History

The earliest records of a place named 'Bengaluru' were found in a 9th century temple in an area that is now known as 'Old Bangalore'. Once the feudal lord Kempe Gowda was hunting in this area, a rabbit turned and attacked his dog. This made a great impression on the lord and he gave the place a title of ''gandu bhoomi'' (the place of heroes) and in 1537, with the assistance of the local king, he constructed three districts protected by a walled fort on the site.

For many years, Bangalore was known throughout India as the most green, liberal and forward-thinking city. In recent years, these attributes have propelled Bangalore to the forefront of the high-tech industry boom in India, and it currently ranks as India's most developed city and one of the world's fastest growing urban areas.

Some facts

Area: 741 sq.km.

Altitude: 914.4 m (3000 ft) above sea level

Geographical Location

* Latitudinal Parallels: 12° 57' N

* Longitudinal Meridians: 77° 37' E

Climate

Unlike other parts of India which are extremely hot in the summer months, Bangalore enjoys a relatively mild climate year round.

* February to May (warmest months)

* June to August (Windy - South-West Monsoon)

* September to November (rainy - North-East Monsoon)

* December to February (coldest months)

Temperature

* Highest maximum of 38 degree Celsius to lowest minimum of 11 degree Celsius

Languages

* Regional Language: Kannada

* Spoken Languages: Kannada, Telugu, English, Hindi, Urdu and Tamil.

Population

* Around 90 lakhs [9 Million]