Lepakshi Temple
The Lepakshi temple also known as the Veerabhadra temple has a pillar-like this. It is situated in the village of Lepakshi in Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh. We all have seen a pillar. It is built from the base to the top right!! But do you all know there is a pillar that is hanging from the roof? Yes, you heard it right!!!
This Lepakshi Temple was built by Virana and Virupanna. They were governors of the Vijayanagar kingdom. During the time king Achutaraya was the Emperor. This amazing architecture was built around 1530 in the 16th century. Some people also believe that this temple was built by sage Agastya.
This temple is dedicated to Virabhadra, a fierce emanation of Lord Shiva. You can see numerous paintings and sculptures there. All are dedicated to Lord Shiva. There is a big sculpture of the Nandi bull. It is also believed that (with reference from The Ramayana) that the bird “jatiyu” fell here. When Lord Rama came he said rise bird or Lepakshi.
Among the 70 pillars, there is one pillar that is hanging or dislodged from the ground. It is said that once a Britisher in the British era tried to move the pillar to see the secret of its support. But he failed and the pillar remains like this from then. The name of this pillar is Aakaasa Sthambha.
The space between the pillar and the ground is that you can easily pass a sheet of paper or cloth.
This temple is built on a low hill named Kurmasailam. The resemblance of this hill is like a tortoise. The temple also has some great mural paintings.
This temple is the epitome of the great architecture of our country. The fine details on the pillars and walls of the temple are jaw-dropping. A beautifully designed structure made of stones just has a breathtaking view.
The best time to visit this temple is in winter. Temple timings are from 6 AM to 6 PM for darshan. But these timings can change according to the festivals or rituals.
This village is near Bengaluru. So the nearest airport is the city’s airport from there you can take a cab. There are 3 routes to reach the destination you can choose any as per your convenience.