Bull temple, dedicated to Lord Nandhi - mount (vaahana) of Lord Shiva, is an ancient shrine situated at Basavangudi. This temple, built in Dravidian style during 16th century, houses a ‘bull’ (Nandhi) carved out of a monolithic granite rock of 6 m width and soars to a height of 4.5 m. It is believed that River Vishwa Barathi, originates at the foot of this huge idol. According to a myth, the Nandhi bull statue grew in size, which was later stopped by placing a trident on its head, as per the advice of Lord Shiva. God Nandhi (bull) was initially grey in color and has now turned black, due to the application of coconut oil by devotees. During the month of Nov- Dec a ‘Groundnut Fair’ (Kadalekaayi Parishe) is held near the temple. Traditionally, harvested groundnuts are first offered to Lord Nandhi in this temple during the festival.
