Bull Temple

Location:	In Basavangudi, at Bull Temple Road in Bangalore, Karnataka
Built by:	Kempe Gowda
Built in:	1537AD
Dedicated to:	Lord Shiva
Attraction:	5 meter tall bull
How to reach:	One can easily reach Bull Temple by taking local Buses, auto rickshaws or by hiring taxis from Bangalore

Bull Temple is a religious shrine that is unique in itself. Located in Basavangudi, the Temple is positioned at the southern end of Bull Temple Road in Bangalore. The term 'Basavangudi' is derived from the word 'Basava', which means 'Bull'. The special attraction of the temple is a colossal image of bull. The temple is said to have been built by Kempe Gowda in 1537 A.D. Perched at the top of Bungle Hill, Bull Temple is easily accessible from the city of Bangalore through local buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis.

Nandi - the Bull 
The temple boasts of a huge image of Nandi (bull) that commemorates the mount of Lord Shiva. The giant image extends to 5 meters in height and 6 meters in its length. The monolithic bull is believed to be much older than the temple itself. The image of 'Nandi' has been made out of a single granite stone. Initially, the color of the bull was grey and gradually, it turned black as devotees apply coconut oil to it. As per the sayings, the river Vishwa Bharathi originates from the feet of 'Nandi, the bull.

Behind this enormous image, there is a Shiva lingam. Like most of the other temples of India, Bull Temple also has a story behind its establishment. It is believed that the temple was constructed to pacify a bull, who tried to gnaw away the entire groundnut grown in the fields nearby. It is also thought that the statue keeps on growing in size further and further. One can see a trident on the forehead of the bull. It is said that the trident was placed here as per the advise of Lord Shiva, to prevent the bull from growing further.

The architectural style of the temple rejuvenates the notion of Dravidian architecture. In the vicinity of this temple, there is a shrine of Lord Ganesha by the name of Dodda Ganesha Temple. The unique feature about this shrine is that the huge image of the Lord is made out of 110 kilograms of butter after every four years. It is amazing to know that the butter never melts. After every four years, the butter deity is broken and distributed amongst the devotees.

Festival 
Bull Temple observes a Kadalekaye Parishe (Groundnut Fair) every year. It is held in the month of November or December. In the ceremony, the farmers offer their first harvest of groundnut to Nandi. It is kind of farmer's appreciation and gratitude towards the Bull, Nandi. The sheer size of the Bull attracts people from far and near to this shrine of religious significance.

Banashankari Temple

Location:	At Cholachigud, Near Badami in Karnataka
Built in:	17th century
Dedicated to:	Goddess Banashankari
Significance:	Banashankari is the incarnation of Goddess Parvati
How to reach:	One can easily reach Banashankari Temple by taking regular Buses or by hiring taxis from anywhere in Karnataka

Banashankari Temple is a popular and highly revered shrine of Karnataka. Located at Cholachigud, Banashankari Temple lies at a distance 50 kms from Badami. The town of Badami is another destination renowned for its ancient cave temples. The nearest railway station to Cholachigud is located at Badami and from here; many buses or taxis can be availed to reach the temple. On the whole, various tourism buses and coaches are available throughout Karnataka to arrive at Cholachigud.

Banashankari Devi is considered as the incarnation of Goddess Parvati, who is regarded as the divine consort of Lord Shiva. The mention of Banashankari has been made in the Skanda Purana (an ancient scripture), where the Goddess slaughtered a demon named Durgamasura. Since, the temple is positioned in the Tilakaaranya forest; the Devi came to be known as Banashankari or Vanashankari. The term Banashankari is derived from two words; 'Ban' (Van) meaning 'forest' and 'Shankari' meaning 'the lover of Lord Shiva'.

In the main shrine, the image of Banashankari Devi reveals the Goddess in a sitting posture. The Goddess can be seen seated on a growling lion and crushing a demon with her foot. The idol is carved out of a black stone. The Goddess Banashankari is depicted here with eight arms, holding trishul, damaruga, kamaalpatra, ghanta, Veda scripts and khadg-kheta in her different hands. It is believed that the Goddess was the 'Kuladevi' of the Chalukyas.

