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Bangalore

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Asia

   Bengalūru
   Bengalūru
   State
    -  District(s)   Karnataka
                      -  Bangalore Urban
   Coordinates       12.58° N 77.35° E
   Area
    -  Elevation     476.66  km²
                      - 920 m
   Time zone         IST ( UTC+5:30)
   Population ( 2006)
    -  Density       6,158,677 ( 5th)
                      - 22,719/km²
   Mayor             Mumtaz Begum
   Codes
    -  Postal
    - Telephone
    -  Vehicle
                      - 560 0xx
                      - +080
                      - KA-01; KA-05; KA-41; KA-53

   Bangalore or Bengalūru ( Kannada: ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು; pronunciation:
   ['beŋgəɭuːru] in Kannada and /'bæŋgəlɔː(ɹ)/ in English) is the capital
   of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Mysore Plateau in
   south-western Karnataka, Bengaluru has an estimated metropolitan
   population of 6.1 million (2006), making it India's third-largest city
   and fifth-largest metropolitan area. Though historical references to
   the city predate 900 CE, a written history of continuous settlement
   exists only from 1537 CE, when Kempe Gowda I, whom many regard as the
   architect of modern Bengaluru, built a mud fort in the city and
   established it as a province of the Vijayanagara Empire.

   During the British Raj, Bengaluru developed as a centre for colonial
   rule in South India. The establishment of the Bangalore Cantonment
   brought in large numbers of migrant Tamil, Telugu and North Indian
   workers for developing and maintaining the infrastructure of the
   cantonment.

   After India gained independence in 1947 CE, Bengaluru evolved into a
   manufacturing hub for public sector heavy industries—particularly
   aerospace, space and defence. The establishment and success of business
   software services firms in Bengaluru after the liberalisation of
   India's economy has led to the growth of India's information technology
   industry. Bengaluru is referred to as the Silicon Valley of India and
   accounts for 35 percent of India's software exports. Home to
   prestigious colleges and research institutions, the city has the
   second-highest literacy rate among the metropolitan cities in the
   nation. However, as a large and growing metropolis in the developing
   world, Bengaluru continues to struggle with problems such as air
   pollution, traffic congestion, and crime.

   On December 11, 2005, the Government of Karnataka announced that it had
   accepted the proposal by Jnanpith Award winner U. R. Ananthamurthy to
   rename Bangalore to its Kannada name, Bengalūru. On September 27, 2006,
   the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) passed a resolution to implement
   the proposed name change, pending approvals from the Government of
   Karnataka and citizens of the city. On October 7th 2006, the Government
   of Karnataka accepted this resolution and decided to officially
   implement the name change on November 1st 2006. However, the name
   change still has to be approved by the central government, a process
   that is expected to take a few months.

Etymology

   The name Bangalore is an anglicised version of the city's name in the
   Kannada language, Bengalūru. The earliest reference to the name
   "Bengalūru" was found in a 9th-century CE Ganga Dynasty stone
   inscription on a "veera kallu" (literally, "hero stone", a rock edict
   extolling the virtues of a warrior). In this inscription found in
   Begur, "Bengaluru" is referred to as a place in which a battle was
   fought in 890 CE. It states that the place was part of the Ganga
   kingdom and was known as "Bengaval-uru", the "City of Guards" in old
   Kannada. An article, published in The Hindu, states :


   Bangalore

    An inscription, dating back to 890 CE, shows Bengaluru is over 1,000
   years old. But it stands neglected at the Parvathi Nageshwara Temple in
    Begur near the city...(w)ritten in Hale Kannada (old Kannada) of the
     9th Century CE, the epigraph refers to a Bengaluru war in 890 CE in
    which Buttanachetty, a servant of Nagatta, died. Though this has been
    recorded by historian R. Narasimhachar in his Epigraphia of Carnatica
     (Vol. 10 supplementary), no efforts have been made to preserve it.


