Maharaja Palace

A banquet hall on 80 Feet Road at Banashankari 6th Stage, built as a palace rather than decorated to look like one. Domed chattris at the corners, an arcaded colonnade the full width of the ground floor, arched bays above, and at night the whole facade is lit, visible from the road well before you reach the gate.

The forecourt is the part families notice second. It is a proper open ground rather than a driveway, with the approach running straight to the steps. A baraat has room to arrive properly instead of assembling on a pavement, and the parking sits on the same ground rather than three streets away. Over three hundred vehicles.

For photography this is unusual in the city. Most Bangalore halls give you an interior and a decorated stage; here the building itself is the backdrop, and the evening lighting does the work without a decorator being paid to create it.

Inside, the dining area is separate from the main hall, so food service runs without breaking down the ceremony seating.

There are no in-house caterers. They will recommend, but you may bring your own, which leaves the per-plate rate yours to negotiate a real difference at this scale. Decorators are in-house, with outside vendors permitted for a themed setup. Alcohol is not permitted, which rules it out for some families and is precisely why others choose it.