Fond of travelling, mostly the channels on television which hold my interest are related to travel.
Once browsing through, I came across a program showcasing the Lepakshi temple in Andhra Pradesh. Apart from the beautiful carving which is the hallmark of most temples in South India, its claim to fame would be the pillar which hangs from the ceiling ! Tamper with this pillar and the whole temple will fall apart !! The temple has a total of 70 pillars with exquisite carvings.
Of course my interest was piqued.
So while thinking of a day trip this was parked in the recesses of my mind. This happens to be 120 kms from Bangalore and falls in the Anantpur District of Andhra Pradesh.
We started from Bangalore in our SUV at around 10:30. Had a hearty breakfast and strong cup of tea.
The route we took :
Devanhalli- Chikkaballapura-Kodi Konda-Lepakshi
It was a pleasant drive with greenery all around and the road was good throughout.
The first thing which meets the eye upon reaching the Lepakshi village is the monolithic Nandi.
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| Gate leading to the complex which houses the Nandi |
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| Nandi is well adorned with trinkets and bells |
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| Beautiful lotus pond |
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| The complex is well maintained |
As you can see , I took many photographs, This is a monolithic structure cut out of locally procured granite.
The sun was perpendicular at around 12:30. This forced me to use a filter . Took pictures with aperture varying from 3.5 to about 8. We had started around 10:30 , so it had taken us around 2 hours to reach here. The sun was bright and not a cloud in sight. Though, I prefer a little overcast sky while taking pictures.
Wiki fact :A huge granite Nandi (bull), 20 feet (6.1 m) in height and 30 feet (9.1 m) in length, bedecked with garlands and bells, carved out of a single block stone, is located about 200 metres (660 ft) from the temple, which faces the statue of the serpent in the precincts of the temple.
200 metres ahead would be the temple complex. Keep a lookout for the board otherwise it is easy to miss.
We enter the temple complex. I would like to point out there is no ticket charged anywhere. It is a free entry. This temple is called the Veerabhadra Swamy complex. There is a brief description of the temple on the board at the entrance.
We climb the steps and enter the temple complex . We decide to tour the outer complex first before going inside.
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| My husband looks mesmerized |
This temple is 400 years old and built during the Vijayanagar period. It is culturally and archaeologically significant as the temple is dedicated to Siva, Vishnu and Veerabhadra.
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| Inscriptions in kannada |
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| Mesmerizing pillars |
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| Love the backdrop of this picture |
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| Temple complex left unfinished |
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| So nice and peaceful |
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| Each pillar is beautifully carved Taken with aperture at 3.5 |
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| The blue sky offsets the granite temple structure beautifully |
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| It was hot. Nice to catch my breath under an old tree- and get clicked !! |
Time to go inside now.
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| Do not miss the murals on the roof made out of vegetable dyes |
The images on the pillars and walls are of divine beings, saints, guardians, musicians, dancers and 14 avatars of Shiva.
This area has also made its name in the hand loom industry. The figurines, carvings and the murals on the ceilings are the inspiration behind the many beautiful prints churned out.
Lets' check out the hanging pillar. Pillars as we know lay the foundation of nay building determining its strength. But here instead of being firmly planted in the ground it hangs from the ceiling. also, if has a functional role. It provides stability to the entire temple complex.In 1902, an English engineer by the name of Hamilton came here and tried to figure out the logic and mystery of this hanging pillar. He picked up the hammer and tried to break it. This caused one side of the pillar to slightly tip towards the ground and induced instability in the entire building and cracks and fissures in the 69 other pillars!! Fascinating isnt it??? Having done the damage he stopped (thank God) lest the structure collapses.
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| Base of the hanging pillar |
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| A cloth can be passed under the hanging pillar.. |
Many visitors try to pass a thin cloth or newspaper under the pillar. In fact it is considered lucky if it passes through.
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| Foot of Sita |
Why is this foot embedded here ?
Legend of Lepakshi
The legend behind the village getting the name “Lepakshi” goes back to Treta Yuga.
Ravana abducted Sita. When he was flying to Lanka in his Pushpaka Vimana, Jatayu, brother of Garuda the companion and Vehicle of Vishnu. Jatayu fought with Ravana and in the fight Ravana cut down both the wings of Jatayu.
It happened in the sky above the place where the present Lepakshi is located. Jatayu fell down and lied there with bleeding. He was not in a position to move or eat. He spent many days there and when he was about to die, Rama reached there on his journey in search of Sita. Seeing the eagle, Rama went near him and asked him to wake up from unconsciousness. Rama shouted “Le Pakshi” which means “wake up, bird” in the local language Telugu. Thus the name Lepakshi came to exist.
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| Thaali (utensil) from which the workers ate their food |
There are no eateries in the immediate vicinity. We had brought packed lunch and water along.
Would highly recommend doing this. Some people also combine visit to Nandi Hills or visit to Tipu's fort in Devanhalli. Either of these can be combined in this trip.
Time to head home now. Beautiful scenery on our way back ...