   Bangalore

   A popular anecdote (although one contradicted by historical evidence)
   recounts that the 11th-century CE Hoysala king Veera Ballala II, while
   on a hunting expedition, lost his way in the forest. Tired and hungry,
   he came across a poor old woman who served him boiled beans. The
   grateful king named the place "benda kaal-ooru" ( Kannada: ಬೆಂದ ಕಾಳು
   ಊರು) (literally, "town of boiled beans"), which was eventually
   colloquialised to "Bengalūru". There are also theories that the name
   has a floral origin and is derived from the tree Benga or "Ven-kai",
   also known as the Indian Kino Tree (Pterocarpus marsupium). The city as
   it is known today was named by Kempe Gowda I.

History

   An inscription found near Begur, reveals that the district was a part
   of the Ganga Dynasty until 1004 CE and was known as Benga-val-oru, the
   "City of Guards" in old Kannada. The Cholas of Tamil Nadu ruled over
   the city from 1015 CE to 1116 CE until the town came under the rule of
   the Hoysala Empire. Modern Bangalore was founded by a feudatory of the
   Vijayanagara Empire, Kempe Gowda I, who built a mud fort in the
   proximity of modern Bengaluru in 1537 CE. Kempe Gowda referred to the
   new town as his "gandu bhoomi" or "Land of Heroes". Within the fort,
   the town was divided into petes ( IPA: [peɪteɪ]) or markets. The town
   had two main streets: Chickkapete Street ran east-west and Doddapete
   Street ran north-south. Their intersection formed Doddapete square —
   the heart of Bengaluru. Kempe Gowda's successor, Kempe Gowda II, built
   four famous towers that marked Bengaluru's boundary. During the
   Vijayanagara rule, Bengaluru was also referred to as "Devarāyanagara"
   and "Kalyānapura" ("Auspicious City").
   The Vidhana Soudha is the seat of Karnataka's Legislative assembly
   Enlarge
   The Vidhana Soudha is the seat of Karnataka's Legislative assembly
   An 1898 map of the Kingdom of Mysore depicting the location of
   Bangalore.
   Enlarge
   An 1898 map of the Kingdom of Mysore depicting the location of
   Bangalore.

   After the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire, Bengaluru's rule changed
   hands several times. It was captured by the Maratha chief Shahaji
   Bhonsle prior to a Mughal invasion. The city became part of the Kingdom
   of Mysore when the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb leased Bangalore to
   Chikkadeva Raja Wodeyar in 1689 CE. After the death of Krishnaraja
   Wodeyar II in 1759 CE, Haider Ali, Commander-in-Chief of the Mysore
   Army, proclaimed himself the de-facto ruler of Mysore. The kingdom
   later passed on to Haider Ali's son Tippu Sultan, known as the Tiger of
   Mysore. Bengaluru was eventually incorporated into the British East
   Indian Empire after Tippu Sultan was defeated and killed in the Fourth
   Anglo-Mysore War (1799 CE). The British returned administrative control
   of the Bengaluru "pete" to the Maharaja of Mysore, choosing only to
   retain the Cantonment under their jurisdiction. Under British rule,
   Bengaluru was incorporated into the Madras Presidency. The Kingdom of
   Mysore relocated its capital from Mysore city to Bengaluru in 1831 CE.
   Two important developments during this period contributed to the rapid
   growth of the city — the introduction of telegraph connections and a
   rail connection to Madras in 1864 CE.
   South Parade (now Mahatma Gandhi Road) during colonial times.
   Enlarge
   South Parade (now Mahatma Gandhi Road) during colonial times.

