My Festive Day In Bangalore

This post talks about one of my amazing Bangalore days. It always feel like a holiday whenever I visit Bangalore. Long stay or short, no matter. This week, Bangalore gave me some awesome moments to cherish.

Previously when I was here, I wanted to visit the Iskcon Temple but somehow or the other I didn't get a chance. But this time, with festive round the corner, I did not want to miss it. So my cousin and I planned to set our foot in Isckon Temple.

It was two days back, on Dussehra, we started our day early. We decided to travel in Bus. My first bus journey in Bangalore. It was a Red Volvo AC bus. When we boarded, the bus was all empty. It was like we were the only passengers in the bus and it was cool. We took selfies to register my first bus ride with all the empty seats. :)

After getting down at Majestic, we took an auto and reached Iskcon Temple in less than half an hour. Thankfully, it was a holiday and so lesser traffic in the city.

Lord Krishna is the main deity of Iskcon Temple. It was a nice welcoming feel as we entered inside. The all white paint looked soothing to the eyes. The entire premise was so clean and well maintained. Even with thousands of devotees all around, I could still feel the fresh air. Soft chanting echoed through the temple walls. The main worshipping area was so amazing. And I loved the interiors. The architecture and its artwork on the ceiling are indeed worth watching. The well decorated golden statues of the deities were a delight to watch.

After the Darshan, we came out and went past the Book Stalls, the Art Gallery and then the Food Court. There were many delicious food and snacks available that made us make a hard stop for a while. First we bought the Holige. As we were relishing the taste, we were craving for Malpau, another delicious sweet dish. Then we bought Dhokla and we savored our visit to the Temple.

As we walked out, again passing the galleries, they offered free Lunch. I don't know its name but it tasted like Pongal. It was served in Mango leaf cups. And we had that too resting our legs near the beautiful pond.

That's when I spotted the World Trade Center, one of the tallest building in Bangalore. I think it's constructed with 30+ floors and it was pretty tall in the midst of the city. We left the place with peace of mind.

On our way back home, we peeked into Orion Mall, which was close by the temple. Visited the Flea Market on the top floor. We then went for a quick window shopping and also clicked few photos here and there. Then we headed back home in bus as our ankles started aching. We were bit tired and almost fell asleep in the bus.

After we reached home around 3PM, my cousin got a call from her friend G inviting us for her Navratri Golu. And that was supposed to be the last day of Golu. Even though we were tired after a long walk home from the bus stop, again we didn’t want to miss it. We realized that the fun day is not over yet. After few minutes of relaxing, we headed to her house nearby dressed up in Ethnic. Again my first visit for a Golu and I was looking forward to it.

As we entered the friend's place, I felt relaxed. It was a beautiful house, with a tasteful home decor, where one would love to go to after a hard day’s work. The Golu in the living area welcomed us. My first time meeting G. So after the introduction part, G started telling us about her Golu theme, 'Evolution'. From the plant life to the working class, to the Ramayana to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu themselves. Every stage in her Golu talked about the Hindu Mythology. I loved her theme and thought it was a wonderful idea. So when the kids come in, there were lot many stories to tell. It was a visual treat. While at it, G served us snacks. She quickly fixed us a delicious chaat and we were like wanting for more. :P

After that we had a good chat and the time flew just like that. At the end of the day, I made a new friend.

I would say, it was a day well spent. An amazing day I wanted to remember for long.

Happy Festival Greetings to all!

Also, today is Ashura, the 10th day of the first month of Islamic calendar, Muharram. It has many distinctive qualities and features. We believe Allah (SWT) created the heavens and the earth on this blessed day. On this day He gave His infinite blessings and bounties to many of His Prophets and delivered them from the clutches of their enemies. May Allah showers His blessings and bounties upon us on this auspicious day. Aameen!

Muharram Mubarak!