Bull Temple of Bangalore- Importance- History

Dodda Basavana Gudi (the Bull Temple) is situated in the N.R. Colony, Basavanagudi, area of South Bangalore, part of the largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. The Hindu temple is inside the a park called Bugle Rock.

 The Bull temple of Bangalore is dedicated to Nandi Bull, the vahana (vehicle) of Lord Shiva. Situated in Basavanagudi, this temple has been built in the Dravidian style of architecture. Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore, got the Bull temple built during his time. This temple counts amongst the oldest temples of the city and draws devotees from all over the country. Read on to know more about the Bull Temple of Bangalore, India.

Nandi Temple is exclusively for the worship of the sacred bull (Basava in Kannada) in Hinduism, known as Nandi, Lord Shiva's vahana, . The word "nandi" means "joyful" in Sanskrit.

The temple was built in 1537 by a local ruler under the Vijayanagara empire in the Vijayanagara architectural style. The ruler, a feudatory chief named Kempe Gowda, also founded the city of Bangalore.The temple is named after the large granite Nandi monolith placed on a plinth in the temple shrine (garbhagriha) which has become blackened from years of being rubbed with charcoal and oil.The temple is a small one, consisting only of the shrine fronted by a porch in the Vijayanagara style. The current tower (vimana) over the shrine was constructed in the early 20th century and is adorned with Saivite figures and motifs.

It is said to house one of the largest Nandi murthis in the world. The height of the murthi is approximately 15 ft (4.6 m) and it is approximately 20 feet (6.1 m) long.



 As per the tradition, this plate prevents the bull from growing. Providing a great backdrop to the statue are the idols of God Surya and Goddess Chandra, on their chariots. It is believed that the Vishva Bharti River originates at the feet of this statue.

The legend goes that the Bull Temple was built to appease a bull that used to consume and destroy all the groundnuts and peanuts cultivated in this area. It is also said that after the temple was built, the bull stopped damaging the crop. As a celebration of this incident, the farmers of Basavanagudi organized a Groundnut Fair (Kadalekai Parase), near the temple. This fair continues till date and is attended by the people of Bangalore in large numbers.

Every year on the last Monday and Tuesday of the Hindu month of Karthika Maasa a groundnut fair is held in the temple premises and groundnut is offered to the deity. This fair is known as 'Kadalekaayi Parishe' in local tongue. Groundnut sellers and devotees throng the place during Kadalekaayi Parishe.

Basavana Gudi is a regular place of visit for tourists and is covered by most of the tour operators including the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation.

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India - At a Glance

Introduction to Indian Tourist Attractions


India is actually a ‘Jewel in the Crown’ as far as tourism is concerned. The country is a hot-spot tourist destination for tourists from all over the world. India is synonymous with great culture, unique civilization, glorious history and ancient traditions. India is a paradise for travelers and has many cultural, architectural, historical, culinary, adventure, religious, spiritual, sports, and more wonderful opportunities for travelers. There is a lot to see and do in India. India is a vast country with people of many different ethnic backgrounds, religions, customs, languages, lifestyles and cuisines.

A visit to this great country offers a wonderful opportunity to see the interesting mix of various religions, festivals, customs, sounds and sights. The whole of India encompasses numerous tourist attractions from Kashmir in the north to Kanyakumari in the south, Gujarat in the east to Arunachal Pradesh in the east. Some of the more magnificent tourist attractions that can be found in India come in the form of beautiful natural places – the mighty Himalayan Mountains and other mountain ranges like Sahyadris, Shivaliks, Nilgiris, Aravallis etc. and majestic rivers likes Ganges, Yamuna, Jhelum, Narmada etc. and beaches, coastlines, deserts, forests, sanctuaries and national parks and so on. Other tourist attractions include the exquisite temples, palaces, forts, museums, historical monuments and so on. The famous tourist places are Delhi, Rajasthan, Agra, Goa, Kashmir, Kerala, Kovalam, Alleppey, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Aurangabad and many more.