   In the 19th century CE, Bengaluru essentially became a twin city, with
   the "pete", whose residents were predominantly Kannadigas, and the
   Bangalore Cantonment, whose residents were mostly migrants from Tamil
   Nadu. Bengaluru was hit by a plague epidemic in 1898 CE that
   dramatically reduced its population. New extensions in Malleswaram and
   Basavanagudi were developed in the North and South of the Pete.
   Telephone lines were laid to help co-ordinate anti-plague operations,
   and a health officer was appointed to the city in 1898 CE. In 1906 CE
   Bengaluru became the first city in India to have electricity, powered
   by the hydroelectric plant situated in Shivanasamudra. Bengaluru's
   reputation as the Garden City of India began in 1927 CE with the Silver
   Jubilee celebrations of the rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. Several
   projects such as the construction of parks, public buildings and
   hospitals were instituted to beautify the city. After Indian
   independence in August 1947 CE, Bangalore remained in the new Mysore
   State of which the Maharaja of Mysore was the Rajpramukh. Public sector
   employment and education provided opportunities for Kannadigas from the
   rest of the state to migrate to the city. Bengaluru experienced rapid
   growth in the decades 1941–51 CE and 1971–81 CE, which saw the arrival
   of many immigrants from northern Karnataka and Kodagu. By 1961 CE
   Bengaluru had become the sixth largest city in India, with a population
   of 1,207,000. In the decades that followed, Bengaluru's manufacturing
   base continued to expand with the establishment of private companies
   such as Motor Industries Company (MICO; a subsidiary of Robert Bosch
   GmbH), which set up its manufacturing plant in the city. Bengaluru
   experienced a boom in its real estate market in the 1980s and 1990s CE,
   spurred by capital investors from other parts of the country who
   converted Bengaluru's large plots and colonial bungalows to multistorey
   apartments. The establishment of multinational companies such as ANZ
   Bank and Citibank as well as international fast food chains such as
   Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in the 1990s CE continued to
   expand foreign investment in Bengaluru. The city witnessed one of its
   largest media events ever when it hosted the 1996 CE the Miss World
   beauty pageant, which was seen by over two billion viewers worldwide.
   Many of these developments were met with opposition from groups fearing
   the loss of the city's national and linguistic identity. Widespread
   protests organised against the Miss World contest by women's
   organisations led to the arrests of about 1,000 protesters. In 1996 CE
   farmer activists attacked and damaged the KFC outlet in Bengaluru,
   accusing it of "representing western food habits which are not needed
   in India". Through the 1990s CE the state government promoted
   large-scale development projects such as the construction of sports
   stadia and exclusive apartment complexes, which resulted in the
   demolition and resettlement of poorer settlements to distant peripheral
   locations. In the mid-1990s CE, Bengaluru's economy grew many fold
   because of the software boom. Contrastingly, employment opportunities
   in almost all other sectors, in the city's manufacturing industries,
   declined. This was due to rampant and uncontrolled globalisation,
   liberalisation and privatisation.

Geography

   Bengaluru is situated in the southeast of the South Indian state of
   Karnataka. It is located in the heart of the Mysore Plateau (a region
   of the larger Precambrian Deccan Plateau) at an average elevation of
   920  m (3,018  feet). It is positioned at 12.97° N 77.56° E and covers
   an area of 2190  km² (1,360  mi²). Bengaluru District borders with
   Kolar District in the northeast, Tumkur District in the northwest,
   Mandya District in the southwest, Chamarajanagar District in the south
   and the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu in the southeast. The
   Bengaluru Urban district is divided into three taluks: Bengaluru North,
   Bengaluru South and Anekal. The Bengaluru North taluk is a relatively
   more level plateau, while the Bengaluru South taluk has an uneven
   landscape with intermingling hills and valleys.

   The topology of Bengaluru is flat except for a central ridge running
   NNE- SSW. The highest point is Doddabettahalli, which is 962 m
   (3,156 ft) and lies on this ridge. No major rivers run through the
   city, though the Arkavathi and South Pennar cross paths at the Nandi
   Hills, 60 km (37 mi) to the north. River Vrishabhavathi, a minor
   tributary of Arkavathi, arises within the city at Basavanagudi and
   flows through the city. Together, rivers Arkavathi and Vrishabhavathi
   carry much of Bengaluru's sewage. A sewerage system, constructed in
   1922 CE, covers 215 km² (133 mi²) of the city and connects with five
   sewage treatment centers located in the periphery of Bengaluru.