Initially, Banasankari Mandir was built by the Chalukyas of Kalyan; however the present structure traces its origin in the 17th century. The ancient temple of Banasankari represents the Dravidian style of architecture. 'Haridra Tirtha' is a large pond, which makes the foreground of this temple. The term 'Haridra Tirtha' is the corrupted version of the term 'Harishchandra Tirtha'. This pond is encircled by stone mantapas on its three sides.

Festival
Banashankari Temple observes an annual festival during the months of January-February. At this juncture of time, the image of the Goddess is placed in a chariot and taken in a procession around the region. Huge crowds of devotees come to attend this festival of Banashankari Devi.

Badami Cave Temple

Location:	In Badami, Bagalkot District, Karnataka
Built in:	During 6th and 7th centuries
Dedicated to:	Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahavira
Attraction:	Exquisite carvings and sculptures
How to reach:	One can easily reach Badami Cave Temple by taking regular Buses or by hiring taxis from throughout the state of Karnataka

Badami is truly famous for its Cave Temples that date back to the 6th and 7th centuries. Located at Badami in Bagalkot district of Karnataka, Cave Temples represent the fine architectural style of the ancient times. The nearest airport to Badami is located in Belgaum. Belgaum lies at a distance of 150 kms from Badami and one can easily reach the cave temples by hiring taxis. Various tourist buses and coaches are also available throughout the state of Karnataka. Badami is sited at the orifice of a gorge that is fringed by two rocky hills.

Architecture
Badami is acknowledged for being the ancient kingdom of Chalukyas. In the 6th century, Badami was established by Pulakesin I; however the architectural expansion was observed by the Chalukyas. The sect constructed numerous temples and monuments, marking the instigation of the Hindu architectural style. Badami Cave Temple is the best example of Chalukyan style of architecture. Made out of Sandstone hills, Badami Cave Temples boast of rock-cut architecture.

In totality, there are four cave temples in Badami. All these temples enclose brilliant carvings with the sculptures of Gods from the Hindu pantheon. The structure of these temples is a perfect fusion of North Indian Nagara style and South Indian Dravidian style of architecture. Each cave embraces a sanctum, a hall, a verandah and pillars. Beautiful carvings and exquisite sculptures adore the site of Cave Temples. At the cutting edge, one can see a reservoir that makes a perfect foreground to these architectural structures.

Caves Temples
The first and the foremost cave is known to be built in 578 A.D. One can reach the cave by taking a flight of 40 steps. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the cave adorns not less than 81 sculptures of Lord Shiva in the form of 'Nataraj' having 18 arms. Made out in Red sandstone, the cave has an open verandah, a hall with numerous columns and a sanctum. The ceilings and pillars are festooned with paintings of amorous couples.

The second cave can be sited at the summit of a sandstone hill. This Cave Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Universe as per the Hindu beliefs. Here, Lord Vishnu is presented in the form of a 'Trivikrama' (dwarf) where his one foot is commanding the Earth and with the other he is mastering the sky.

Perched on the hill, the third Cave Temple traces its origin in 578 A.D. The front elevation of the cave is approximately 70 ft wide. The platform is carved with the images of 'ganas'. The structure of the temple rejuvenates the memoirs of Deccan style of architecture. This temple is a fine example of the artistic quality and sculptural genius. The sculpture of Lord Vishnu in the company of a serpent captures the major attention. Here, Lord Vishnu is represented in his various incarnations including Narsimha, Varaha, Harihara (Shiva-Vishnu) and Trivikarma.

The fourth Cave Temple is accredited for being dedicated to the Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of the Jains. The cave is believed to be the latest amongst all the four caves. It finds its origin in the 7th century, near about 100 years after the construction of earlier three caves. In this shrine, one can see the image of Lord Mahavira in a sitting posture.

The artistic quality and sculptural grandeur mark the very sight of these cave temples at Badami. The rich traditions of India are depicted through these monuments of heritage. People from all over the World come to visit these shrines of architectural radiance and religious significance.