Lepakshi
Introduction And History : Lepakshi is a town situated in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. For those who are interested in Southern temple style of architecture and those who are passionate about lost kingdoms and ancient arts, Lepakshi is a priceless treasure. Lepakshi is singularly famous for its temple. Although now in Andhra Pradesh, the temple is noted for its Vijayanagar style of Architecture and early Kannada inscriptions on its walls. It consists of three shrines — dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Virabhadra. The Virabhadra temple is the most famous of the three and is dedicated to Lord Shiva in his wrathful manifestation form! The temple is noted for its mural paintings apart from elegant architecture. The monolithic Nandi here, the largest bull in India, adds to the grandeur of architectural skills exhibited here. This Virabhadra Temple at Lepakshi was built in the mid 16th century by Viranna and Virupanna.
What To See : The singular attraction of Lepakshi is its three temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Veerabhadra. This temple is built on a low rocky hill, which is called Kurmasaila because the bill is like a tortoise in shape. The beautifully carved sculptures on the prakaram attract the pilgrims’ attention. These include 14 forms of Siva, like Dakshinamurthi, Ardhanareeswara, Tripurantaka etc. The hall of creepers is another excellent work of art, which still serves as an inspiration to textile designers and art enthusiasts. The sculptures of the nagalinga and balaganapathi are amazing. The best season to visit is in the winter season.
Things to do: Some distance from Lepakshi, there is a big statue of Kumbhakarna from the Indian epic Ramayan. If one is lucky, bird-watching can also be a welcome change here.
Accomodations : There are very few hotels nearby. It is best to carry food and water. One can stay at Ananthpur for overnight boarding.
Mode Of Transport : Bangalore is the nearest airport. Hindupur station is an easy option to reach Lepakshi. Buses regularly ply from Hindupur to Lepakshi. By road, one can take the newly renovated NH-7 towards Hyderabad (and a left near the check-post on the border of the two States).
Related links:
• Tourist information: www.anantapur.com
• Ancient temples of India: http://www.indiantemplesportal.com/
See also (Nearby places):Sri Sailam, Dharmavaram ,Alur Fort ,Gooty Fort ,Hemavathi Fort ,Tadipatri ,Penna Ahobilam ,Penu Konda Fort ,Raidurga Fort ,Thimmamma ,Marrimanu ,Sri Kadiri Laxmi Narayana Temple and Puttaparthi