   In the 16th century CE, Kempe Gowda I constructed many lakes to meet
   the town's water requirements. The Kempamundi Kere, since overrun by
   modern development, was prominent. Later in the 20th century CE, the
   Nandi Hills waterworks, commissioned by Sir Mirza Ismail ( Dewan of
   Mysore, 1926–41 CE), provided adequate water supply to the growing
   city. Bengaluru currently relies heavily on water reservoirs from the
   Kaveri basin and on Vrishabhavathi and Arkavathi water treatment plants
   to meet the water needs of its population of six million. Bengaluru
   receives 800 million  litres (211 million  US gallons) of water a day,
   more than any other Indian city. However, water shortages, especially
   during summer, are commonplace. A random sampling study of the Air
   Quality Index (AQI) of twenty stations within the city indicated scores
   that ranged from 76 to 314, suggesting heavy to severe air pollution
   around areas of traffic concentration. For purposes of comparison,
   India's metropolitan cities Ahmedabad, Delhi and Kolkata were
   classified as having heavy pollution, while Bengaluru and Mumbai were
   categorised as having moderate pollution.
   The Agara Lake, at sunset. Bengaluru has a large number of lakes — of
   these Sankey lake, Ulsoor lake and Yediyur lake are the most prominent.
   Enlarge
   The Agara Lake, at sunset. Bengaluru has a large number of lakes — of
   these Sankey lake, Ulsoor lake and Yediyur lake are the most prominent.

   Bengaluru has a handful of freshwater lakes and water tanks, the
   largest of which are Madivala tank, Hebbal lake, Ulsoor lake and Sankey
   Tank. Groundwater occurs in silty to sandy layers of the alluvial
   sediments. Bengaluru receives adequate rainfall from the Northeast
   Monsoon as well as the Southwest Monsoon. The Peninsular Gneissic
   Complex (PGC) is the most dominant rock unit in the area and includes
   granites, gneisses and migmatites, while the soils of Bengaluru consist
   of red laterite and red, fine loamy to clayey soils. Vegetation in the
   city is primarily in the form of large deciduous canopy and minority
   coconut trees. Bengaluru has not been affected by major seismic
   activity due to it being located in a seismically stable zone (Zone
   II). Only mild tremors have been recorded in the city.

   Because of its elevation, Bengaluru enjoys a pleasant and equable
   climate throughout the year. The highest temperature recorded is 39° C
   (102° F) and the lowest is 11°C (52°F). Winter temperatures rarely drop
   below 12°C (54°F), and summer temperatures seldom exceed 38°C (100°F).
   The wettest months are August, September and October, in that order.
   The summer heat is moderated by fairly frequent thunderstorms, and
   occasional squalls cause power outages and local flooding. Most of the
   rainfall occurs during in late afternoon, evening or night, and rain
   before noon is infrequent. The heaviest rainfall recorded in a 24-hour
   period is 180  mm (7  in) recorded on 1 October 1997 CE.

Civic administration

                                         Bangalore City officials
                                                  Mayor       Mumtaz Begum
                                 Municipal Commissioner Kalaikurchi Jairaj
                                    Police Commissioner       N Achuta Rao

   The Karnataka High Court, also called Attara Kacheri, is the supreme
   judicial body in Karnataka and is located in Bengaluru
   Enlarge
   The Karnataka High Court, also called Attara Kacheri, is the supreme
   judicial body in Karnataka and is located in Bengaluru

