Bengaluru

Bengaluru, historically known as Bangalore, boasts a rich and layered history that stretches back over a millennium. While the earliest reference to the name "Bengaluru" was found in a 9th-century stone inscription in Begur, referring to a battle during the Western Ganga dynasty's rule, the foundation of the modern city is widely attributed to Kempe Gowda I. A feudatory ruler under the Vijayanagara Empire, Kempe Gowda built a mud fort in 1537 and established a settlement he called "gandu bhoomi" or the land of heroes. He meticulously planned the city with distinct neighborhoods, or "petes," dedicated to specific trades and professions, many of which still exist today in the bustling heart of the old city.

Following the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire, Bengaluru changed hands multiple times. It was captured by the Maratha chief Shahaji Bhosale in 1638, later ruled by the Mughals, and eventually sold to the Wodeyar kings of the Kingdom of Mysore in 1689. During the late 18th century, the city gained immense strategic importance under the rule of Hyder Ali and his son, Tipu Sultan. They fortified the city and expanded the beautiful Lalbagh Botanical Garden. Bengaluru became a focal point of resistance against British expansion in southern India, culminating in the Anglo-Mysore Wars.

In 1799, after the defeat and death of Tipu Sultan in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, the British captured the city. They returned administrative control of the Kingdom of Mysore to the Wodeyars but established a massive military cantonment in Bengaluru in 1809. This created a unique dual-city structure: the traditional, Kannada-speaking "pete" (old city) and the colonial, English-speaking "cantonment" with its wide avenues, parks, and European architecture.

Following India's independence in 1947, Bengaluru became the capital of the newly formed Mysore State (later renamed Karnataka). The mid-20th century saw the establishment of major public sector industries, defense research facilities, and premier educational institutions like the Indian Institute of Science, earning it the moniker "Pensioner's Paradise" and the "Science City of India." By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Bengaluru underwent another dramatic transformation. Leveraging its strong educational foundation and favorable climate, it emerged as the epicenter of India's information technology boom. Today, globally recognized as the "Silicon Valley of India," Bengaluru is a vibrant, cosmopolitan metropolis that seamlessly blends its ancient heritage and colonial past with cutting-edge technological innovation.