This sprawling property situated in Bengaluru is the global headquarters of the Art of Living foundation. It hosts regular meditation and spiritual retreats for millions of visitors every year. Such events aside, the facility also has an Ayurveda Hospital and a Panchakarma Center within its premises. The facade of Vishalakshi Mantap, which is the meditation hall, is truly impressive, made of multiple tiers arranged in the form of stairs, with a dome crowning the whole ensemble. The area also features verdant lawns, with the major focus being on offering a sense of tranquility to the visitors.
The sprawling Bannerghatta National Park is located on the outskirts of Bengaluru, amid the Anekal mountain range. Founded in 1971, this vast park also comprises a biological reserve. The park is home to a wealth of intriguing educational experiences including visits to the on-site butterfly enclosure, aquarium, snake house, elephant sanctuary and animal rescue center. The activity that attracts the most visitors, however, is the guided tiger and lion safaris that offer a rare opportunity to get an up close look at the big cats. Trekking enthusiasts can also embark upon hiking adventures within the national park. Bannerghatta National Park spans over 26,355 hectares (65,127 acres) and sustains an impressive population of native wildlife such as spotted deer, Indian gazelle, barking deer, slender loris, bonnet macaques and Royal Bengal tigers.
Having aged gracefully over 400 years, this banyan tree has captured the imagination of many. Legend has it, the banyan sprung from a twig tossed to the ground by the poet-sage Kabir and from it grew a magnificent tree with a crown so wide it threw a shadow that was a hectare-wide. Ensconced in the picturesque village of Kethohalli, the tree boasts a monumental scale, its far-reaching branches holding up a canopy of leaves with the aid of stilt roots that are as sturdy as trunks. Its stilt roots are, in fact, so massive that they are often mistaken for separate trees. Monkeys are often spotted swinging through its branches, entertaining visitors with their playful antics. All in all, this tree is one of the world's largest.