   The Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BMP, Bengaluru Metropolitan Council)
   is the municipal corporation in charge of the civic and infrastructural
   assets of the city. The district of Bengaluru is home to 7 other city
   municipal councils such as those in Yelahanka, Bommanahalli,
   Dasarahalli, Krishnarajapuram, Pattangere, Bytarayanpura and
   Mahadevapura. The Government of Karnataka proposes to merge these 7
   councils into BMP to form Greater Bengaluru. The BMP council comprises
   100 elected representatives, called "corporators", one from each of the
   100 wards (localities) of the city. Elections to the council are held
   once every five years, with results being decided by popular vote. A
   mayor and commissioner of the council are also elected through a quota
   system from a Scheduled Castes and Tribes candidate or to an Other
   Backward Class female candidate. Bangalore's rapid growth has created
   several problems relating to traffic congestion and infrastructural
   obsolescence that the Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike has found challenging
   to address. A 2003 Battelle Environmental Evaluation System (BEES)
   evaluation of Bengaluru's physical, biological and socioeconomic
   parameters indicated that Bengaluru's water quality, terrestrial and
   aquatic ecosystem were close to ideal, while the city's socioeconomic
   parameters ( traffic, quality of life) scored poorly. The BMP has been
   criticised by the Karnataka High Court, citizens and corporations for
   failing to effectively address the crumbling road and traffic
   infrastructure of Bengaluru. The unplanned nature of growth in the city
   resulted in massive traffic gridlocks that the municipality attempted
   to ease by constructing a flyover system and by imposing one-way
   traffic systems. Some of the flyovers and one-ways mitigated the
   traffic situation moderately but were unable to adequately address the
   disproportionate growth of city traffic . In 2005 CE both the Central
   Government and the State Government allocated considerable portions of
   their annual budgets to address Bengaluru's infrastructure. The
   Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike works with the Bengaluru Development
   Authority (BDA) and the Bengaluru Agenda Task Force (BATF) to design
   and implement civic projects. Bengaluru generates about 3,000 tonnes of
   solid waste per day, of which about 1,139 tonnes are collected and sent
   to composting units such as the Karnataka Composting Development
   Corporation. The remaining solid waste collected by the municipality is
   dumped in open spaces or on roadsides outside the city.

   The Bengaluru City Police (BCP) is headed by a Police Commissioner, who
   is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer. The BCP has six geographic
   zones, includes Traffic Police, City Armed Reserve, Central Crime
   Branch and City Crime Record Bureau and runs 86 police stations,
   including two all-women police stations. As capital of the state of
   Karnataka, Bengaluru houses important state government facilities such
   as the Karnataka High Court, the Vidhana Soudha (the home of the
   Karnataka state legislature) and Raj Bhavan. Bengaluru contributes two
   members to India's lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha, and 24
   members to the Karnataka State Assembly. Electricity in Bengaluru is
   regulated through the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited
   (KPTCL). Like many cities in India, Bengaluru experiences scheduled
   power cuts, especially over the summer, to allow electricity providers
   to meet the consumption demands of households as well as corporations.

Economy

   The Public Utility Building on MG Road is an important commercial
   landmark in Bengaluru.
   Enlarge
   The Public Utility Building on MG Road is an important commercial
   landmark in Bengaluru.

