Temple bull
A bull dedicated to a deity or released in the name of the dead, left to roam freely in Indian towns and villages.
Also: Brahmani bull, vrishotsarga bull, dedicated bull
In Hindu tradition a bull may be dedicated to Shiva or another deity and set free, often marked with a trident or wheel on its flank. The rite of vrishotsarga, described in the Puranas, released a young bull as an act of merit at a funeral or memorial, and such bulls, sometimes called Brahmani bulls, were allowed to wander and graze freely, often fed by shopkeepers and townspeople. They have long been a familiar sight in Varanasi, Mathura and other pilgrim towns, and some served as breeding bulls for village cows. Temples in South India also keep their own bulls, brought out at festivals.