Bull Temple
#5of 8 places to visit in BengaluruBengaluru, Karnataka
Also known as Dodda Basavana Gudi · Nandi Temple
Quick answer
Opening hours: 06:00–20:00. Entry is free. Allow 45 min. Best time: 06:30 – 08:00.
Updated · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read
- Opening hours
- 06:00–20:00
- Entry fee
- Free
- Time needed
- 45 min
- Best time of day
- 06:30 – 08:00
- Best months
- Oct – Mar
- Address
- Bull Temple Road, N.R. Colony, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560004
About Bull Temple
Bull Temple, known locally as Dodda Basavana Gudi, was built in 1537 CE by Kempe Gowda I, the Vijayanagara-era chieftain credited with founding Bengaluru. The temple takes its common name from the single-block granite Nandi it houses, one of the largest monolithic bull statues anywhere, reported at roughly 4.6 metres high and 6.1 metres long, though exact measurements vary slightly across sources. Centuries of devotees anointing the statue with charcoal, oil, and butter have darkened its surface to a deep black sheen, a tradition of offering that continues at the temple today under the name benne, meaning butter. The temple sits atop Bugle Rock, a granite outcrop that also gives its name to the small adjoining park, and shares its grounds with the Dodda Ganapathi Temple, whose deity is likewise carved from a single stone block. The vimana, or tower, above the main shrine was added or substantially rebuilt in the early twentieth century, carved with Saivite figures and motifs that sit visually apart from the older, plainer mandapa housing the Nandi itself.
Best time of day: 06:30 – 08:00. When the temple is quietest and the granite Nandi catches soft early light through the open mandapa.
Bull Temple timings
- Opening hours
- 06:00–20:00
Mon–Sun 06:00–20:00 - Closed on
- Open every day
Opening hours compiled from karnatakatourism.org and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Bull Temple ticket price
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Indian visitors | Free |
| Foreign visitors | Free |
| Children | Free |
| Camera | Free |
Free entry for all visitors as of 2026; no ticket counter operates at the temple. No official camera fee is published, though photography inside the inner sanctum is best confirmed with temple staff on the day.
Prices compiled from karnatakatourism.org and public records, last updated . They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides
Best time to visit Bull Temple
- Quiet
- Moderate
- Busy
06:00 – 08:00
Early MorningBest time to go
Local devotees on their morning routine outnumber tourists. Coolest hours and best light on the granite Nandi.
Quiet08:00 – 12:00
Morning
Steady flow of worshippers and visitors; the courtyard remains comfortable to walk through without significant queuing.
Moderate12:00 – 16:00
Midday Heat
Visitor numbers drop as the open mandapa offers little shade against the midday sun.
Quiet16:00 – 20:00
Evening
Families and evening worshippers fill the precinct as temperatures cool, with the heaviest footfall in the final hour before closing.
Busy
History of Bull Temple
Kempe Gowda I's 1537 construction places Bull Temple among Bengaluru's oldest surviving structures, built in the architectural idiom of the declining Vijayanagara Empire rather than the Mysore Sultanate or Wadiyar styles that shaped the city's later monuments. The temple's founding legend explains both its name and its most distinctive annual event: a bull is said to have repeatedly raided the groundnut fields that once covered the surrounding land, and the temple's establishment on the site channelled that folk memory into worship of Nandi, Shiva's bull mount.
That legend still shapes local life through the Kadalekaayi Parishe, or Groundnut Fair, held annually on the last Monday and Tuesday of the Hindu month Karthika Maasa, typically falling in November or December. Farmers from around Bengaluru bring their groundnut harvest to sell directly outside the temple, a tradition that predates the city's growth into a metropolitan area and persists largely unchanged despite the urban development that now surrounds Basavanagudi on all sides. The temple has remained under continuous worship since its founding, administered today by Karnataka's state religious endowments department rather than any archaeological or heritage body.
Rules & etiquette at Bull Temple
Shoes must be removed before entering the temple precinct, with a shoe-stand available near the entrance. Modest dress covering shoulders and knees is expected, in line with general South Indian temple practice, though no formal written dress code is posted on site.
Photography is generally tolerated in the outer courtyard and mandapa around the Nandi statue, but rules around the inner sanctum are inconsistently enforced from one visit to the next — check with temple staff rather than assuming blanket permission, particularly during active worship.
The temple draws its largest crowds during the Kadalekaayi Parishe in November or December, when the surrounding streets fill with groundnut vendors and the precinct itself becomes considerably more crowded than on an ordinary day — worth timing a visit around deliberately or avoiding, depending on preference.
Tips for visiting Bull Temple
- 1
Pair the visit with the adjoining Dodda Ganapathi Temple and Bugle Rock Park, both immediately next to the main shrine and easily covered in the same stop. The rock itself offers a modest but genuine elevated view over the older Basavanagudi neighbourhood, distinct from Bengaluru's newer high-rise districts.
- 2
Basavanagudi's surrounding streets are worth the extra half hour, particularly the Gandhi Bazaar market a short walk away, known for flower stalls, filter coffee, and traditional South Indian breakfast spots that make a natural stop before or after the temple.
- 3
Early morning remains the best window not just for crowds but for temperature — the open mandapa around the Nandi offers little shade, and Basavanagudi's granite-paved courtyard heats up noticeably by mid-morning.
How to reach Bull Temple
We haven't pinned Bull Temple's exact position yet; the map shows the other places in our Bengaluru guide. Use the address below or the directions link.
Bull Temple Road, N.R. Colony, Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560004Directions in Google Maps
From Kempegowda International Airport (BLR)
₹750–₹1,05038 km · 65–95 min
Prepaid cab
From KSR Bengaluru City Junction
₹110–₹1706.5 km · 20–25 min
Auto
From National College Metro Station
₹10–₹351.5 km · 15–20 min walk or short auto
Metro fare) plus ₹30–₹50 (auto
Nearest airport
From Kempegowda International Airport (BLR)
approximately 38 km, 65–95 minutes by road.
Nearest railway station
From KSR Bengaluru City Junction
approximately 6.5 km, a 20–25 minute auto ride.
Bull Temple FAQs
How old is the Bull Temple?
It was built in 1537 CE by Kempe Gowda I, the chieftain credited with founding Bengaluru, making it one of the city's oldest surviving structures.
Is there an entry fee for Bull Temple?
No. Entry is free for all visitors, and there is no ticket counter at the temple.
Why is the Nandi statue black?
Centuries of devotees anointing the granite statue with charcoal, oil, and butter have darkened its surface. The butter-offering tradition, called benne, continues today as part of regular worship.
What is the Kadalekaayi Parishe held at Bull Temple?
It is the annual Groundnut Fair, held on the last Monday and Tuesday of the Hindu month Karthika Maasa, usually in November or December. Farmers sell their groundnut harvest directly outside the temple, continuing a tradition tied to the temple's founding legend.
Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated . How we rank and check places
![Tippu Sultan Summer palace, the place where Tippu Sultan used to stay[not for longer duration], and discuss the official matters. Location: Bangalore, India](/wm/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Tippu_Sultan%27s_Summer_palace.jpg/1280px-Tippu_Sultan%27s_Summer_palace.jpg)
