Malleswaram heritage walk, an immersive walking tour in Bangalore

8 AM- We meet for breakfast at an old eatery, renowned for its traditional South Indian dishes. The dosa here is highly recommended. After a sumptuous traditional breakfast we walk to the local market. The market is a riot of colors as the street vendors peddle flowers, vegetables, fruits, clothes, household items, trinkets, handicrafts, utensils. Next in our Bangalore walk we will visit a famous Silk Saree shop which is the city’s choicest destination for purchase of silk sarees for big occasions like weddings.

We walk to a temple called Kadu Malleswara, after which the neighborhood has been named. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is a splendid specimen for the Dravidian style of architecture and was built by Venkoji Rao Bhosle, the brother of the great Maratha King Shivaji.

Our next destination in this Bangalore walk is a far more ancient temple called Nandeeswara. This ancient temple was lost to the world for many years and was excavated only recently by archeologists. The local people here says this temple is more than 7000 years old! The temple is full of mysteries. A steady stream of water from unknown sources runs from the mouth of the statue of Nandi bull to the statue of a Shiva Linga a little below it. There are many turtles to be met at this temple!

Our walk takes us to Sankey Tank, an important source of drinking water for Bangalore. Built 1882 by Madras Sappers Regiment, Sankey Tank is very popular today among the walkers and joggers.

Our last stop in this Bangalore walk is a modern temple of Lord Krishna located on top of a small hill. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada  Its core beliefs are based on select traditional Hindu scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad-gītāand the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. ISKCON was formed to spread the practice of bhakti yoga, in which those involved (bhaktas) dedicate their thoughts and actions towards pleasing the Supreme Lord, Krishna. ISKCON today is a worldwide confederation of more than 550 centres.