Bull Temple
It is one of the oldest temple in the city and is built by Kempegowda, the founder of Bangalore. This typical Dravidian style temple has a mammoth, monolithic bull, 15ft high and 20ft long. It is made of gray granite polished with a mixture of charcoal and groundnut oil, in 1786. It is believed that it has grown in size since and now measures nearly 5 meters in height and 6 meters in length. The temple is dedicated to Nandi, the sacred bull.
Legend
The surrounding location, referred to as Sunkenahalli had groundnut expanding farmers. A bull began grazing around the well-grown crop enraging a farmer who hit the bull with a club. The bull sat stunned and was all of a sudden transformed right into a stone. The shocked farmers then decided to create a temple for that bull to atone for what they'd done, but were shocked to determine the bull was expanding taller! The nervous farmer then prayed to Lord Shiva who recommended him to retrieve a trident buried a number of feet away from the bull and location the trident on the forehead from the stone statue to quit it from growing. This was completed along with the bull stopped expanding. The thankful farmers decided to place their very first crop of groundnut as an providing towards the bull. Although in reality there is certainly a trident on the forehead from the bull, this story is really a legend and lacks historical proof. Hence, this handsome Bull Temple was built and the bull apparently took the hint and stayed away through the groundnuts. The thankful farmers proceed to hold a Groundnut Fair (kadalekayi parishe) close to the temple premises each and every 12 months, to show their gratitude. It truly is one from the places to go to in Bangalore. Kempe Gowda got built many temples devoted to Anjaneya (God of Energy), Vinayaka (God of very good lot of money), Nandi (Shiva's bull mount).
One can see inside the shrine atop the hill a massive garlanded black and shiny Nandi (Shiva's mount, the bull) ensconced, which dates back to 1786. The dimensions from the Nandi is overwhelming. At the back again is really a tiny Lingam shrine. Its modern day Gopuram rises, gracefully and majestically. The underground "Sri-Gavi Gandadhareshwara Temple" is equally intriguing, where on every single year on January 14th (Makara Sankranti) it can be thought that a ray of light passes between the horn of the Nandi exterior the temple and lights the idol stored within. Three ranges of excavations are already completed within the cave. One can see the black stone Hanuman. To the way to the Bull Temple there is certainly one a temple dedicated towards the Elephant God Ganesha. The Bull temple is really a buzz with good activity during the Shivratri festival.
Sri Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple was cut out of a rock somewhere around the ninth century. It was later renovated by Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is situated in the Gavipuram-Guttahalli, about 3 km from the City Market. Shri Gavi Gangadhareswara Temple of Bangalore houses a unique image of Agni, the God of Fire, probably the only one of its type in the entire South India. To the left of the main entrance, is a splendid image of Shakti Ganapathi, with 12 hands. There are four monolith pillars in the courtyard, which represent Damaru, Thrishula and two fans.
A natural monolith rock formation, the Sri Gavi Gangadhareswara Temple of Bangalore is visited by thousands of devotees every year, in the month of January. They come to Bangalore on the sacred day of Makar Sankranti to witness a unique phenomenon. On this day, for one hour, the sunrays fall on the Siva Linga, after passing through the two horns of the image of Nandi Bull, the vehicle of Lord Shiva.
The architects of Sri Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple deliberately planned it in such a way that on Makar Sankranti, the sun's rays always pass through Nandi's horns, while lighting up the Shiva Lingam. This unique phenomenon can be witnessed only for one hour i.e., between 17.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs on this particular day.
A natural monolith rock formation, the Sri Gavi Gangadhareswara Temple of Bangalore is visited by thousands of devotees every year, in the month of January. They come to Bangalore on the sacred day of Makar Sankranti to witness a unique phenomenon. On this day, for one hour, the sunrays fall on the Siva Linga, after passing through the two horns of the image of Nandi Bull, the vehicle of Lord Shiva.
The architects of Sri Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple deliberately planned it in such a way that on Makar Sankranti, the sun's rays always pass through Nandi's horns, while lighting up the Shiva Lingam. This unique phenomenon can be witnessed only for one hour i.e., between 17.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs on this particular day.
Some of the information extracted from: Blog on Little Known Temples in Bangalore
