Bangalore is draped over the Deccan Plateau at an altitude of 949 meters (3113
ft.) above sea level, which gives it possibly the best climate among all the
cities in India. Legend has it that Bangalore got its name from the words
“Bendha KaaLu” (which means boiled beans in the local language Kannada). King
Veera Ballala of the Vijayanagara kingdom was once lost in a forest and
happened to stumble upon a lonely cottage. An old woman that lived there could
offer the starving king only boiled beans “Bendha kaaLu” and the place came to
be known as “Bendha kaaLu ooru” (ooru in Kannada means a city). BendhakaaLooru
later came to be known as BengaLooru in Kannada and Bangalore in English.
However, historical evidence shows that “BengaLooru” was recorded much before
King Ballala's time in a 9th century temple inscription in the village of
Begur. Even today "BengaLooru" exists within the city limits in
Kodigehalli area and is called as "HalebengaLooru" or "Old
Bangalore."
The present day city was
designed by Kempe Gowda in the year 1537. During one of his hunting bouts,
which was his favourite past time, Kempe Gowda was surprised to see a hare
chase his dog and thus named the place as "gandu bhoomi" (heroic
place). Kempe Gowda I, who was in charge of Yelahanka, built a mud fort in 1537
and with the help of King Achutaraya, built the little towns of Balepet,
Cottonpet and Chickpet, all inside the fort. Today, these little areas serve as
the major wholesale and commercial market places in the city. Kempe Gowda's son
erected the four watch towers to mark the boundaries of Bangalore which are
traceable even today and they stand almost in the heart of the present city.
Read the complete article
at http://www.discoverbangalore.com/History.htm
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