Historical landmark in Kalasipalyam
Kempegowda Tower, Bengaluru
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The story of Kempegowda Tower, Bengaluru
This tower stands inside Lal Bagh, and the garden has a lake beside a large rock on which a watchtower was constructed during the reign of Kempegowda II. That is the important thing to notice here: you are looking at one of the Kempegowda towers linked to the city’s old boundary markers.
The Indian Express says the four Kempegowda towers in Bengaluru are among the earliest markers that still define the township, and that historians attribute them to Immadi Kempegowda, or Kempegowda II, rather than Kempegowda I. The same publication says they were believed to have been erected in the 16th century, but also argues they were built from a military standpoint, to guard the new township from invasion and to watch for enemy movement.
A later publication adds that the towers were one of four meant to demarcate the city in the four cardinal directions, and that plaques on some of them describe them as about four metres tall, marking the limits to which Bangalore was predicted to extend.
Today, the practical detail is simple: it is open every day from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Stand back and look for the rock setting and the tower’s role as a city marker rather than as a monument built for display alone.
In brief
Lalbagh Botanical Garden or simply Lalbagh (lit. 'red garden'), is a botanical garden in Bengaluru, India. It was originally built by Hyder Ali in 1760, during the Sultanate of Mysore . The garden was later managed under numerous British superintendents before Indian Independence. It was responsible for the introduction and propagation of numerous ornamental plants as well as those of economic value. It also served a social function as a park and recreational space, with a central glass house dating from 1890 which was used for flower shows. In modern times, it hosts two flower shows coinciding with the week of Republic Day (26 January) and Independence Day (15 August). As an urban green space along with Cubbon Park, it is also home to numerous wild species of birds and other wildlife. The garden also has a lake adjoining a large rock on which a watchtower had been constructed during the reign of Kempegowda II.
Before you go
- Open today
- 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Time to allow
- 1.5-2.5 hr
- Best months
- May to March
- Address
- WHXQ+CQV, Lalbagh, Mavalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560004, India