11 Famous Parks To Visit In Bangalore: The Garden City Of India
The moment somebody says Bangalore, you remember it as the nation’s leading information technology (IT) exporter. But did you know that it is also nicknamed the Garden City of India, all thanks to the gardens and parks in Bangalore?
About 250 years ago, the garden city of India was described as a land of old strong granite rocks and sand in paintings. Tracing its roots back to the early 1920s, a plethora of parks and gardens were built to commemorate the 25th year of the rule of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV in Bangalore. Owing to its pleasant topography and climate, it is also praised as the third greenest city of India.
Bangalore, filled with lush green parks, has a total of 1,247 developed parks offering a respite from the stifling Indian heat. Strategically located and carefully planned, the parks in Bangalore are as serene as they can get.
Also read: 30 of the most fascinating things to do in Bangalore
Here Are Our Top 11 Suggestions For The Best Parks In Bangalore
1. Literally Translating To ‘Red Garden’: Lal Bagh Botanical Garden
A haven for all nature lovers, the Lalbagh Botanical Garden, literally meaning The Red Garden is a horticulturist’s paradise, and one of the best parks in Bangalore, covering an area of 240 acres with nearly 1,854 species of plants including some from France, Afghanistan and Persia. It was established in the 1760s by Hyder Ali, and completed by his son Tipu Sultan. Originally called the Cypress garden, it is beautified with lotus pools, fountains, lush green lawns, and the Lalbagh Rock which is over 3,000 million years old. Lal Bagh is home to many wildlife species—birds like purple moorhen, parakeets, Brahminy kites, mynah, etc. It is also home to a lake, an aquarium, and a famous glass house where an annual flower show is conducted every year. A nationally and internationally renowned centre for scientific study of plants, botanical artwork, and also conservation of plants, this botanical garden is a delight for photographers.
Location: Mavalli, Bangalore
Timings: 6 AM – 7 PM
Entry Fee: INR 25 per adult and free for children (below 12 years)
2. A Landmark ‘Lung’ Area Of Bangalore: Cubbon Park
Cubbon Park, officially known as Sri Chamarajendra Park, is located right in the middle of the city and is spread across 300 acres, making it the largest green ‘lung’ area in the city. The lush pathways are surrounded with gulmohars, oaks, and cassia making it peaceful for walks or runs. You can also enjoy plenty of natural features at this delightful park in Bangalore, from picturesque water features such as a musical fountain and lotus pond to 6,000 indigenous and exotic plants. Beyond nature, there are numerous century-old historical buildings and statues that are worth checking out such as the Cubbon Park Museum, Attara Kacheri, and Seshadri Iyer Memorial Park. The Bangalore Aquarium which is the second largest aquarium in India, is another famous attraction here. There are many activities and events held here from time to time, especially photo walks. This green belt region of the city is an ideal place for nature lovers seeking calm.
Location: Sampangi Rama Nagar, Bangalore
Timings: 6 AM – 6 PM
Entry Fee: No entry fee
3. A One-Of-Its-Kind Park In Bangalore: Lumbini Gardens
Named after a Buddhist pilgrimage site in Nepal, Lumbini gardens stretches over an area of 1.5 kms along the Nagavara Lake. It is ideal for family time as the area accommodates up to 5,000 visitors each day. This water amusement park in Bangalore is one-of-its-kind, with an eco-friendly boating facility. In addition to natural beauty, it also houses diverse plant species, and well-groomed lawns. The park has a wave pool, kids’ rides and other amusement rides for a small price. Additionally, there is a clock tower resembling the Big Ben in London and a 25-foot high statue of Buddha inside the park. You can choose to dive into the artificial beach for some fun with the kids or enjoy the tranquility that comes with proximity to nature. Perhaps the first of its kind in the city, you can also find a floating restaurant to satiate your hunger.
