Bangalore – Tuesday 17 September to Friday 20 September
The new high-tech capital of India, Bangalore, officially known as Bengaluru, with a population of about 10 million, was our first stop in India.
Wednesday 18 September was our first full day in Bangalore and we spent it seeing some of the best Montessori we have ever seen. We visited the Arunodoy Montessori School, The Montessori School (2 campuses) and the Montessori Institute of Bangalore (as well as a good dose of sightseeing).
We were privileged to witness the concentration, freedom of movement and free choice of the children. It was so interesting to see the culturally appropriate activities on the shelves.
First stop on our Bangalore sightseeing day (Thursday19 September) was Lalbagh, the botanical gardens which originated in 1760. Inside the gardens is a glasshouse designed to mimic the former Crystal Palace in London. Set on 188 acres, these gardens are described as ‘the lungs of Bangalore’ and many of the trees still standing are hundreds of years old.
We also visited The Bull Temple, built in 1537, and dedicated to Nandi Bull, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. This temple houses a huge bull said to be cut from a single piece of granite. We could take no photos as it is a place of worship, however we each received a blessing from the holy man and red powder applied to our face.
A beautiful example of Indo-Islamic architecture was the Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, made almost entirely of teak and completed during the reign of Tipu Sultan in 1791. This palace survived 4 wars with the British, who eventually took control. Many of the jewels and precious items are now in museums in England. The palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens.
Many photos were taken with the Vidhan Soudha as the backdrop. This magnificent white granite building houses the State Legislative and the Secretariat of Karnataka.
We ventured through the markets where there was noise, music, people, smells, colour, and so many flowers, vegetables and fruit. We visited a small factory creating beautiful silk materials, and a silk shop with the most amazingly colourful array of scarf, shawl and sari options. It was so hard to decide.... but we did.
Our city tour concluded with a traditional cultural show with dinner at the Jai Vilas Palace.
Wednesday 18 September was our first full day in Bangalore and we spent it seeing some of the best Montessori we have ever seen. We visited the Arunodoy Montessori School, The Montessori School (2 campuses) and the Montessori Institute of Bangalore (as well as a good dose of sightseeing).
We were privileged to witness the concentration, freedom of movement and free choice of the children. It was so interesting to see the culturally appropriate activities on the shelves.
First stop on our Bangalore sightseeing day (Thursday19 September) was Lalbagh, the botanical gardens which originated in 1760. Inside the gardens is a glasshouse designed to mimic the former Crystal Palace in London. Set on 188 acres, these gardens are described as ‘the lungs of Bangalore’ and many of the trees still standing are hundreds of years old.
We also visited The Bull Temple, built in 1537, and dedicated to Nandi Bull, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. This temple houses a huge bull said to be cut from a single piece of granite. We could take no photos as it is a place of worship, however we each received a blessing from the holy man and red powder applied to our face.
A beautiful example of Indo-Islamic architecture was the Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, made almost entirely of teak and completed during the reign of Tipu Sultan in 1791. This palace survived 4 wars with the British, who eventually took control. Many of the jewels and precious items are now in museums in England. The palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens.
Many photos were taken with the Vidhan Soudha as the backdrop. This magnificent white granite building houses the State Legislative and the Secretariat of Karnataka.
We ventured through the markets where there was noise, music, people, smells, colour, and so many flowers, vegetables and fruit. We visited a small factory creating beautiful silk materials, and a silk shop with the most amazingly colourful array of scarf, shawl and sari options. It was so hard to decide.... but we did.
Our city tour concluded with a traditional cultural show with dinner at the Jai Vilas Palace.
