is one of the highest revenue-generating muzarai temples after Kukke Subramanya Swami temple in Dakshina Kannada district and Sri Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills in Mysuru. The MM Hills temple attracts 40 to 50 lakh devotees, with an annual revenue generation of up to Rs 73 crore to Srikshetra Malemahadehwara Development Authority. Lakhs of devotees visit the temple during Maha Shivaratri , Ugadi, and Deepavali jathra celebrations, besides amavasya (new moon day) and weekends throughout the year. According to KSRTC's Chamarajanagar division, about 1.2 lakh devotees travelled in its buses during the five-day Ugadi festival celebrations in 2025, compared to 1 lakh in 2024. The highest number of 1.4 lakh devotees travelled in state-run buses to another popular pilgrimage centre of Chikkallur in Kollegal taluk, which hosted a jathra mahotsava in 2025. It was 1.2 lakh in 2024. Chikkallur pilgrim centre in Chamarajanagar is also becoming popular every year, celebrating the local folk heroes Manteswamy, Siddappaji, Rachappaji, and Chennammaji, as a large number of followers of these folk heroes are located in Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara, and Bengaluru Rural districts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How to build a digital commerce platform on Google Cloud - Google Cloud: Future of Infrastructure CIO | Google Cloud, AMD Undo Other than these, the highest number of devotees also travelled to Hogenakkal Falls on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border, Biligirangatha Swamy temple in BR Hills of Yelandur taluk, and Bandipur Tiger Reserve. 130 buses operate KSRTC Chamarajanagar divisional controller Ashok Kumar said that the division operates 130 buses against the usual 73 buses during Amavasya celebrations to MM Hills temple to prevent rush and 600 buses during Shivaratri celebrations. Following the implementation of the Shakti scheme, the ridership to pilgrim centres like MM Hills, Himavad Gopalswamy temple, and BR Hills temple has increased. He stated that the division has sought the state govt to sanction more buses as there is huge demand from the public for its buses in the border district. "As the number of devotees to temples and visitors to tourist spots increases every year, it also boosts the local economy, hotels, resorts, hospitality, and other allied sectors, apart from local taxi and tourist operators. Govt must operate additional state-run buses to the border district to prevent rush and overcrowding, as such measures boost tourism in the region," said Mahadevaswamy, a hotel owner from Kollegal.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Bengaluru under water yet again
The monsoon is yet to hit the western coast of India. However, the pre-monsoon showers this week have brought Bengaluru, the IT capital of the country, to its knees. Major arterial roads were flooded, Hosur Road in the south was closed for traffic, and in several inundated residential localities, including Sri Sai Layout at Horamavu in the northeastern part of the city and S.T. Bed Layout in the southeast, boats were deployed to rescue people. The scenes were reminiscent of the floods in the city in 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2022, all of which were during the peak monsoon season or in the post-monsoon period. But this time, the pre-monsoon showers have led to floods and mayhem. Four people have lost their lives in tree-fall, compound wall collapse, and electrocution incidents. It is mostly in April that the civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), wakes up to the monsoon, which usually hits the city in the first or second week of June. On May 5 this year, Additional Chief Secretary Tushar Giri Nath, who also holds the charge as Administrator of the BBMP, and the new Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao, held a meeting to review 'monsoon preparedness'. Civic officials were directed to pull their socks up and carry out works ahead of the onset of the monsoon. As per a statement issued after this meeting, of the 209 flood-prone spots, interventions were carried out at 166 and zonal officials were asked to visit and attend to 43 other flood-prone spots, dredge drains along 82 road stretches that were flagged as prone to flooding by the traffic police, and finish the annual maintenance work along 175-km-long storm-water drains (SWDs). The fact that annual maintenance work of the crucial SWDs is still under way, just days ahead of the onset of monsoon, indicates that it is 'business as usual'. Need for a paradigm shift As the city prepares for the monsoon, the pre-monsoon showers — often accompanied by squalls and thunderstorms — wreak more damage. In May 2023, a woman died when the car she was travelling in got submerged in the K.R. Circle underpass, a stone's throw away from the Vidhana Soudha in the city centre. Experts have called for 'a paradigm shift' and said the authorities should