Lepakshi - A shrine of Vijayanagar style

Lepakshi, a shrine of the Vijayanagar style, is of fame for it's architectural beauty with it's repository of mural paintings and one of the finest sculptures of the history. Located in a small village of Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh, known by the same name, Lepakshi is about 2 hrs journey from Bengaluru.

Had been to this heritage on a weekend one-day excursion.. Placed in a silent village, there lies a magnificient temple complex which has a vast outer enclosure and and an inner enclosure with the main temple. As we entered the main temple area, we were welcomed by the "Ranga Mantapa", comprising of the life size carvings of the "stage artists" like musicians with instruments such as flute, mrudanga, tabla and dancers! It made us get a feel of the historical Nruthya Sabha, a stage for artists in the king's regime! The cielings in this Mantapa have the excellent, breath taking mural paintings in the Vijayanagar style. These paintings are really worth a view as they depict puranic episodes of Narada, Rambha, Dattathreya..

History of this architecture is interesting! The temple was built by Virupanna, a treasurer of the Vijayanagar kings.. He concieved the idea and built it in the absence of the king. The king, on returning, having found the treasury empty, ordered for the punishment of making Virupanna blind! Treasurer being very loyal, carried out the heinous order using his own bands. The marks of his bleeding eyes can still be seen on the walls of one of the Mantapas! The Kalyana Mantapa is half constructed shrine, having stone carvings etched to their perfection!
This Kalyana Mantapa boasts of the Vijayanagar style sculptures, the famous ones being the monolithic, unfinished pillars.. The Nagalinga, carved in a huge single grey sandstone, largest of it's kind in India, is eye enticing!

The colossal painting of Lord Veerabhadra is the centre of attraction in the inner hall of the main temple. Pooja and offerings were given to Lords Shiva, Vishnu and Veerabhadra..

The inner hall also has a flawless sculpture of "ideal feminine beauty" - adharsha sthree!
This small village does not offer good restaurants.. Knowing this fact, we had packed lunch! After having revitalised our eyes with the exuberance of the Vijayanagar's architectural beauty, we headed towards yet another attraction of Lepakshi, the gigantic Nandi.. Made of a single granite stone, it's quite huge! One of the largest Nandi sculptures in India... It is about 15 feet high and 27 feet wide, claiming to be one of the largest of it's kind.. The remarkable fact about this structure is that, Nandi can be seen from the Nagalinga, behind the Veerabhadra temple... The Nagalinga can also be seen from Nandi! Hats off to the sculptors of the Vijayanagar times!

Lepakshi, a must see for art connoisseurs, is truly a striking monument of the Vijayanagar style... I wish that the invaluable mural paintings are rescued from weathering, thereby protecting them for future generations to see.. A visit to this heritage will truly reward those who can rejoice the Indian traditional art!