Vrishabhavathi River

The Vrishabhavathi River is a minor river, a tributary of the Arkavathy, that flows through the south of the Indian city of Bangalore. The river was once so pristine that the water from it was used for drinking and used by the famous Gali Anjaneya temple but is now highly polluted due to pollutants from industrial, agricultural and domestic sources. Etymology Vrishabhavathi is derived from the Sanskrit word Vrishabha which refers to a bull. The river is believed to originate at the feet of the monolithic Nandi statue at the Big Bull Temple in Basavanagudi, hence giving it the name Vrishabhavathi. Course The origin of the river is near the Dakshinamukha Nandi Tirtha or the Kadu Malleshwara Temple in Malleswaram, and it flows through major areas like Nayandahalli, Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Kengeri. The river can be seen near the Mantri Mall Malleswaram, Magadi Road and Mysore Road metro stations. The river culminates in a reservoir named after itself Vrishabhavathi Reservoir near Bidadi. It joins Arkavathy River near Kanakapura as a tributary. The river has a basin area of and passes through 96 out of the 198 wards in Bangalore.