Halasuru

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Halasuru (Kannada: ಹಲಸುರು; pronounced /'hələsuːru/), formerly known as Ulsoor, is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in the Indian city of Bangalore. It is located in east Bangalore, and begins roughly near the eastern terminus of MG Road. It has a predominant Tamil speaking population and is renowned for its numerous temples and rather narrow streets.

1 History and name
2 Temples
3 Other attractions
4 Bangalore Metro
5 Notes
6 See also

[edit] History and name

The village of Halasuru is said to have been gifted to Kempe Gowda I (1513-1569), the founder of Bangalore, by the Vijayanagar emperors. The Ulsoor Lake was built by his successor, Kempe Gowda II, and is the only surviving tank built by the Gowda kings in Bangalore. The first British military station was set up in Halasuru in 1807^[1].

There used to be a jackfruit orchard near the Ulsoor Lake, and the Kannada name for jackfruit being ‘Halasina Hannu’ (Kannada: ಹಲಸಿನ ಹಣ್ಣು), the area came to be known as Halasuru. During the British rule, the name was anglicised to Ulsoor, but in 2004, the neighbourhood was officially renamed Halasuru, though there was no formal announcement of the change. As of 2006, almost all signs in the area have been changed to reflect the name change.

[edit] Temples

There are several old temples in Halasuru, which are scattered throughout the area. The oldest temple in Halasuru is the Someshwara Temple, built by the Hoysalas between the 12th and 13th centuries CE^[2]. It was renovated and beautified by the Kempe Gowda I and II in the 16th century and is a mixture of Hoysala, Chola and Vijayanagara architecture.

[edit] Other attractions

The Ulsoor Lake is a major tourist attraction and there are boats available for hire that ferry people to the tiny islands that dot the lake.

Some of the main streets in Ulsoor are CMH Road, Cambridge Road, Halasuru Road, and Old Madras Road. CMH Road has several fashion outlets and supermarkets, and is the main shopping area for the residents of Halasuru and the neighbouring Indiranagar.

MG Road, arguably the most well-known street in Bangalore, is a short walk from Halasuru.