19 Fascinating Facts About Bengaluru Even Bangaloreans Are Unaware Of

The capital of Indian state Karnataka, Bengaluru contributes 33% of India’s IT exports giving it a designation as the “Silicon valley of India”, fancy the name, but the high living standards have kick started the ever increasing value on every commodity. This city of paradox, within which, can a geek be a god as it conducts the highest rate of quiz in the country and also it has place for those who live for an active night life as it is home for over 800 clubs and bars.

However the above facts about this metropolitan city are well established but there lie some interesting facts that a true Bangalorian is unaware off! Check this list out:

1. From Bengaval-uru to Bangalore and back to Bengaluru

Etymology of this place stretches as follows, being a part of Ganga kingdom it was known as “Bengaval-uru” that is the “City of Guards” until 1004 and with the advent of British to suite their tongue it was called as Bangalore which was renamed to Bengaluru on 1st November 2014. There is also a fabricated story that says, during 12th century the Hoysala king Veera Ballala
2nd when served with boiled beans named the place ‘benda-kaal uru’ (literally, ‘town of boiled beans’), which eventually evolved into Bengaluru.

2.  Highest elevation among the major large cities of India

At an elevation of 3000ft (900m) above sea, Namma Bengaluru (our Bengaluru) is best known for its pleasant climate all through the year.

3. Garden city of India

Going green, Bengaluru’s landscape covers 40% gardens/parks and 15% lakes/ponds and thus brings us to the next well known name given to it the “Garden city of India”.

Also read: 15 Photos Of Bangalore In Bloom That Shows The City Looks Magical In Spring

4. Inspiration for Malgudi Days

R.K Narayan’s Malgudi days is a collection of short stories. And all the 32 stories from the book are played out in a fictional town called Malgudi. This world renowned writer draws his creativity from his love for the two prominent cities of Bengaluru called Maleshwaram and Baswangudi. That is the first 3 letters ‘mal’ and last 3 letters ‘gudi’ of respective places gave a form to Malgudi town.

5. First city to receive electricity in India

The city’s first streetlight now stands tall in front of present day K.R market which signifies Bengaluru being the first city in India having electricity being derived from hydro-power plant of Shivanasamudra dating back to 1905.

6. Origin of Rava idli

Taste comes from the place itself as the food brand MTR’s (Mavalli Tiffin Rooms) birth place is Namma Bengaluru. According to them during world war two when rice was in short supply they experimented with semolina as staple item in idli instead of rice and a whole new item was added to South Indian breakfast menu.

7. Bangalore Rock – Subgenere of music

With rich classical music backing up Indian heritage, Bengaluru keeping culture in its pure form has also welcomed big artists such as Metallica, Iron maiden and Deep Purple, warming its heart towards rock music. Bengaluru, now has its own subgenere in music called ‘Bangalore Rock music’, which is a fusion of hard rock, classic rock, heavy metal with a touch of blues and jazz music. The city has given a new horizon to bands such as Raghu Dixit project, Kryptos, Inner sanctum, Agam etc.

8. Place for Engineers and Engineering

With 21 engineering colleges and 57 engineering colleges affiliated to Bangalore University itself the place is crowded with software professionals and IT nerds which does not only make Bengaluru an IT capital but over 212 software companies also have their roots in this city.

9. A Biotechnology hub

India’s largest biotechnology company, Biocon along with Infosys, Wipro has its headquarters in Bengaluru. And around 47% of biotechnology companies in India are located in the Silicon Valley according to 2005 stats.

10. Bangalored

A place which has its usage as verb! Still on its way of becoming a legitimate dictionary word, Bangalored mostly used by Americans means losing one’s job to outsourcing in India, and more specifically, to Bangalore.

11. “The next decades fastest growing city”- Forbes

Let’s talk statistics, Bengaluru with 83 million dollars stands 4th in overall GDP contribution in India and with an economic growth of 10.3% is the 2nd fastest growing metropolitan in India.

12. Startup capital of India

Bengaluru stands 2nd in world’s fastest growing startup ecosystem following Berlin according to 2015 report of Global Startup Ecosystem Ranking by a San Fransisco based research firm Compass. With an estimation ranging between 3500 and 4900 startups, Bengaluru leads the charts in India. Flipkart, Redbus etc are some best seen ventures.

13. Highest density of traffic in India

This Garden city is also among the list of cities having dense traffic with highest number of two-wheelers in the world. No wonder, since Bengaluru has the highest density of traffic in India.

14. Suicide capital of India

The Garden city now spinning towards increasing in cemetery lands as suicide rates due to unemployment are doubled and due to poverty have quadrupled in 2013 hence in comparison to other metro cities Bengaluru is way ahead.

15. Freedom Park was a jail

The irony behind Freedom Park, located in the central Business district of the city of Bengaluru has a part allotted for protest was formerly the central jail where Atal Bihari Vajpaye and many other opposition leaders were arrested and jailed during 1975 state emergency.

16. BMTC – longest city bus route in India

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation was not only the first in the country to introduce intra-city Volvo buses but also route no. 600, covers 117 km round trip as it starts and ends at Banashankari making it longest city bus route in India.

17. Only place with traffic intersection flyovers

With vehicle density sky rocketing in Bengaluru, traffic interaction that is traffic signals and criss-crossing traffic atop of flyover is a view that can be seen only here and nowhere else in the world!

18. A true cosmopolitan

Not limiting just to its original habitat Kannadigas who account for 48% of city’s population, Bengaluru itself is a small version representing varied culture of India as 25% Tamilians, 14% Telagites, 10% Keralites, 8% Europeans and 6% other races share its population making it a true cosmopolitan.

19. Both commercial and defence airlines in same airport

Until 2008, the HAL Airport served both as a testing facility by Indian Armed force and also as city’s domestic and international flights thus being the only Airport providing such services in the world.