focus on preparing for pre-monsoon showers so that by April every year, the city is 'rain-ready'. Data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru, for 1990-2020 shows that rain begins to pick up in the city from April. During this period, while the mean total rainfall for March is 14.7 mm, it increases to 61.7 mm in April. Traditionally, the first rain is expected around Holi festival and later around Ugadi (March-April). These are called the mango showers as well. The first big rain of the year often ends up wreaking big damage as the civic administration has barely taken any measures to dredge drains along the roads and identify dangerous trees for removing or pruning them. The first rain is like a shock to the system. IMD data shows that Bengaluru receives more rainfall in May (total mean 128.7 mm) than in the monsoon months of June (110.3 mm) and July (116.4 mm). The rainfall further peaks in August, September, and October, the wettest period of the year in Bengaluru. There are two peaks — May and later September. C.S. Patil, Director of IMD, Bengaluru, says they consider March 1 to May 31 as the pre-monsoon period, June 1 to September 30 as the monsoon period, and October 1 to December 31 as the post-monsoon period. 'Heavy rain begins by May and continues till October in Bengaluru,' he says. The pre-monsoon showers in the April-May period are thunderstorms, accompanied by high-speed winds that can go up to 50 kmph and lightning, he says. 'Many trees fall during the pre-monsoon showers, mainly due to high-speed winds. During monsoon also we may see some tree-falls and thunderstorm events,' he says. B.L.G. Swamy, Deputy Conservator of Forests, BBMP, says, 'Not just old and brittle trees, even many healthy green trees have also fallen during the recent rain.' The civic body cut down several trees and pruned many as a preventive measure in the last two months, he says. Despite a special drive from April to prune trees, the city has reported over 60 tree-fall incidents and one death in one such incident during the pre-monsoon showers in May. In the last two years, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company too has reported damage to over 9,000 electricity poles and around 1,000 transformers during the pre-monsoon months. An official from the power utility says, 'We lose more infrastructure in the pre-monsoon months because of the tree-fall incidents. Our poles can withstand up to 250 kg of weight, but when bigger trees fall, a breakdown is inevitable. Before the monsoon, we also take up pruning of trees and aerial bunching of cables.' S. Vishwanath, water conservation activist, says, 'Anyone who observes the rain pattern in Bengaluru will realise that we need to be rain-ready before April. But there is a disconnect with this ground reality and the work taken up by the city administration, which wakes up to the monsoon by April, if we are lucky. We need to change the way we look at this and work backwards to the April deadline. What we do in April-May, has to be done in February-March.' Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who visited rain-affected areas in the city on May 21, pulled up officers for not being prepared for the showers. Citizen activists point out patterns that show that many stretches of roads and certain pockets of the city, despite being flagged by multiple agencies and prior experience, get flooded every time it rains. 'Why does the same set of places get flooded every year? This only shows laxity of the civic administration. Either the civic body is not working towards practical workable interventions at these points, or unplanned development of the city seems to have made it impossible to avoid flooding,' says V. Ramprasad from Friends of Lakes, a citizen collective working to conserve the city's lakes. Why do the same points get flooded every year? For the past many years, Sri Sai Layout and S.T. Bed Layout, both developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), get flooded with even light rains, exposing not only the BBMP's laxity, but also the government's own skewed development model. The May 18 downpour resulted in houses at Sri Sai Layout getting submerged in 4-5 ft of water. Residents, including children and the elderly, were rescued by boats and tractor trolleys deployed by the State Disaster Response Force. Neelufur Ahmed, a 45-year-old resident, expressed the community's growing anxiety: 'Rain, typically seen as beneficial, has become a source of fear.' The flooding disrupts daily life and causes significant property damage, making each rainstorm increasingly perilous for those living in the neighbourhood. Despite the recurring nature of these floods, residents report a lack of effective drainage solutions and inadequate infrastructure. The BBMP Chief Commissioner, who visited the flooded locality in a tractor, promised a 'permanent solution', something the residents have been hearing from the authorities for years. Since 2020, the