Outdoor activities & sports
Adventure
Organizations such as thrillophilia (http://www.thrillophilia.com) offer adventure related activities such as rock climbing, river rafting, kayaking etc.
Ultimate Frisbee
(http://www.learningtofly.in) although in a nascent stage, ultimate frisbee games are held on tue/thu/sat mornings starting 6:30am. the teams comprise of players of all skill levels.
Watch a cricket match
Chinnaswamy stadium is the home ground of the Indian Premier League IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore which is reputed for having a large, loyal, and loud fan following. IPL season typically is between January and March every year, matches are played in the evenings and last around 3 hours. Scour the daily newspapers for ticket information - note that tickets typically get sold out a week before.
Buddhism
Choe Khor Sum Ling
This Tibetan Buddhist meditation and study centre is in Domlur Layout near Shanti Sagar Restaurant on Airport Road. CKSL is a center for the study and practice of Mahayana Buddhism following the lineage and example of Lord Buddha. The Centre, whose name means 'The Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma' was founded in 2003 by Lama Zopa Rinpoche under the guidance of HH the XIVth Dalai Lama. The Centre offers courses in various Buddhist meditation techniques and teachings on different aspects of Buddhism. Teachings are offered free to the public and are conducted in English or in Tibetan with translation in English. In addition to regular teachings, every few weeks the Centre invites senior Lamas to give talks on important aspects of the Buddhist path. Such talks are also accompanied by instructions and initiations by the Lama into different meditation practices.
Thubten Lekshey Ling
Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist meditation centre founded by the late His Holiness Pema Norbu Penor Rinpoche. The centre is located close to MG Road on Ulsoor road, just on the side of Manipal Centre. The centre conducts meditation classes, spiritual discourses and advanced study programs. Weekend teachings in meditation and philosophy are offered by lamas from Namdroling Monastery, Bylakupee.
Maha Bodhi Society
This temple has a very active schedule. There are teachings on the Dharma in English on the first two and last Sundays of every month from 9:30-11:30AM, while on the 3rd Sunday there is a meditation retreat. Anyone is welcome to attend. The temple also has a good library and a beautiful garden - a great place to retreat from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis outside.
Arts & theatre
Rangashankara
(http://www.rangashankara.org) at 36/2, 8th cross, j.p. nagar, 2nd phase. ☎ +98 80 26592777, +98 80 26494656. tickets cost between rs 45–100, and the evening shows start at 7:30pm. many local groups perform here, although more often shows are presented by traveling groups touring india. quality of the performances varies, but most plays are worth seeing, especially the ones by indian playwrights and / or directors, as they can show you an "indian" or let's say "non-western" perspective. shows are in various languages, so it is a good idea to double-check whether the play is in english before buying / reserving “blocking” tickets.
Concerts at Bangalore Palace Grounds
Check the local listings to see if any concerts are happening. most international acts happen at bangalore palace grounds and the venue has hosted rolling stones, bryan adams, iron maiden, deep purple, joe satriani, mark knopfler, aerosmith, sting, uriah heep, lamb of god, linkin park among others.
Movies
Take in a movie at one of the innumerable theaters around the city.
Nani Cinematheque
(http://www.collectivechao...) has film series almost every weekend programmed by local film clubs.
Foreign film series and cultural events.
Fairs & exhibitions
Aero India
Held in the second week of february every alternate year the next one is in 2011, this is asia's premier air show. spanning 5 days wed - sun, the show at yelahanka air force base in the northern part of bangalore comprises of a defence exhibition and air show. fighter jets from around the world are on both, flying and static display. normally, there are two air shows every day - one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. tickets can be purchased online or at select outlets - scan the newspapers for more information. purchasing a ticket at outlets requires you to show a photo identification and tickets are non-transferable. for the 2011 edition, pakistani nationals are not permitted to register via the website
Kadlekai Parishe (Peanut fair)
Every year, sometime during the months of nov-dec, the area around bull temple road in south bangalore hosts a peanut fair. centuries ago, the villages in and around this area used to cultivate peanuts and the custom was to dedicate the first crop to nandi the bull at the temple. although the villages of yore are today residential areas, the tradition continues as peanut farmers congregate to sell their crop. the 2 day traditional fair has many stalls that sell peanuts, trinkets, bangles, pottery, dolls etc. there are also a number of food stalls.
