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Bengaluru

City in IndiaBengaluru is in southern India, near the southern end of the Deccan Plateau, about 900 m above sea level. It lies in the south-east of the state of Karnataka, and its height gives it a milder climate.

What it's known for

Bengaluru is the capital of Karnataka, with the state government and legislature based in the Vidhana Soudha. Its information technology industry has earned it the nickname 'Silicon Valley of India', and it is also called the 'Garden City of India', with the Lal Bagh garden dating from around 1760.

Fun facts

  1. In 1537 the local chieftain Kempe Gowda I built a mud-brick fort here, and his successor Kempe Gowda II built four towers to mark the edge of the town.
  2. A popular story, probably not true, says the name comes from 'benda kaal-uru', meaning 'town of boiled beans'.
  3. In 1906 Bengaluru became one of the first cities in India to have electricity.

Finding it on the globe

Look inland in India's southern tip, roughly halfway between the west and east coasts: Bengaluru is about 290 km west of Chennai.

Easy to mix up

Bangalore and Bengaluru are the same city: the official name changed to Bengaluru on 1 November 2014. India's capital is New Delhi.

Sources: Wikipedia: Bengaluru, Wikipedia: List of national capitals