Nandi is the sacred bull and the Vahana(vehicle) of Lord Shiva. Nandi statue in seated posture facing the Lord are usually placed at the gateway of the main shrine, so that Nandi's intimate relationship with the Lord was made explicit. According to Hindu mythology, Nandi is the most loyal attendant and gate-keeper of Lord Shiva and it is considered as a symbol of valour, prosperity and blissfulness in Indian culture. Bull's religious significance can be found in artifacts of Indus valley civilization.
The worship of Shiva and Nandi can even be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization time-period. The famous 'Pasupati Seal' depicts a seated figure, which is usually identified as Shiva, and there were many bull-seals found in Mohenjo daro and Harappa, which led to conclusion of the researchers, that Nandi worship has been a long standing tradition for many thousands of years.
Largest Monolithic Nandi in India - Lepakshi Nandi
Lepakshi Nandi
The monolithic "Nandi" sculpture in Lepakshi, is said to be the biggest monolithic Nandi in India. It is 4.5m high and 8.23m long. The big granite bull is on the main road, approximately 200 meters from the temple. It has been positioned such that it faces the shivalinga shielded by a huge serpent inside the temple. It is the second largest monolith in India, after Gomateshwara. The Nandi sports a huge kaasu malai, a bell chain, earrings and other jewelry.
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