Monday 12 January 2015

Lepakshi - A ride to a place speaking about the glorious past.!

I have a habit of creating a list of places to be visited and list of places already visited. Every time I find a place to be interesting and feasible to be visited, I make a note of it. It was when I was in my previous job and I used to see continuous posts on Lepakshi, I came back home and added the place to the list of to be visited and it was more than 2 years since I  did that. Every time I hear about Lepakshi I used to feel I should visit this soon. And, I am now going to remove it from the list as I completed it.. :) 

Lepakshi is a typical Vijayanagara Style temple but with its own unique signatures. The 3D painting of Lord Sri Krishna is one of the master piece in the place. Its a mystery for me that how people had such skills during those days itself when they did not even have any special paints other than vegetable paint.! The richness of the empire can be seen in their temple. The Vijayanagara emperors had a very good taste and they invested on something that has made their empire's name remain in the country till date and will remain for centuries ahead.

Lepakshi is a small place in the Andhra-Karnataka border in Ananthapur district. Its History goes back to the time of  Ramayana where Ravana was attacked by Garuda and Garuda's Wings were cut by Ravana. The name Lepakshi comes from "Ley Pakshi... Ley Pakshi.. " which Lord Sri Rama called Garuda as.

There is a temple built in Vijayanagara Style. Half a Km away there is a huge Nandi statue. These are the 2 attractions of the place. Pooja is performed even today in the temple. However, every part of the temple is not completed. A Royal marriage hall of those days was started but was not completed. But, it looks incomplete only if someone says it to you. If not it looks majestic. The ceiling of the temple consists of paintings done using the vegetable colours. Unfortunately, Only parts of it are still remaining. Search for a Lord Sri Krishna's Painting and you stand from any direction, the eye of the lord looks like its staring at you. Another main attraction is the hanging pillar. A small gap  is present in the bottom of the pillar. (Due to some experiment done during British days, the pillar got tilted and one corner of the Pillar touches the ground now. :( )

Veerapuram
There is a small village around 24 Kms from Lepakshi and in 12 Kms deviation from the Lepakshi - Bangalore road. The village hosts migratory birds during their breeding season. Mainly for the painted storks. But, Birds visit the village only during a particular period of the year and unfortunately when we visited there were no birds. (We visited on 10-01-2015) Late January or from February the birds start visiting the place is what we got to know from the villagers. So, if you are visiting Lepakshi, just enquire about the place and visit if its the right time. 

How to Reach?
There are multiple routes to Lepakshi from Bangalore.

1 - Bangalore -> Airport Road -> Doddaballapura -> Gouri Bidanur -> Lepakshi

2 - Bangalore -> Airport Road -> Chikkaballapura -> Lepakshi (This route has major part as Hyderbad Highway and its better to take this route. We rode in both the roads and I would suggest this over the other one.)

Photos
The Huge Nandi Statue


The 3D painting of Lord Sri Krishna

The hanging Pillar

A sculpture of Sarpa carved by the sculptor during free time..!! (Seriously.?? I would have taken rest.. :D )


In the incomplete Marriage Hall..!!


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