BBMP has been promising to drill two big vents at a railway bridge in the locality to drain out water. Rao also promised to speed up the process. During the recent city rounds of the Chief Minister, residents vented their ire at local MLA and former Urban Development Minister Byrathi Basavaraj for alleged 'apathy'. The story is no different at S.T. Bed Layout, which has been developed on a tank bed, and Trinity Fortune Layout at Geddalahalli in north Bengaluru, the two other flood-prone areas. Sandra Noel, a resident of Trinity Fortune, says, 'We were scared until the BBMP authorities arrived, as the water level kept rising after the nearby drains were flooded. This was one of the worst floods the layout has seen and if the drain problem is not fixed, it will continue for years'. The story is no different with flood-prone road stretches. Motorists, citing this week's rain, say the flood-prone roads identified by the civic body have not seen any transformation. 'The roads under the Hebbal flyover and Veerannapalya stretch on the adjoining Outer Ring Road have been flooding with every rain for years. Water gets stagnated even on the flyover. Multiple delegations of heads of all civic agencies have visited the flyover and these areas and carried out some interventions. But why does the area still flood during the rains?,' Sandeep Kumar, who takes the road to work every day, sought to know. In the May 5 monsoon preparedness review meeting, Giri Nath and Rao said the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) had flagged 82 road stretches that often get flooded during the rains. Sources say the BTP has flagged a total of 137 stretches that get inundated, of which they have also reportedly pointed out 14 stretches that are worse off and result in traffic disruptions. Problems with most of these 14 stretches have been persistent for over two years. For instance, the Veerannapalya stretch of the Outer Ring Road, the service road under the Hebbal flyover, Panathur underpass, Silk Board junction, Hosur Road, Electronics City flyover, Marathahalli, Agara 14th Main Road, and HSR Layout have been flooding with every rain for years. The same stretches were the worst affected during the recent rain. 'The primary problem at most of these stretches is clogged drains, which need regular maintenance. Most of these drains are clogged with garbage, plastic bottles, dry leaves, and such materials. But in some of these places, there is also a need for engineering interventions,' says a senior traffic police official. B.S. Prahlad, Engineer-in-Chief of the BBMP, says that the civic body had carried out interventions at most of these places. 'There will always be a run-off on the road surface during the rain. We cannot avoid that altogether. What we are working on is to reduce the time it takes for the water to drain out,' he says. What has worsened the situation this year is the many ongoing roadworks across the city, including white-topping of roads being taken up even in the central business district ahead of the rains. Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. has also dug up several key roads to push electricity cables underground, but the work is yet to be completed. Are drains and lakes prepared to mitigate floods? Meanwhile, activists point out that neither the city's drains nor the lakes are prepared for flood mitigation. 'By now, we should have ensured our lakes are only half full so that they can take in rainwater. But there seems to be no coordination between the BBMP, the agency with custody of these lakes, and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board , which is filling the lakes with treated water. If the lakes are filled with treated water and are not desilted, their carrying capacity will be severely compromised. Our lakes are wonderful flood-mitigation barriers if used properly, but they are not,' says Ramprasad. The carrying capacity of our SWDs is also severely compromised, he says. 'The carrying capacity of our drains has been reduced by at least 50%, due to the build-up of silt and flow of sewage, which is never accounted for. Naturally, they will overflow,' he says. Kathyayini Chamaraj of CIVIC, a citizen collective, says the civic body is concretising all drains and not building enough percolation pits. 'There is no way the water will seep in. It stands there, taking away the drain's carrying capacity and also becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes,' she says. Not just the SWDs, but even the shoulder drains and culverts are not being desilted regularly, leading to flooding. We need to redesign our drain system to manage our kind of monsoon, she says. Prahlad, who also holds charge as Chief Engineer, SWD, BBMP, says they are removing silt and carrying out maintenance work of SWDs at a war pace by deploying excavators, tractors, and tippers, and the drains will be ready by the onset of monsoon. (With inputs from Jahnavi T.R.) (Edited by Giridhar Narayan)