Location: Hebbal, Bangalore
Timings: 11 AM – 7 PM
Entry Fee: INR 50 per person and free for kids (below 3 years)
4. A Biological Reserve: Bannerghatta National Park
Any nature lover, who has a keen interest in wildlife, will surely enjoy a visit to the Bannerghatta National Park, a rich natural biological reserve that works towards conservation of wildlife. Established in 1970, this national park in Bangalore also features a zoo, the pet corner, Bannerghatta Biological Park, a snake house, a butterfly enclosure and a safari park. Spread over an area of around 104.27 sq. kms, this national park is home to vibrant butterflies and around 101 species of birds. The country’s first biological park to have a fenced forested elephant sanctuary, it houses several elephants and other animals like sloths, Bengal tigers, etc., rescued from circuses. There is also a restaurant, a souvenir shop, and a toy train to tour the park. A popular activity to pursue here, the jungle safari allows you to get a close up view of the wildlife here.
Location: Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore
Timings: Butterfly park and boating: 9:30 AM – 5 PM, Grand Safari: 10 AM – 4:30 PM, Closed on Tuesdays
Entry Fee: Indians: INR 80 per adult, INR 40 for kids (6 – 12 years), INR 50 for Senior citizens; Foreigners: INR 400 per adult, INR 300 for kids
5. A Military Themed Park: Cariappa Memorial Park
Covering an area of almost 22 acres of land, Cariappa Memorial Park is one of the most famous parks of Bangalore. Built to honour Marshal KM Cariappa, an Indian army officer, it exhibits around 3,000 varieties of trees and plants. Established in 1996, the park has a unique feature where the games and play area are based on a military theme. It also consists of a pond that attracts different varieties of birds, a small waterfall, grassy dunes which are ideal for resting on, a bandstand where six military bands perform every two weeks, and tracks for walking and jogging.
Location: Cubbon Road, Shivaji Nagar, Bangalore
Timings: 5.30 AM to 8 PM on weekdays, 1 PM to 7 PM on Saturday, 9 AM to 7 PM on Sunday
Entry Fee: No Entry Fee
6. Home To Exotic Migratory Birds: Jaya Prakash Narayan Or JP Park
Being both fun and educational at the same time, JP Park spans across 25 acres and is among the best parks in Bangalore. The play area has slides, see-saws, swings, merry-go-rounds and other recreational equipment. The rest of the park has well-maintained lush green lawns, pathways for walking or jogging, and life-size figurines depicting life in the rural areas, the forests and farming. The acupressure walkway is a top attraction at this park where you can walk barefoot for a relaxing experience. Additionally, there are more than 250 kinds of trees under which you can relax and four lakes where you can spot exotic birds.
Location: Brindavan Nagar, Mathikere, Bangalore
Timings: 5 AM -9 AM, 4 PM – 8:30 PM
Entry Fee: No Entry Fee
Also read: Best places to see migratory birds in India
7. Famously Known As ‘Rock Garden Of The City’: Bugle Rock Park
Famously known as the ‘Rock Garden of the city’, the Bugle Rock Park was built around a 3,000 million-year-old rock called Bugle Rock, and is one of the finest green spaces in Bangalore. Located next to the Bull Temple in Basavanagudi, one of the main attractions of the park is the watch tower built by Kempe Gowda I which offers a 360-degree view of the city. It was from here that a soldier would blow a bugle to warn of an impending danger to the city. The park is tree-lined, making it ideal for runs and walks. Within the premises of the park, you can also find two famous temples— the 16th-century Bull temple, also called Dodda Basavana Gudi, and a Ganesha temple. You can also find waterfalls, fountains, and an amphitheatre. Set amidst nature’s natural perks, it is one of the best parks in Bangalore and experiences a regular influx of tourists besides scientists and regular geologists.
Location: N R Colony, Basavanagudi, Bangalore
Timings: 9 AM – 7 PM
Entry Fee: No Entry Fee
Also read: 22 incredible natural rock formations you have to see
8. Formerly A Central Jail: Freedom Park
A former prison which has been now revamped into a park, Freedom Park, as the name says, is a theme park depicting the freedom struggle of India. Divided into different sections with scenes from the Indian freedom struggle recreated with life-size figurines, there are also various amenities like a socio-cultural library, a joggers’ park and children’s play area here. Opened to the public in 2008, this famous park in Bangalore also has a watch tower, a statue of a prison guard alongside the prison and an area allocated for protests and rallies by civilians. On a few weekends, even cultural shows are organised here.
