Bull Temple Bangalore

Bangalore over the past few years has grown to be a chaotic and confused city. Older residents can give you just the account of how the city transformed from being a gentle, peaceful place to what it is today. But even amidst such tumultuousness there are places in the city that offer a calm and soothing environment for dwellers. One such place is the island of the Bull Temple. Located in Basavanagudi which literally means ‘Bull Temple’ this temple is one of the most famous temples in the city installed by Kempegowda the First who is the founder of Bangalore.

The temple is built in the Vijayanagar style of architecture and is dedicated to Nandi, Lord Shiva’s mount. The temple is famous for its larger than life statue of a bull that measures almost 20ft in length and 15ft in height. The temple is present on top of a mound just below the highest point known as the Bugle Rock. There is a very famous tale behind the construction of this temple which dates back to the early 16^th century. Back then the present area of Basavanagudi was a vast group of farmers who cultivated groundnuts. Most of these farmers had a common problem which was a large bull pillaging all their crops time after time. Kempegowda who was then the ruler of the city knew straight away that this was no ordinary bull and ordered the construction of a giant Nandi to pacify the raged bull. It is believed that the construction of the temple appeased the bull and the farmers could cultivate groundnuts without any further problems.

Ever since, farmers around the temple first offer groundnuts to the Nandi as a sign of gratefulness. This tradition continues even today as you can see several farmers set up shops in front of the temple in an annual event called the Kadalekai Parishe which means groundnut fair. This fair takes place in the months of November and December which is the best time for anyone to visit this temple. 

Below the hillock is the Dodda Ganesha Temple which is also known for a large statue of Ganesha. The Benne Alankara is the most celebrated event in this temple. This extraordinary ritual involves the covering of the huge idol completely with over 100kg of butter. 

Plus the vantage point of the hill has is known as the Bugle Rock which is a great place for tourists and visitors to spend sometime and breathe some fresh air. The Bugle Rock too has a lot of history associated with it as this is considered the place where the Mysore Army finally recruited before attacking the British during the Third Mysore war.

The place is well connected by buses and other public transport and it is just about half an hour’s journey from the Kempegowda Bus and Railway station. Tourists can also find a lot of comfortable accommodation options around this historic temple. Lalit Ashok, ITC Windsor, The Chevron Orchards are all great places for a brief stay in the city.