The Heart of India Tour Begins

The Gate One "Heart of India" tour officially begins today, although we've been here for 2.5 days already. If you looked at the last three posts, some of photos were taken today, but the storytelling made more sense to include them previously. With friends, Daryl and Chris, we took a Viator Food Walking tour yesterday. I've put those photos in today because they're pretty. First, here are some pictures from the hotel.

Taken from our hotel roof, this is a photo of Bengaluru and of Gurudwara, a place of worship for the Sikh community. We visited this on the Gate 1 tour because it has been recently remodeled. We had to visit it in bare feet (no socks) and walk down a hallway and up some stairs. I don't like doing that. It was just a cavernous big room with a gold altar at the end.

We could see Ulsoor Lake from our room in the Radisson City Center Hotel. The sky is smoggy but it didn't bother us.

We were happy with our room. It was clean, cool, and comfy. The Indian cuisine in the restaurant was delicious and a huge variety. Something for even the fussy, non-spicy and gluten free diners.

The first day plan of action.

On the food tour, we began with the special Indian chai tea at a coffee shop.

This delectable item is called a dosa, and it is filled with a potato concoction.

Behind our guide, Mayuri, some fellows are trying to figure out how to transport those tall banana leaves in a tuktuk.

The item on the banana leaf is called "idly." It's one of the few dishes for which I remember the name because I really like them. It's a steamed rice flour patty that is not spicy and the texture is dense fluff. Most of the time, they are plain, but this one had veggies in it. I think the red sauce is a lentil dish; the green is a cilantro/yogurt sauce.

Flower stands are often found near temples.

This fancy tuktuk looks new. Most of them are "well used." It's amazing how many people can stuff into one of these!

Food or produce carts.

Sri Gangamma Devi Temple: The main deity, Gangamma, is worshipped for her powers to protect and bless devotees. She is often invoked for health, prosperity, and success.

Across from Gangamma Devi temple is the Sri Dakshinamukha Nandi Tirtha Kalyani Kshetra temple. It was rediscovered in 1997 after being buried for 400 years.

Inside the temple is a recessed pool that is filled with water coming from the mouth of the Nandi (bull).

Nandi is the bull mount of the Hindu God Shiva.

There's a lady debris sweeper.

I'm used to seeing cows, not donkeys.