Dodda Ganeshana Gudi, Bull Temple

Bull Temple is a small, peaceful spot located on a hill in Bugle Rock Park in South Bangalore. This Hindu temple is only a 10-minute walk from Gandhi Bazaar, so you can easily explore both places in just a few hours.

Bull Temple is one of Bangalore’s oldest temples, dating back to the 16th century.  Nandi is the name for the bull which serves as the vahana, or mount, of the god Shiva.  A young woman sitting outside of the temple explained to me why this particular bull is special to the people of Bangalore.

Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, there was a wild bull that terrorized local farmers and destroyed their crops. One evening, the farmers got together to hunt down the bull. One farmer clubbed the bull, but much to his dismay, the bull immediately sat and turned to stone. Even more surprising, the stone figure then began to double in size. Worried, the farmers sought the help of Lord Shiva. A small temple was built on the spot to pacify the giant bull and prevent it from continuing to grow. Years later, the founder of Bangalore built a much larger temple on the same grounds, which is what we can see today.

After entering, visitors first pay their respects to Ganesha inside the small temple located at the base of the hill.  Fun fact: the Ganesha idol in this temple is coated with over 100 kg of butter! Apparently, the butter never melts and is distributed to worshippers every 4 years.

Once you’ve paid your respects, exit the small temple to the left.  Climb the stairs until you arrive at the giant golden-towered entrance at the top.

Pass through the temple entrance (don’t forget to remove your shoes!) and enter the small shrine to visit the giant Nandi bull.

Stunning Vijayanagara-style architecture

Don’t forget to sign the visitor’s book!

 Information
 Daily, 6am – 1pm; 4pm – 9pm
  Bugle Hill, Bull Temple Road, Basavangudi, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560004, India