Bangalore city is blessed with one of the most beautiful and biggest lake called Ulsoor Lake. Ulsoor is one of the oldest neighborhood cities of Bangalore and is famous for its serene beauty consisting of Ulsoor Lake, temples spread around the area and a Gurudwara.

Ulsoor Lake is located on the northeastern fringe of the city centre near M.G. Road. It is covered on an area of 123.6 acres surrounded by various small islands. It is one of the most visited tourist locations in Bangalore with the temples and beautiful islands covering the lake vicinity. Boating is one of the major activities here and a boating club is also present which arranges short duration cruises with a facility of stopping over on the islands and spending leisure time. Various species of flowers, birds and insects can also be found around the lake. It is a usual and favorite walking area for the natives enjoying the lake and fountain view which normally run in the evening.

History

Ulsoor village in the ancient times was known as ‘Halsur’ or ‘Alasur’ as there was a jackfruit orchard near the lake. Jackfruit is called as Halasur in Kannada and thus, Halasur is kept as the name of the village. During the British rule, the name was changed to ‘Ulsoor’.

Vijayanagara emperors was said to have gifted this village to Kempe Gowda I (founder of the Bangalore City). The lake was formed by Kempe Gowda II and is believed to have a legend. It is said that the lake was initially surrounded by a forest around it. One day, Kempe Gowda coming from Yehalankar got tired and decided to take rest under a tree. This was the same tree under which Mandava Rishi had worshipped God Somesvara. While taking rest, he fall asleep and God came in his dreams and told him about the hidden treasure. Kempe Gowda found the treasure and with that he built the famous Somesvara Pagoda in the Dravidian style of architecture.

Location & How to Reach

Ulsoor Lake is located near the M.G. Road in the central Bangalore. The area is easily accessible through various means.

By taking metro rail: 2 stations are very near to the lake:

• Ulsoor station located on the old Madras Road at the end closer to CMH Road.
• Trinity station situated near the Trinity Circle and is very near to the lake.

By Road

Visitors can also hire a taxi or a cab to reach the lake while taking a city tour. Auto services are also easily available around the M.G. Road.

By Bus

Bus service is too available. The nearby bus stops are Ulsoor, M.G. Road, CMH Road, Ulsoor road and Ulsoor lake stop.

Timings

The lake is open throughout the day from 6 in the morning till 8 in the evening. Weekly off is on Wednesdays for lake maintenance.

Other Attractions

• Ganesh Festival: During August and September, Ganesh festival is celebrated around the lake with great grandeur. Tourists and locals footfall increase during these months and lake becomes a centre of attraction of the city. Also the beautiful and pleasant weather add more stars to the celebration.

• Amusement Park: A small amusement park with fabulous rides is also built in the vicinity for kids attractions known as Jawahar Lal Bhavan. Children enjoy the rides while their parents can take a walk around the park and can enjoy the greenery. A cafeteria is also built which serves light evening snacks. The park is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thursday for maintenance.

• Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara: The biggest Sikh worshipping area is located on the Kingston Road (popularly known as the Gurudwara Road) on the banks of Ulsoor Lake. The shimmering white building adds to the beautification of the place and is one of the must visit place for Bangalore tourists. It is built in 1943 by A.G. Russels and inaugurated in 1945. Sikh people visit the Gurudwara in large numbers on Wednesdays and even more on Sundays for Langar (or free meals).

• Temples: The city houses various old temples and Indian heritage. Halasaru Someshwara Temple is one of the oldest temples built by Kempe Gowda. Subramanya Temple is also nearby which dates to approximate 800 years back.

• Other Places: Sir Vishweshwariah industrial and technological museum, art gallery, government museum, central library are also some of the tourist attractions.