15 Things You Can Relate To If You Live In “Namma Bengaluru”

Bangalore is one of the youngest and hippest metropolitans in the country. Gaining a name for itself back in the 80s as India’s up and coming tech capital, the city has come a long way. The breathtaking city of Gardens is known for its enchanting beauty, romantic lakes, sweater weather, and signature filter coffee. The “Silicon Valley of India” is the capital of the southern state of Karnataka and has a population of over 12.34 million people. It doesn’t matter if you were born in Bangalore or moved here for work, the city welcomes everybody with an open heart. So here are 15 things every Bangalorean can relate to:

1. Shopping At Brigade Road And Commercial Street

When it comes to shopping on a tight budget, Brigade Road and Commercial are the best places to go. Although the place is almost always super crowded, it’s a smart idea to go during off-times. Be warned, however, the streets are narrow and the chance of bargaining for a much lower price is even narrower! Make sure you pay the shopkeepers and small business owners their fair rates as they’ve already priced things pretty low.

2. Romantic Dates At Lalbagh

Lalbagh is one of Bangalore’s most unique and beautiful attractions. It contains a botanical garden as well as numerous plant and tree species all around the park. The price of a ticket is less than 50 rupees, making it the perfect date spot for anybody from college students to older couples. And what’s more? The garden is even fitted with an artificial lake and a waterfall.

3. Street Food At V.V. Puram

Who says South Indians can’t make good street food? V.V. Puram is the perfect example of a street that has quality, affordable, and scrumptious street food. Locals recommend trying gobi manchurian rolls (made with rumali roti), bajjis, and bondas, “floating” pani puri, and twister potatoes. The stalls open up around 5 pm in the evening and the place is bustling and crowded by 8 pm.

4. Sunday Morning Jogs At Cubbon Park

Cubbon Park is one of the city’s few dog-friendly parks and is easily accessible by the metro. The park is also one among the biggest green lungs of the city and spans across 300 acres. It houses a 100-year-old heritage building that contains the world’s largest collection of Braille books among other things.

5. Midnight Munchies At Empire

Empire Restaurant has been one of Bangalore’s legacy restaurants and was opened in 1966. The multi-cuisine restaurant has everything from bheja fry to Mexican shawarma to grilled chicken. Due to the fact that it remains open till 1 am, the restaurant is popular among night-owls and college kids prepping for their exams.

6. Early Morning Rides On NICE Road

The Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Road or NICE Road is an efficient, safe, and modern expressway that cuts travel time between Bangalore and Mysuru to just one hour. Many locals go on long drives down the expressway on weekends. The road is known for being smooth, scenic, and even features a picturesque clover-leaf junction.

7. Delicious Tibetan Momos In 5th Block Koramangala

While V.V. Puram is known for its amazing street food, Koramangala is known for its incredible momos. The entirety of the 5th block is streaked with small momo stalls that add their own unique twist to the classic Tibetan dish. We sure to catch some fusion momos like chicken tikka momos, schezwan momos, and more while you are there!

8. Window Shopping At UB City

UB City houses high-end luxury stores as well as a few offices and is located in the Central Business District of Bangalore on Vittal Mallya road. You will find every luxury brand from Armani to Louis Vuitton and Gucci at this 123m tall tower. Head to the amphitheater on the top floors to check out a panoramic view of the city and get good Instagram pictures!

9. Catching A Metro To Vidhan Soudha

Vidhan Soudha is a uniquely-constructed building that is an interesting blend of a Mysore style of architecture called Neo-Dravidian. The building is the seat of the Karnataka state legislature and was conceptualized by the second chief minister of Karnataka, Kengal Hanumanthaiah. It is located after the Cubbon Park metro station towards Mysuru Road.

10. Splurging On Books At Blossoms On Church Street

Blossoms is a lovely old bookstore located in the heart of the city on Church street. The bookstore is well-stocked and still maintains that old school charm that’s lost to many other mainstream bookstores across the country.

11. Driving To Nandi Hills

Nandi Hills makes for a quick and quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. Located about 61 kms from Bangalore, the hill showcases a beautiful panorama of the green landscape. Truly a breathtaking sight!

12. Shopping For Silk Sarees At Chikpet

Ask any Bangalorean where to buy good quality and affordable silk sarees and they’ll ask you to catch a metro to Chikpet. Bangalore has often been dubbed as India’s fashion capital and is home to some of the most beautiful and luxurious silks. The prices vary from affordable to exuberant and thus you need to have a careful eye whilst shopping.

13. Authentic South Indian Breakfast At MTR

If you believe in the saying, “When in Rome, eat as the Romans do.”, then you cannot say no to an authentic plate of MTR’s Masala dosa and filter coffee. If idlis are a little too dry for your taste, you can try it’s fried brother from another mother, medu vada. The original Bangalore MTR outlet is located near Lalbagh and makes for a nice breakfast after an early morning jog.

14. Bar Hopping In Indiranagar

The jokes about renaming Indiranagar to “pub nagar” do hold some water. Indiranagar is littered with a range of pubs, restaurants, and resto-bars. Just take a walk down 100 Feet Road on a Saturday night and you will be treated to the sight of everyone from businessmen to drunk college kids hopping bar-to-bar. There’s a bar for every budget in Indiranagar.

15. Mouthwatering Biriyani At Meghna’s

Another popular dish in Bangalore is Meghna’s biriyani. The delicious biriyani is a bang for your buck and is super filling. The mutton pepper fry, Meghna chicken 65, and Nati chicken fry are often recommended to non-veg lovers, whereas their aloo dum biryani and chili gobi are must-tries.

If you’re new to Bangalore and are looking to explore the city, this is a good list to start with. Besides being one of the most friendly and modern cities to live in, Bangalore also has a rich Kannadiga culture and history. Being on the border of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu makes it a hub and easily accessible to every major city via the national highways. Do let us know if you would add anything to this list in the comments below.

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Niharika NayakBA (Media & Communication)

 

Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing video games, and hanging out with stray animals.

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