Calling Lepakshi

Name of the place: Lepakshi

Distance from Bangalore: approx 150 km

Route: Devanahalli , Anantapura road

Duration: 1 day Trip

Road Condition: Good

Best time to visit: October to February

Eatouts : Kamata upachar which on the way

This was one of my most remarkable long drive, as my bike (Bullet) was to complete 1 year and had only 2 long drives in the earlier list. Also, it had been quite some time that we friends met after our exit from our previous company. All of us were awaiting an event which brought us together and the Lepakshi trip was the perfect answer to revive the old memories. The planning started at our very old adda - Sukh Sagar, where we decided on our destination and chalked out the plan with the help of Google. On the D- Day, as planned we met at 6:30 am at the pre-decided place and started by 7:15 am towards the Devanahalli route. The weather was splendid and morning sunshine added a perfect blend for our drive. En-route we stopped at Kamant upchar for a quick breakfast with idli-vada. The sambar was not that great but was enough to satiate our hunger. We reached the Ananthpura toll by 9:00 a.m. and took a small diversion from the main road towards the Lepakshi temple. The road was quite narrow but good as we drove by a scenic pathway. By 9:45 am we reached the destination - Lepakshi.

Lepakshi is a treasure trove of Temples, Paintings and other cultural works of the famed Vijayanagara Empire. The region is famous for its many inscriptions and carvings. There is a Nandi Statue that is located in the village and is one of the main attractions. Many inscriptions in the Kannada language can be seen in the village. Most of these inscriptions date back many centuries. Most of the temples have excellent sculptures. The place is also known for its murals. Veerabhadra temple is a masterpiece and a grand specimen of the Vijaynagara style of architecture. It was built in the mid-16^th century by two brothers Virupanna and Viranna, treasury officers of the Penukonda Fort of the Vijaya Nagar Empire.  The temple is made up of three sections Mukha Mandapa for dance and other cultural activities, Artha Mandapa for worship and the Garbha Griha housing the deity. There is also a 'Kalyana Mandapa', or Wedding Hall made from grey sandstone with 38 carved monolithic pillars. Legend has that Lord Shiva and Parvati got married at this Kalyana Madapam!  

The journey then on is explained through the pictures below:



   The scenic beauty of the Nandi Hills covered by mist, seen en-route

Our very own companions to our destination

The Veerabhadra temple is situated on one of the hills called as "Aame betta" (tortoise hill). It is been said that the temple occupied about 175 acres of space of which only 5 acres remains today.

The Veerabhadra temple Gopuras

Inside the temple, we had the darshan of the deity - Lord Kalabyraveshwara and Goddess Durga before beginning with our clicks of the architectural splendor


The monolith statue of Nagalinga, a Shiva Linga with a multi hooded Naga serpent over it. Legend has that this sculpture was created by workers in less than an hour, while they were waiting for their lunch to be served!

The entrance of the open Kalyana Mantapa

Another architectural marvel is the open entrance Kalyana Mantapa, behind the temple. The sculptor here depicts the wedding of lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi - one of the best of its kind. However this Kalyana mantap was un-finished due to the financial crunch faced by the later empires.

The inside view of the Kalyana Mantapa

In the same vicinity we have the imprints of the Sitama padam (footstep of  Devi Sita). According to mythology, during Tretha Yuga, the height of Devi Sita was considered to be the shortest i.e.., 25 feet. Interestingly, we can see the water around the footprint all the 365 days.

The enchanting mural paintings on the ceiling of the temple is a treat to the eyes


One of the beautiful mural paintings is that of the Lord Krishna , which is unique because irrespective of the direction in which you view this painting you can still see that the painting smiles at you.

Moving around inside the temple, you can spot one of the most remarkable architecture of the ancient days. It is known as the “Hanging Pillar” and true to its name this pillar does not touch the ground. History believes that the Britishers were curious to know the scret of the construction and tried to move the pillar, which resulted in all the surrounding 600 pillars being disturbed. This is considered to be the main pillar of the temple.

The picture above clearly captures the space between the pillar and the ground

“Hanging Pillar”

                                                               Sculpture of Lord Ganesha

          

The Mural paintings of Lepakshi with their natural pigments, have actually spun off a new style of textiles called Lepakshi Motif. The designs depicted in the murals are the famous block printed textiles and rugs which we can find today.

A beautiful carving of a cow

   

                   The carving of the Dance Guru of the Gods. Observe the 3 legs which he has, resulting in him dancing all the time.

               

Imprint of the plate that was being used in the 16^th century

Place where Chandika Homa is performed in the temple

Vishala Sabha

Travelling a little beyond of 500 mts from the temple you can see the huge monolithic statue of Nandi, which is considered to be one of the biggest in india. This is unique to the fact that the Nandi is placed exactly opposite to the Nagalinga, in the Lepakshi temple. An amazing architectural design

Monolithic Nandi : 15ft tall and 27ft length

On the way back, we chanced on this scenic spot near Doddaballapura, which is not been exposed to many of the travelers. All credit to my friend who managed to discover this place.

With the dusk and the setting of the sun, birds retreating back to their nests, we rode back to Bangalore, cherishing one of the best drives that I have ever had. :)