JOIN USCome August, tourists and Bengalureans can explore the old City charms through heritage walks organised by the Karnataka State Tourism Department (KSTDC) in association with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach).
Three walks are planned to give tourists three different experiences – Cubbon Park and Cantonment Walk; Old Fort area with Tipu palace, fort and armoury and Dharmaraya temple (where Karaga is held); and Lalbagh Walk.
“There are many Bengalureans and foreigners who have told us that there is nothing to see in the City. We want to show them the true good-old Bengaluru, the traditional way, through these walks. This will be the first such in the City and has become the need of the hour, as, for tourists, Bengaluru is only malls, liquor, MG Road and Brigade Road. This needs to change,” a senior KSTDC official told Deccan Herald.
To start with, the walks will be held on weekends, but based on the need they could be extended to weekdays. A maximum of 15-20 people will be taken on a three-hour tour to the sites, explaining the history and their relevance even today. “We want to focus on experience rather than on destinations,” the official said.
“Intach will resource people and volunteers for guiding the tourists during their visits to sites. The route and other technical details are being finalised after which the walks will be officially announced. They will start from August. Plans are being discussed to add more destinations. One or even two walks will be conducted parallelly depending upon the number of people. The routes could also be customised if a group has a sufficient number of people,” said an Intach official.These walks will be conducted in parallel to the ones Intach already organises and Bangalore Walks.