   Bengaluru's Rs. 222,000 crore ( USD 51.9 billion) economy (Net District
   Income) makes it a major economic centre in India. Indeed, Bengaluru is
   India's fourth largest and fastest growing market. Bengaluru's per
   capita income of Rs. 2.9 lakh (US$ 6,460) is the highest for any Indian
   city. As of 2001 CE Bengaluru's share of Rs. 1660 crore (US$ 3.7
   billion) in Foreign Direct Investment was the 3rd highest for an Indian
   city. In the 1940s industrial visionaries such as Sir Mirza Ismail and
   Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya played an important role in the
   development of Bangalore's strong manufacturing and industrial base.
   Bengaluru is headquarters to several public manufacturing heavy
   industries such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), National
   Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL),
   Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT).
   In June 1972 CE the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was
   established under the Department of Space and headquartered in the
   city. Bengaluru is called the "Silicon Valley of India" because of the
   large number of Information Technology companies located in the city
   which contribute 38% of India's Rs. 100,000 crore (US$ 22 billion) IT
   and software export market. Bengaluru's IT industry is divided into
   three main "clusters" — Software Technology Parks of India, Bengaluru (
   STPI); International Technology Park Ltd. (ITPL); and Electronics City.
   Infosys and Wipro, India's 2nd and 3rd largest software companies, have
   largest campus in Electronics City. As headquarters to 38% of global
   SEI-CMM Level 5 Companies, Bengaluru's place in the global IT map is
   prominent. The growth of Information Technology has presented the city
   with unique challenges. Ideological clashes between the city's IT
   moguls, who demand an addressal of the infrastructural problems of the
   city, and the traditionally bureaucratic state governments, whose
   electoral base is primarily rural Karnataka's agricultural workers, are
   aplenty. In July 2004 CE Wipro CEO Azim Premji threatened to pull his
   company out of the city, stating, "We do not see the situation (state
   of Bengaluru's infrastructure) improving in the near future". The Hosur
   Road, which connects Bengaluru to the Electronics City, is a heavily
   congested road in the city. The road is also part of the National
   Highway (NH7) and therefore witnesses heavy truck traffic as well.
   Biotechnology is a rapidly expanding field in the city. Bengaluru
   accounts for 47% or 127 of the approximately 265 biotechnology
   companies in India. Biocon, headquartered in Bengaluru, is the nation's
   leading biotechnology company and ranks 16th in the world in revenues.
   The Bangalore Stock Exchange is the largest in South India.

Transport

   A traffic jam in Bangalore
   Enlarge
   A traffic jam in Bangalore
   The HAL Airport has been an issue of contention between successive
   State and Central governments and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
   Enlarge
   The HAL Airport has been an issue of contention between successive
   State and Central governments and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

   Bangalore's HAL Airport ( IATA code: BLR) is India's third busiest and
   functions as both a domestic and international airport. Direct flights
   from Bangalore fly to destinations in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
   The liberalisation of India's economic policies has led to increase in
   the number of domestic carriers within India, with several low-cost
   carriers such as SpiceJet, Kingfisher Airlines, Jet Airways and Go Air
   servicing the city. Air Deccan, with its hub in Bangalore, has the most
   number of flights into and out of Bangalore. Unlike most airports in
   the country which are controlled by the Airports Authority of India,
   the quasi government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited owns and
   operates Bangalore's HAL Airport, and also uses it to test and develop
   fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force. The dual-vested interests in
   the airport along with an increase in air traffic to Bangalore led to a
   prolonged tussle for operational ownership between the HAL and the
   Government of Karnataka. In 1991 plans for a large-scale Bangalore
   International Airport were conceived; however, the project was
   repeatedly delayed due to red tape and friction between the private
   companies involved and the state government. Clearance for the
   construction of the US$ 288 million (Rs. 1,300 crore) airport was
   eventually granted in June 2004, with Siemens AG, Zürich Airport and
   Larsen and Toubro as its major private stakeholders. Construction work
   on the airport began in July 2005. This new International Airport is
   coming up in Devanahalli, 31 km North of Bangalore, and is likely to be
   operational by mid 2008. Also, the construction of the 6-lane
   Bangalore-Devanahalli expressway is underway, and most parts are nearly
   complete.
   Autorickshaws, also simply referred to as Autos are a popular form of
   public transport in Bangalore.
   Enlarge
   Autorickshaws, also simply referred to as Autos are a popular form of
   public transport in Bangalore.

   Bangalore is well connected to the rest of the country through the
   Indian Railways. The Rajdhani Express connects Bangalore to New Delhi.
   The city is also connected to Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad,
   as well as other major cities in Karnataka. Three-wheeled, black and
   yellow auto-rickshaws, referred to as autos, are a popular form of
   transport. They are metered and can accommodate up to three passengers.
   Taxi service within Bangalore is provided by several operators commonly
   referred to as City Taxis and can take in up to four passengers and are
   usually metered and relatively more expensive than auto-rickshaws.
   Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) operates a fleet of
   3,207 BMTC public buses, servicing an average of 2,800,000 commuters.
   BMTC also has about 25 Low Floor, Air Conditioned Volvo buses on major
   routes and has plans to introduce another 25 by the end of 2006. The
   new additions to BMTC is its "Pink Buses" meant for the women
   passengers alone. An intra-city rapid rail transport system called the
   Namma Metro is being developed and is expected to be operational in
   2008. The Metro, once ready, will encompass a 33 km (20.5 mi) elevated
   and underground rail network, with 32 stations in Phase I and more
   being added in Phase II.

