Lalbagh Garden Afternoon Walk + VV Puram Evening Food Street Walk

The Govt. Approved Guide will meet and greet you at the entrance of the West Gate in front of the Ticket Counter. Lalbagh has four gates - East, West, North and South. The West Gate is on the R V Road and near to the Lalbagh Metro station.

Lalbagh, literally meaning 'Red Garden', was laid down by Hyder Ali in 1760 and further expanded to 240 acres by succeeding British and Indian horticulturists. This Garden is host to more than 2000 species of tropical and sub-tropical plants and trees. The Lake itself is an artificial lake giving the morning walkers a beautiful path around it to walk.

As we move from the lake we pass by many types of trees - the Copper pod, Jacaranda, Royal palm, Rain trees, Tulip trees, bamboo, gooseberry tree, coffee plants, etc. Undoubtedly the tree that is the star attraction of Lalbagh is the Ceiba Pentendra, or the White Silk-Cotton Tree, which is about 300 years old and the biggest of 'em all. From here we move towards Glass house passing by a Topiary, Frangipanis, a 20-million year old fossil of a tree, band stand, etc before arriving at the Glass House. This structure was built during the closing years of the 19th century by the British on a style similar to the Crystal Palace in London. Every year, two extraordinary Flower Shows are organized here coinciding with the Indian Independence Day and the Republic Day.

As we move from the Glass house, we cannot but appreciate the cool effect of the Ficus Benjamina trees which forms a boulevard. Around the same area we see a number of Wooden Sculptures made by local artists from trees which had fallen in the Garden in the last 10 years. The Kempegowda tower on top of the Stone Hill was built by the grandson of Kempegowda I who founded Bangalore in the 16th Century. The Stone hill itself is of great geological importance and is estimated to be 3000 million years old. Its a type of granite and is called the Peninsular Gneiss.

From the Glass house, we move towards the Lalbagh main gate or the Northern entrance. We pass by a Japanese Bonsai Garden, beautiful Boganvilla flowers, the tallest Aurocaria tree in the garden, a 270-year old mango tree, a statue of King Chamarajendra Wodeyar the Xth, a floral clock with the theme of Snow white, before arriving at the exit. From here, MTR, is about a five minute walk

The VV Puram or the Vishwevara Puram Food Street is the most popular vegetarian food street of Bangalore. Surrounded by a string of temples and very old localities of Bangalore, this street offers mouth-watering dishes, both sweet and spicy, to thousands who throng this street every evening. As you walk through the street you will invariably be greeted by;
- Sounds of masala dosas being spread on the hot pans;
- Sights of steaming idlis being served along with green chutney;
- Scores of pani puris being swallowed by the yound and the old;
- Smells of bondas, bajjis, bhel puris, masala puris, pav-bhajis, etc. wafting through the air;
- Scenes of jalebis, jamuns, lassis, laddus, rasagollas, basundis, etc. and other sweet dishes waiting for your approval
- Rows of street vendors doing brisk business as the evening wears on;

A philosopher once said that food is the only way in which a man can be completely satisfied. Just arrive with a good appetite and we shall prove this!