Also known as Dodda Basavan Gudi (Bull Temple) or Nandi Temple, Nandi is one of the oldest and most important places of worship in Bangalore. It was built in 1537 by Kempegowda, the founder of Bangalore, in the Dravidian style of architecture. Famous for the huge statue of sacred Nandi (Bull).
Bull Temple is just 05 km from Bangalore City Bus Stand and Railway Station. is far away.
The best time to visit this place is from 6:00 AM – 12:00 PM, and from 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM.
The statue, which is about 4.6 meters high and about 6.1 meters long, is called ‘Dodda Basavan Gudi’ by the locals. A unique feature in the temple is the impressive idol and the power. Largest Nandi Temple in the World The word “Nandi” means “joyful” in Sanskrit.
History
The statue is carved from a single gray granite stone and polished black with a mixture of coal powder and groundnut oil. According to local legends, the region was known for its rich agriculture of groundnuts and groundnuts. But in this area, a bull was damaging the crop. As this damage got bigger and bigger, the farmers got worried and finallyThe angry farmers decided to attack it and when it all started to destroy the crop, the farmers of that area came together to stop it. During the fight a farmer hit the bull on the head with a stick and the bull immediately inexplicably turned into a statue, the local farmers built a temple for the bull in order to appease it in memory of this miraculous event and since then it has been worshiped as a divine entity. Hence the area came to be known as Basavanagudi (Basava: bull, Gudi: temple) which is the largest temple dedicated to Nandi in the world.
Nandi, the bull, the mountain or ‘vehicle’ of Lord Shiva and the guardian deity of Kailashgiri, Lord Shiva’s abode; According to Hindu traditions. This temple is a must visit for every Shiva devotee as Nandi is dear to Lord Shiva. The temple has idols of Sun God and Moon God. Farmers of Karnataka and neighboring states offer their first produce, groundnuts, to Nandi and seek his blessings. It kept growing every day. Terrified farmers prayed to Shiva for their prayers and stopped the statue from growing by placing a metal plate on its head.
The idol of Nandi is a giant monolith. Kaladekai Parishad or Kaladekai Mela is an annual fair held on the last Monday and Tuesday of the month of Kartika (October-November).
