Bull or Nandi (In Sanskrit language) is the name for the bull which serves as the mount (Sanskrit: Vahana) of the God Shiva and as the gate keeper of Shiva and Parvati. Temples dedicated to God Shiva display stone sculptures of a seated Nandi, generally facing the main shrine. There are also a number of temples dedicated solely to Nandi.
The name Nandi was earlier widely used instead for an anthropomorphic deity who was one of Shiva’s two door-keepers, the other being Mahākāla. The doorways of pre-tenth-century North Indian temples are frequently flanked by images of Mahākāla and Nandi.
There are several giant size Nandis sculptured of single and solid hard rock such as granite in temples dedicated to God Shiva. Some of the gigantic sculptures are to be found in:
This Nandi facing the Virupaksha Temple is huge and is sculptured out of a single solid hard rock. A magnificent sight and a lovely piece of stone architecture.
One of these days I plan to photograph all the Nandi mentioned above a come up with an exclusive album – God Willing.