Location: Seshadri Road, Gandhi Nagar, Bangalore
Timings: 5 AM – 8 PM
Entry Fee: No Entry Fee
9. Preserving Karnataka’s Heritage: Ranadheera Kanteerava Park
The Ranadheera Kanteerava park is one of the most well-maintained and famous parks in Bangalore, created to inform people about the heritage and history of Karnataka. The park has several beautiful sculptures of the ancient kings and rulers of Karnataka; it also has a few other giant figurines of just faces, a blue tree man, a small pond with a fountain, notes of poetry of various famous Kannada poets and a play-gym here.
Location: Jaya Nagar, Bangalore
Timings: 10 AM – 9 PM
Entry Fee: No Entry Fee
10. A World Of Butterflies: Butterfly Park
The first green space of its kind in the country, the butterfly park is located within the Bannerghatta National Park. This famous park in Bangalore has a 1 km butterfly trail that leads to a dome-shaped greenhouse, that is home to mainly five species of butterflies: pieridae, papilionidae, nymphalidae, hesperiidae and lycaenidae. It also has a breeding area for insects, a landscaped garden to create a favourable habitat for the insects, a waterfall, a polycarbonate roof and an audio-visual dome, where visitors can watch a documentary and gain knowledge about the butterflies.
Location: Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore
Timings: 9 AM – 5 PM
Entry Fee: INR 30 per adult, INR 20 per child
11. Home To An Advanced Musical Fountain: Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park
The Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park is artificially created and one of the most technically advanced fountains in India built by B.N.A. Technology Consulting Limited, Hong Kong in 1995. It includes landscaped gardens, several shrub varieties, creepers, rosaries and tree species like cypress, peltophorum, silver oaks, and eucalyptus. The biggest attraction of the park, however, is the dancing and musical fountain which is based on multimedia technology, MIDI interfaces and hardware architecture. This beautiful fountain, surrounded by pleasant lush gardens with the rhythmic dancing of the sparkling water, hosts two night shows every day. Maintained by the Department of Horticulture, this famous park in Bangalore also houses a play garden for kids and a dummy train engine in the honour of the then Chief Minister C. K. Jaffer Sharief who constructed the fountain.
Location: Raj Bhavan Road, Bangalore
Timings: 7 PM – 8:30 PM, Closed on Mondays and Second Tuesdays of every month
Entry Fee : INR 10 per adult, INR 5 for kids (between 6 and 12 years)
Why Are Parks And Gardens Important In A City?
Parks play a major role in our childhood memories for many of us. We’re probably aware, to some extent, that the parks where we spent most of our childhood made an impact on who we are today. The parks in Bangalore are a crucial part of the community and help benefit our physical as well as psychological health. They also have a significant impact on the happiness of everyone in the neighbourhood.
The trees in parks help remove a wide variety of pollutants from the air. Each park has its own ecosystem which provides important habitats for many animals. Parks help improve the economy of the city as it attracts tourists, fills hotel rooms and invites customers to use local restaurants and stores. It can even be used to hold concerts, festivals, and athletics events, bringing additional boost to the local economy. In fact, parks should be a major part of any city planning going forward and are crucial to the healthy development in our city.
When visiting parks in Bangalore, we must do our part in being a responsible traveller by following the rules and regulations. We should also remind fellow visitors to do so by politely reminding them to contribute to the continued preservation of the place. Here are some tips to help you travel better while visiting the gardens and parks in Bangalore:
- Report any signs of vandalism or misbehaviour to park rangers.
- Remember, plants and animals are protected, so ensure you leave them undisturbed and try not to trample plants when you are walking.
- Rock art and other sites in parks represent thousands of years of living culture with special significance to indigenous people. These sites are easily damaged and are irreplaceable so you should refrain from touching or damaging them.
- People visit parks and forests to breathe fresh air and enjoy the sounds of nature. So you should always make an effort to smoke away from other visitors and bin your butts.
With rapid urbanisation, sometimes, the cacophony of the city streets can deafen you, but Bangalore has a solution for it. You can take a break from the bustling city life and enjoy some peace in solitude at the parks in the garden city of India; the perfect getaway for nature lovers.
from Travel.Earth https://ift.tt/3iHeq4Z
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