Demographics

   Bull Temple in Bangalore. Temple depicts the Karnataka style
   architecture of gopura
   Enlarge
   Bull Temple in Bangalore. Temple depicts the Karnataka style
   architecture of gopura

   As of 2005 Bangalore had a population of over six million, making it
   the 3rd most populous city in India and the 27th largest city in the
   world by population. With a decadal growth rate of 38%, Bangalore was
   the fastest-growing Indian metropolis after New Delhi for the decade
   1991–2001. Residents of Bangalore are referred to as Bangaloreans.
   While Kannadigas accounted for 38% of the population, sizable
   minorities from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra
   exist. Scheduled Castes and Tribes account for 14.3% of the city's
   population. Kannada, the official language of the state of Karnataka,
   is widely spoken in Bangalore, as are Tamil, Telugu,Tulu and Hindi.
   English is the lingua franca of the city's white-collar workforce.

   According to the 2001 census of India, 79.37% of Bangalore's population
   is Hindu — roughly the same as the national average. Muslims comprise
   13.37% of the population, which again is roughly the same as the
   national average, while Christians and Jains account for 5.79% and
   1.05% of the population, respectively, double that of their national
   averages. Women make up 47.5% of Bangalore's population. Bangalore has
   the second highest literacy rate (83%) for an Indian metropolis, after
   Mumbai. The city's workforce structure is predominantly non-agrarian,
   with only 6% of Bangalore's workforce being engaged in
   agriculture-related activities. Roughly 10% of Bangalore's population
   lives in slums — a relatively low proportion when compared to other
   cities in the developing world such as Mumbai (54%) and Nairobi (60%).
   The 2004 National Crime Records Bureau statistics indicate that
   Bangalore accounts for 9.2% of the total crimes reported from 35 major
   cities in India. Delhi and Mumbai accounted for 15.7% and 9.5%
   respectively.. Communal tensions between the city's two largest ethnic
   groups, the Kannadigas and the Tamils, have led to numerous
   altercations. In early 1991, tensions between the two groups flared up
   with the proposed installation of a statue honouring the Tamil poet
   Thiruvalluvar in the city. Widespread agitation and protests organised
   by groups sympathetic to Kannadigas led the Commissioner of the
   Bangalore City Corporation to withdraw permission to unveil the statue,
   which remains wrapped under cloth. Later the same year, the Karnataka
   Government, acting upon the directives of the Government of India,
   agreed to release 205 tmc of water from the river Kaveri to the
   Government of Tamil Nadu, which resulted in anti-Tamil riots that left
   20 people dead. After the demolition of the Babri Masjid in the North
   Indian city of Ayodhya in 1992, communal violence between Hindus and
   Muslims spread to Bangalore during which Muslim houses and huts as well
   as an Arabic school for Muslim girls were raided and torched. In 1997
   the demolition of a stone structure in a mosque in Jayanagar led to
   violence in sensitive areas in the city that left four dead.

Culture

   The Lal Bagh Glass House, once famous for its flower shows, is now a
   heritage monument.
   Enlarge
   The Lal Bagh Glass House, once famous for its flower shows, is now a
   heritage monument.

