Basavanagudi

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Basavanagudi is a residential and commercial locality in the Indian city of Bangalore. The residential area is located in South Bangalore and borders Jayanagar. The name "Basavanagudi" refers to the Bull Temple that is located here. It is a monolith statue of the Nandi Bull. Basava in Kannada, the local language, means Bull and Gudi means temple. Hence, the name Basavanagudi. The Ramakrishna Matha located on Bull Temple Road, Basavanagudi, is another attraction.

Is one of the oldest localities in Bangalore. This locality houses numerous old and beautiful temples, elite institutions, busy marketplaces, parks lushed with green trees, tiny lakes and awesome restaurants. Till a decade ago, this neighborhood was a homeland for Kannada speaking scholarly Brahmin families and other high ranked personalities. This serene place had many wide roads lined up with shady trees and huge mansions and European styled bungalows. Today, this green lush neighborhood has almost become a concrete jungle and completely crammed with economic refugees who have migrated plenteously from other states of India. This unadulterated serene residential paradise has become a hectic hub for business communities today.

In actual fact, Basavanagudi was named after the Dodda Ganeshana Gudi (Big Ganesha's Temple), which is one of the oldest temples of Bangalore that was built by Kempegowda in the Dravidian style. This temple has a giant bull 4.6 meters tall carved out of a single rock and is a sculptural masterpiece.

At a close proximity, another interesting temple named Gavi Gangadhareshwara Temple is located. This temple has a three tier structure built underground and carved entirely out of granite monolith. Dedicated to god Shiva, the temple experiences a great phenomenon on the 14th or 15th January every year - a beam of light passes through the horns of the bull Nandi located on ground level, and illuminates the idol of god Shiva inside the cave underground.

The Fort, built by Tipu Sultan in the late-18th century to fend off the enemy troops during the Anglo-Mysore War, this architectural wonder was originally built by Bangalore’s famous architect Kempe Gowda in 1537. The Islamic-style arches on the exterior walls are later additions to the original mud fort. Exquisite carvings of religious deities and the Ganapathy temple located inside are simply beautiful.

Sajjan Rao circle, another interesting place that encircles mesmerizing temples, marriage halls and fast food hangouts, which are customarily opened until midnight. Once upon a time, this place was labeled as “The Gold Mine", as people from one particular community, who lived in this locality for decades, would always decorate and cover their body with gold ornaments.

The Ramakrishna Ashram located on Bull Temple Road and the Sringeri Peetha Matha are other places one can visit to spend time in spiritual practices and to have tranquil moments.

Gandhi Bazaar still continues to be a busy marketplace, crowded with innumerable shops and street hawkers. It is an absolute delight to visit this marketplace during festive seasons as all the shops are packed with bargain hunters and all the roads leading to this marketplace are decorated with vibrant banners and colorful lights. Interestingly, decades old mammoth trees that are still left unchopped by the local municipal corporation, continue to shelter many species of birds.

Vidyarthi Bhavan, a quaint little restaurant located in the heart of Gandibazar makes the best Masala Dosa in the world. The aroma wafting through the air is a good enough indication that you are in the vicinity of this gastronomic heaven. This awesome restaurant is perennially jam-packed and still the most sought after hotel in the town. Among the other eateries, Dwaraka, Kamat, Janata Hotel, SLV, Kottureshwara Benne Dose Hotel and Upahara Darshini are extremely popular hangouts.

Dodda Ganeshana Gudi has the biggest stone statue of Lord Ganesh in the world. Ganesha statue is carved on a rock measuring 18 feet by 14 feet surface area. The Bugle Rock is a beautiful garden behind the temple and is home to a Poet corner too.

Karanji Anjaneya (Hanuman) Temple is one of the oldest temples of Bangalore. This temple was supposed to be southern entrance to Bangalore city (southern tower built by Kempe Gowda is near by to this temple) on the banks of Karaji Lake (which no longer exists).

Premier institutions like National College, Mahila Seva Samaj, BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore Medical College and Acharya Pathashala, many of them were started well before the Indian independence, provide world-class education in the areas of science, commerce, engineering and medicine.

Basavanagudi also is a host to many cultural organizations like GIPA (Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs, founded by D.V. Gundappa) IIWC (Indian Institute of World Culture, founded by B.P Wadia). United Lodge of Theosophists is situated on M.N. Krishna Rao Road which runs diagonally from Lalbagh west gate to B.S. Madhava Rao Circle. Lalbagh Gardens is the oldest garden in Bangalore that extends from Basavanagudi and runs up to Jayanagar in the south and Shanthi Nagar in the east. It is believed to have been started by the famous ruler Hyder Ali(c. 1722 - 1782) and maintained by his son Tipu Sultan(November 20, 1750 CE, Devanahalli – May 4, 1799 CE, Srirangapatna). Lalbagh continues to be maintained by the department of Horticulture of Government of Karnataka as a comprehensive Botanical garden. There are trees still thriving, that are supposed to have been planted by Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, more than 250 years ago.

Basavanagudi had many Kannada poets and literary giants like D. V. G. and Maasti Venkatesh Iyengar and B.M. Shrikantaiah.

This neighborhood houses several drama and movie theaters, recreation halls, playing grounds, premier clubs, hospitals and nursing homes, educational institutions, bakeries, IT companies, shopping malls, government libraries, petrol bunks, fast food hangouts and a controversial fly-over near the national college.

Neighbourhoods of Bangalore