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Bull Temple

The Bull temple is one of the major attractions of Banglore. As the name suggest it is dedicated to a bull Nandi that was believed to be the mount of lord Shiva. Kemp Gowda, a close ally of the Vijayanagar kingdom in a typical Dravidian style, built this temple in the 16th century. The Bull temple is one of the oldest temples of the city. It has massive statue of bull. In Kannada, Basava means bull, and the locality in which the temple is situated is thus called Basavanagudi.
It contains various species of trees, some of which have been specially imported. Lush green lawns, shady flowering trees, and vibrant flowerbeds, make Cubbon Park a place for seeking peace and tranquility after a hectic day of work or sightseeing.

Features
The main attraction of the temple is the monolithic stone statue of the bull that is 15 feet tall and over 20 feet long. It has been carved out of single granite rock. The temple is supposed to be older than the temple housing it. It is also said that the source of the river Vishwa Baharti originates at its feet. Dodda Ganapati, a magnificent image of the Lord, is enshrined adjacent to the Bull temple.

At its back is a small Lingam shrine. Its modern Gopuram rises, gracefully and majestically. "Sri-GaviGandadhareshwaraTemple" situated underground the bull temple is equally fascinating. A unique phenomena is witnessed here on Jan. 13/14th every year when the rays of the setting sun enter through the window, pass between the horns of the Nandi and shine on the Shivalingam. This temple has a set of four monolithic pillars bearing the Saivite emblem of 'trisul', 'damara', 'suryapana' and 'chandrapana'. The temple also houses a rare idol of 'Agni', the god of fire

In Nov/Dec every year, when the groundnuts have been harvested, a groundnut fair is held near the temple. Farmers offer the first groundnuts to the sacred bull. The temple attracts large number of devotees.
Timings: Entry to the temple is free and the daily timings are from 6a.m. to 8 p.m.

Lalbagh

Lalbagh botanical garden is one of the jewels in the crown , own of the garden city of Banglore. Hyder Ali, the warrior kings of Mysore, laid it in 1740 on the lines of Mughal gardens of Delhi. Both Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan added horticultural wealth to it by importing trees and plants from several countries. Later, John Cameron, the Garden's Superintendent in the 1870s, imported several more rare species from Kew Gardens in London. Cameron was also responsible for initiating work on Lalbagh's famous Glass House, modeled on London's Crystal Palace and Conceived as a venue for horticultural shows. Today these shows bring a festive mood in the city. Spread over 97-ha (240 acres) of Parkland, the park has some rare species of plants brought from Persia, Afghanistan and France. With an intricate watering system for irrigation, this garden is aesthetically designed, with lawns, flowerbeds, lotus pools and fountains. Most of the centuries old trees are labeled for easy identification. The giant specimen trees are the great attraction along with the rare varieties of tropical plants, trees, and herbs some of them over 100 years old.

With the changing times the garden has introduced western varieties of plants. India’s first lawn-clock can be found inside the garden. The Lalbagh garden has the privilege of keeping one of the oldest rock formations on earth actually dating back to 3000 million years. The garden today houses over 1000 species of flora which include rare and enchanting collection of tropical plants, trees and herbs

The park is an ideal place for everyone to enjoy the wonders of nature. It is also popular among the people for jogging. This facility is provided by opening its gates from 6 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 7 pm, making entry free of charge. Entry for school children and the disabled is free.