   Bangalore is known as the Garden City of India because of its climate,
   greenery and the presence of many public parks, including the Lal Bagh
   and Cubbon Park. Deepavali, the "Festival of Lights", transcends
   demographic and religious lines and is celebrated with great vigour.
   Dussera, a traditional celebratory hallmark of the old Kingdom of
   Mysore, is another important festival. Other traditional Indian
   festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Ugadi, Sankranthi, Eid ul-Fitr and
   Christmas are also celebrated. Bangalore is home to the Kannada film
   industry, which churns out about 80 movies each year in Kannada. Most
   Kannada movies are musicals, and their soundtracks are very popular in
   the city. The popularity of Kannada movies has spawned a new colloquial
   dialect, Bangalore Kannada, which draws upon youth culture and
   influences from English and other Indian languages. The diversity of
   cuisine available is reflective of the social and economic diversity of
   Bangalore. Roadside vendors, tea stalls, South Indian, North Indian,
   Chinese and Western fast food are all very popular in the city. Udupi
   restaurants are very popular and serve predominantly vegetarian,
   regional cuisine. Bangalore has many clubs and bars, and is sometimes
   referred to as the Pub Capital of India. Popular nightspots in
   Bangalore include HiNT, Taika, Pecos and TGIF. Bangalore is also a
   popular venue for Western rock concerts, with Mark Knopfler, Jethro
   Tull and The Rolling Stones, Joe Satriani, Bryan Adams, among others,
   having performed in the city.

   Cricket is the most popular sport in Bangalore. A significant number of
   national cricketers have come from Bangalore, including current Indian
   cricket team captain Rahul Dravid, who lives in a big house in
   Indiranagar. Other cricketing greats from Bangalore are Gundappa
   Vishwanath, Anil Kumble, E.A.S. Prasanna, Venkatesh Prasad, Bhagwat
   Chandrasekhar, Syed Kirmani and Javagal Srinath. Many of the city's
   children play gully cricket on the roads and in city's many public
   fields. Bangalore's main international cricket stadium is the M.
   Chinnaswamy Stadium, which hosted its first match in 1974. Bangalore
   has a number of elite clubs, like the Bangalore Golf Club, Bowring
   Institute and the exclusive Bangalore Club, which counts among its
   previous members Winston Churchill and the Maharaja of Mysore.

Education

   Statue of the founder of Indian Institute of Science, J N Tata
   Enlarge
   Statue of the founder of Indian Institute of Science, J N Tata

   Schools in Bangalore are either run by the state government or by
   private, sometimes religious organizations. Private schools in
   Bangalore typically use English as the medium of instruction and are
   affiliated with either the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education
   (ICSE), the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) or the
   Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board. After completing their
   secondary education, students typically enroll in Junior College (also
   known as Pre-University) in one of three streams — Arts, Commerce or
   Science. Upon completing the required coursework, students enroll in
   general or professional degrees.

   Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, Chief Engineer and later Diwan of Mysore
   (1912–19), played an instrumental role in shaping the early history of
   education in Bangalore. The University of Agricultural Sciences was
   started as a vocational school under his directives. He was also
   closely associated with the establishment of the Indian Institute of
   Science in 1909 and University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (
   UVCE) which was founded in 1917, UVCE is one of India's most
   prestigious engineering institutions. Rashtreeya Vidyalaya College of
   Engineering (popularly known as RVCE) is located on the outskirts of
   the city. Bangalore is home to several other nationally renowned
   universities such as the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
   (IIM-B), National Law School of India University and Bangalore Medical
   College. St. John's Medical College and Bangalore Medical College are
   consistently ranked among the top ten medical schools in India.
   Bangalore's IT industry recruits extensively from the city's large pool
   of engineering colleges, notable among them are People's Education
   Society Institute of Technology, MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology ,
   BMS College of Engineering and Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of
   Technology(Sir M.VIT) . The National Centre for Biological Sciences
   (NCBS), is one of the three places in India where Stem cell research is
   conducted. International Institute of Information Technology -
   Bangalore (IIIT-B) is a notable technology institute, that was started
   with a significant corporate participation in Electronic City.

   Bangalore has a number of public libraries with free entry to all
   visitors. The oldest of the city's public libraries is located in the
   historical Sir Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall in Cubbon Park.
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