Chitra Santhe (Paintings market)
An annual exhibition, held on the last sunday of every january, the chitra santhe on kumara krupa road near golf course brings together artists from all across karnataka. paintings, pottery, and sculpture are all on an exhibition-cum-sale. the road is closed to traffic on that day, making it possible to have a leisurely stroll, admiring and buying the items. it is proposed that from 2012, the venue would be shifted to freedom park. prices range from rs. 100 - 20,000. bargaining is recommended, but not too hard. pay a fair price. credit cards and foreign currency are rarely accepted, so carry sufficient cash in indian currency
Ulsoor Lake
Visit the beautiful lakes in Bangalore. Ulsoor Lake and Sankey Tank offer an enriching, pleasant experience.
it education
There are many IT training institutes in the city that cater to the needs of those who need to learn computer skills - from using a computer to programming using the latest technology. Classes are typically for a couple of hours every day and courses may last anywhere between a few days to a couple of months. Quality of training varies significantly across institutes and not all certifications provided by such institutes are accepted by the Indian IT industry.
indians
The best way to find employment in Bengaluru is through job fairs, job portals, applying directly to companies of interest, and through headhunters.
spa & massage
Massage or Prostitution
Beware that many of the "Massage" classifieds in local newspapers may be fronts for prostitution. Prostitution is illegal and if caught in a raid, you may end up spending a night in the cooler before being eligible for bail.
Massages & Spas are very much a part of Bangalore's East-meets-West culture, and new ones spring up across the city all the time.
The 5th Element (http://www.thefifthelement.in) spa near Dell office on Inner Ring Road - all practitioners are from Thailand and offer authentic Thai massage, scrubs, and wraps.
SPA.ce (http://www.spacethespa.com) on Cunningham Road, run by an expat Brit.
Aroma Home Spa (http://www.aromahomespa.com) in Whitefield - boasts of all natural eco-friendly products in use and a first of its kind hydro therapy massage in addition to therapies suited to individual needs.
Akaasa (http://www.akaasa.in) is a high-end boutique spa located in the posh Defence Colony
pubbing
The pub scene is concentrated around the commercial business district in the heart of Bangalore. MG Road, Brigade Road, Residency Road, St. Marks Road, and Church Street have numerous pubs. Happy hours is typically between 6-8PM and at most pubs, the time for the last order is around 10.30PM. Unlike many other cities, local regulations require pubs to down shutters by 11PM.
higher education
Bangalore is famous for its many educational and research institutes. Prominent ones are:
Pure & Applied Sciences
The Indian Institute of Science, (http://www.iisc.ernet.in),
JNCASR Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
University of Agricultural Sciences
Indian Institute of Astrophysics
Raman Research Institute
Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology
Medicine
Karnataka Veterinary, Animal & Fisheries Sciences University
Bangalore Medical College
National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Science
Mathematics
Indian Statistical Institute
CSIR Center for Mathematical Modeling and Computer Simulation
Management
Indian Institute of Management
Symbiosis Institute of Business ManagementSIBM
Engineering
R V College of Engineering
P E S Institute of Technology
B M S College of Engineering
M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology
C.M.R. Institute of Technology
B M S Institute of Technology
Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering
Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology
Bangalore Institute of Technology
Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology
Sri Venkateshwara College of Engineering
Science and Management
Garden City College of Science and Management.
Christ College
Mount Carmel
Bishop Cotton
Computer Science
Indian Institute of Information Technology
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing
Other
Central Power Research Institute
National Institute of Advanced Studies NIAS
Indian Space Research Organization ISRO
Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology
Foundation for Advanced Research and Education FARE, #330/11, Axis Road, Domlur Layout, BBMP Ward 72, Intermediate Ring Road, Domlur. Behind Axis Book House
non-indians
Non-Indian Citizen Employment Regulation
Indian regulations may require that any foreign national who is employed in India earn at least US$25,000/year. This is exempted for a Ethnic chefs, b Language teachers other than English language teachers / translators and c Staff working for Embassy/High Commissions. Check your compensation offer so that you meet this requirement and are eligible for an employment visa. Some foreign nationals are employed at salaries less than this, though, typically in the NGO sector.
With a little hard work and persistence finding a job is quite possible in Bengaluru. Most of the available positions are in the IT field but not necessarily IT based. Several expats do marketing, quality assurance, accent training and translation among other things. All jobs in India require an employment visa which must be obtained abroad and sponsored by the hiring company in India. In general, the salary for expats is very high compared to the local Indian wage. The best resource for jobs is through the expat community. Ask around but a good place to meet expacts is the Sunday brunches at the 5 Star hotels or at the numerous coffee shops in and around the MG Road area.
BangaloreWALKS
A great way to discover unique areas of Bengaluru. Whether a visitor, or a long time resident, one can discover unknown facets of the city. The walks include Traditional Bengaluru walk, Victorian Bengaluru walk & the Lalbagh walk.The walks include breakfast/brunch at famed Bengaluru eateries.