Delhi


Delhi is India’s capital city and is a well developed and modernized city with a pulsating and happening lifestyle. Most of the tourists start their tour of the country from this city. Delhi has always been the home of the highest seat of power and administration since long ago. Even today, it is the political and administrative nerve center of India and is home to the highest offices of the government. Delhi was the capital of Mughal Empire and thus has many Mughal buildings with typical Mughal architecture. The places of tourist interest in Delhi are the Qutub Minar, Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Chandani Chowk, Hauz Khas, Safdarjung’s Tomb, Lodhi Gardens, Raj Ghat, India Gate, Old Fort, Zoo, Nehru Planetarium, Pragati Maidan, Doll’s Museum, Birla Mandir, Jantar Mantar Lotus Temple, Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhawan etc. All the Mughal buildings are impressive structures made of red sandstone with marvelous carvings. The places for shopping are the Janpath, Palika Bazaar, Connaught Place, South Extension and Sarojini Nagar Market and so on.

Rajasthan



Rajasthan is the desert state of India and is famed for the glorious history of the Rajput kings and warriors. It is home to magnificent forts, palaces, temples, lakes, lake palaces, shrines and mausoleums. The places worth visiting in Rajasthan include Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Ranthambore and Jaisalmer etc. Jaipur, the Pink City is home to the famous Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal etc. The tourist attractions of Jodhpur are Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhawan Palace and Mehrangarh Fort along with many more. Udaipur is famous as the Lake City and the major tourist attractions include City Palace, Lake Palace, Saheliyon ki Bari, Lake Pichola and Jagdish Palace etc. Rajasthan has many tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries like Ranthambore National Park, Bharatpur Bird sanctuary and so on. The heritage hotels in Rajasthan are wonderful places and they also form perfect venues for lavish weddings. Ajmer is famed for the Ajmer Sharif Dargah.

Agra



Agra is famous for being the home of the world famous and world heritage site the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Other tourist attractions in Agra include the Agra Fort, Jama Masjid, Sikandara, Itmad-ud-Daulah’s Tomb and Fatehpur Sikri. Taj Mahal is a magnificent building made of white marble, built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Kashmir

Kashmir is rightfully called a Paradise on Earth and is renowned for its lovely valleys, mountains, and lakes. The places interest for tourists in Kashmir are Srinagar, the capital city, Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Shankaracharya Temple, ChasmeShahi, Shalimar Garden, Nishat Garden, Hazratbal Shrine, Gulmarg, Khillanmarg and Pahalgam.

Goa



Goa is famous all over the world for its dazzling beaches and beautiful coastline. The major tourist destinations in Goa are Panaji, Mapusa, Margao, Ponda, Bicholim, Mormugao, Tiracol etc. The tourist attractions in Goa include the St Francis Church, Mangeshi Temple, Miramar Beach, Dona Paul, Colva and Calangute Beach in addition to many more.

Kerala

Kerala is home to some of the best beaches and backwaters in the world. It is also the home of beautiful temples like the Swami Ayyappa Temple, various churches, synagogues etc. in Kerala. Kovalam Beach is a very popular beach of untold beauty. Kerala is well known for its ayurvedic treatments and spas. Alleppey is full of lagoons, backwaters, canals, coir factories and lovely nature with lush green plantations.

Mumbai

Mumbai is Maharashtra’s capital city and is considered to be India’s financial capital. Mumbai is famed for its Elephanta Caves, Malabar Hill, Mahalaxmi Temple, Hanging Gardens, Haji Ali Shrine, Siddhivinayak Temple, Kamala Nehru Park, Taraporewala Aquarium, Gateway of India and Marine Drive.

Bangalore

Bangalore is Karnataka’s capital city and is also known as the ‘Garden City of India’. The well known tourist attractions of Bangalore are Lal Bagh, Bangalore Palace, Bull Temple, Vidhana Soudha, ISKCON, Cubbon Park and Venkatappa Art Gallery etc. There are many more attractions in the state of Karnataka like Mysore City, Vrindavan Gardens, and Vijayanagara.

Chennai

Chennai is Tamil Nadu’s capital city and houses many forts, palaces, temples and shrines. The popular tourist places in Chennai are Kapeeleswarar Temple, Fort St. George, Government Museum, Marina Beach, George Town, National Art Gallery, Corporation Complex and the High Court Complex.

Kolkata



Kolkata is West Bengal’s capital and the tourist attractions here include Howrah Bridge, Belur Math, Kali Temple, Victoria Memorial, Alipore Zoo, Millennium Park and Birla Planetarium etc.

There are many more world heritage sites in India like the Ajanta and Ellora Caves of Aurangabad, Khajuraho Temples, Bodh Gaya, Varanasi etc.

HYDERABAD