Dodda Ganapathi Temple Bangalore

Introduction to Dodda Ganapati Temple, Bangalore

Ganapati, or Ganesha, is a prime deity in Hinduism. People worship him before starting any new endeavor to attain success. He has many temples across India. South India has several temples to Ganapthi. Dodda Ganapati Temple, Bangalore, is one of the ancient temples of Ganapati located in Basavanagudi, South Bangalore. It is built inside the premises of the pleasant Bugle Rock garden.

"Dodda" in the Kannada language means 'big'. So, the name means 'the big Ganapati temple'. The elephant-headed deity is worshipped for removing obstacles in life.

Legend of Dodda Ganapati Temple

In 1537, Dodda Ganapathi Temple was constructed by Kempe Gowda I or Nadaprabhu Hiriya Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore. Once., when he was walking, he found many rocks. One of the massive rocks had the Ganesha shape carved on it. He consequently instructed his sculptors to change the shape into a large single-stone idol of Ganesha.

The Architecture of Dodda Ganapati Temple, Bangalore

The temple displays the Vijayanagara style of architecture. In the temple, devotees can worship a 3-tier Rajagopuram. The biggest Ganapati idol is 18 ft high and 16 ft wide. This temple is also called Satya Ganapati and Shakthi Ganapati. It is believed that the idol keeps growing on its right side. The deity is sculpted in a monolithic stone, a unique feature of the temple. In the temple’s complex, devotees can also worship Nandi, the divine vehicle of Shiva.

Behind the temple lies the Bugle Rock Garden. The beautiful sprawling garden can be attributed to a bugle called Siren. The Bugle Rock Garden houses many wildlife creatures, including night-swarming bats. There is also a water tank in the garden which houses varieties of marine life forms. It is one of the famous tourist attractions in Bangalore.

Festivals of Dodda Ganapati Temple Bangalore

Every four years, a huge celebration takes place in the Dodda Ganapati Temple in Bangalore. 'Benne Alankara' is the most awaited festival in Bangalore in which the huge idol of Ganapati is fed 110 kg of pure butter. To see the murti in such an alankaram, devotees fly in from all parts of the world. The Ganesha idol is also covered in cream and decorated with golden laces and buttons.

Once in four years, the huge butter coating is broken up and distributed to his devotees. A 3-day Groundnut festival is celebrated yearly once, which is an exciting event in the city. Kadalekai Parishe is a colorful festival near the Dodda Ganapati Temple, Bangalore. Other than that, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated grandly here.

Benefits of Worshipping at the Dodda Ganapati Temple, Bangalore

Worshipping at this temple eliminates enemies and obstacles, brings peace of mind, and gives wisdom, fortune, and prosperity.