Bull Temple
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 Indianstate of Karnataka. The Hindu temple is inside the a park called Bugle Rock.
The bull referred to is a sacred Hindu demi-god, known as Nandi; Nandi is a close devotee and attendant of Shiva. Dodda Basavana Gudi is said to be the biggest temple to Nandi in the world. The stone cult image of Nandi is continually covered with new layers of butter, benne in the local language ofKannada. There is a cult image of the elephant-headed Hindu deity son of shiva Ganesha close by.
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.
History:
It’s not often that an entire area in a city - and an affluent one at that - is named after a temple. But Basavanagudi is a rare temple in more ways than one. For instance, it’s perhaps the only temple where the ’vaahana’ (vehicle) gets precedence over the master. The giant bull, adored as Basavanna, is the prime attraction for visitors and its popularity gave the place its name - Basavanagudi or the Bull temple.
The legend behind Basavanagudi is an interesting one. Hundreds of years ago, Sunkenahalli, as Basavanagudi was known then, was fertile farmland dedicated to the cultivation of groundnut crops. But there was a problem. A wild bull began to devour and destroy the groundnut crops. This infuriated the farmers and one of them, in an attempt to drive away the animal, hit it with a club. Legend has it that the bull sat down, became motionless and turned into stone much to the amazement of the farmers.
The story, however, didn't end there. The stone bull began to grow in size and the worried farmers turned to Lord Shiva for help. A trident, retrieved from where it was planted near the bull's feet, was placed on the bull's forehead to prevent it from growing further. To appease the bull, a small temple was built on the spot. Later, Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore, constructed a much bigger temple in typical Dravidian style at the same place. The temple has a mammoth monolithic bull called 'Nandi' or the mount of Lord Shiva, which is 4.5m high and 6.5m long. The temple also has a small Lingam enclosed by a gopuram (tower).
The Bull Temple is also the venue for the famous 'Kadalekayi Parishe' (groundnut fair). After the temple was constructed for 'Basava' or the bull, farmers began offering it kadalekayi. Since then, the Kadalekayi Parishe is held every year during Karthika Maasa (November-December). People from all over the state visit Bangalore during the fair.
Bugle Rock is a massive rock formation, believed to be 3,000 million years old. Kempe Gowda-II, who built the four watch towers, constructed one at Bugle Rock to mark the city's southern boundary. It is said that during sunset, a sentry would blow a bugle and hold a lighted torch which could be seen from the other three watch towers. This was done to inform people that the area was safe.
* There is a Ganesha temple next to the Bull Temple, where the idol of the deity is made of 110 kg of butter. The butter apparently never melts and every four years, the butter is distributed to devotees and a fresh idol made .
The legend behind Basavanagudi is an interesting one. Hundreds of years ago, Sunkenahalli, as Basavanagudi was known then, was fertile farmland dedicated to the cultivation of groundnut crops. But there was a problem. A wild bull began to devour and destroy the groundnut crops. This infuriated the farmers and one of them, in an attempt to drive away the animal, hit it with a club. Legend has it that the bull sat down, became motionless and turned into stone much to the amazement of the farmers.
The story, however, didn't end there. The stone bull began to grow in size and the worried farmers turned to Lord Shiva for help. A trident, retrieved from where it was planted near the bull's feet, was placed on the bull's forehead to prevent it from growing further. To appease the bull, a small temple was built on the spot. Later, Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore, constructed a much bigger temple in typical Dravidian style at the same place. The temple has a mammoth monolithic bull called 'Nandi' or the mount of Lord Shiva, which is 4.5m high and 6.5m long. The temple also has a small Lingam enclosed by a gopuram (tower).The Bull Temple is also the venue for the famous 'Kadalekayi Parishe' (groundnut fair). After the temple was constructed for 'Basava' or the bull, farmers began offering it kadalekayi. Since then, the Kadalekayi Parishe is held every year during Karthika Maasa (November-December). People from all over the state visit Bangalore during the fair.
Bugle Rock is a massive rock formation, believed to be 3,000 million years old. Kempe Gowda-II, who built the four watch towers, constructed one at Bugle Rock to mark the city's southern boundary. It is said that during sunset, a sentry would blow a bugle and hold a lighted torch which could be seen from the other three watch towers. This was done to inform people that the area was safe. * There is a Ganesha temple next to the Bull Temple, where the idol of the deity is made of 110 kg of butter. The butter apparently never melts and every four years, the butter is distributed to devotees and a fresh idol made .
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