I

The palace was taken over by the Maharaja of Mysore after it was built, and remains a noted landmark in the city to this day. There is more to this palace than the fact that you could visit a piece of history, however. The grounds of the palace have now become popular as a venue to arts and cultural programs of all kinds.

Bangalore has come to be known as an international city, and hosts some of the finest and well known musicians that the world has seen. Over the last few years many international musicians have played in the grounds of the Bangalore Palace (the palace grounds). Elton John, Rolling Stones, Deep Purple and Iron Maiden are just a few of the bands that have rocked the palace grounds at Bangalore in the last decade or so.

For someone who is not really keen to see international musicians in India, there is something or the other on at the palace grounds all through the year. One of the better known festivities that take place here is during the ‘dandiya’ season when traditional dances are organized at the venue, for people who enjoy dancing the dandiya.

The local papers can give you accurate information on the goings-on at the palace grounds, and are a good place to start looking. When you do hear of a world famous musician playing at Bangalore, chances are he or she will be performing at the palace grounds.

If you would like to visit the palace itself, you can do so on any day of the week except Sundays when it remains closed to the public. On other days, it is open between the usual working timing of 10-6. Indian adults need to pay a hundred rupees as an entry fee for the day, while children need to pay fifty. The rate is doubled in the case of foreigners.

Many Indian tourist attractions prohibit photography. At the Bangalore palace, you can shoot video for an additional fee of a thousand rupees, and five hundred if you wish to shoot with a still camera.