Lepakshi Temple, also known as Veerabhadra Temple, is located in Anandpur district of Andhra Pradesh. Lepakshi Temple is dedicated to Veerabhadra, an incarnation of Lord Shiva. This temple was built by Veeruppan and Vivananda in the 16th century. Both these brothers were governors during the reign of King Achuk Rai. This temple has its roots in Ramayana when Devi Sita was kidnapped by Ravana. When Ravana was taking Devi Sita away, Jatayu tried to save her. Defeated by Ravana, Jatayu got injured and fell on the floor. When he was near death, Lord Rama helped him attain salvation by calling him Lepakshi. Which means rising bird. Hence this place was named Le Pakshi.
Lepakshi temple displays some of the finest paintings of the Vijayanagara period. The most mysterious thing about this ancient temple is its hanging pillar. Which surprises archaeologists and scientists. The miraculous thing about this pillar is that it is not completely resting on the ground. During the British period, a British engineer tried to move it to uncover the mystery of its support. When he tried to move the pillar, the whole temple started shaking. The engineer got so scared that he ran away immediately. Call it skill or unsolved miracle? The bilateral hanging pillars are one of the most famous features of the Veerabhadra temple.
The Naga Linga is situated at the back of the main temple. It is adorned with hooded Naga idols with Nagalinga and a canopy over the Shivalinga. It is said to be the largest Nagalinga in India. It is also believed that this structure was carved out of a single stone in 1 hour by the sculptor while his mother was cooking lunch.
The huge statue of Lord Ganesha is another attraction here. This statue is situated right next to the Shivalinga. A little further ahead you will find an unfinished Kalyana Mandapa. The construction of the Kalyana Mandapa was started by the writer of the king when the king was out of town. When the king returned, he was very angry with the writer because he had spent the state money on the construction of the Kalyana Mandapa without his approval. He ordered to stop the construction of the Kalyana Mandapa and it remains unfinished till date.
After being blamed for using the treasure meant for the temple, the king ordered Virupanna’s eyes to be gouged out. Troubled by the accusations, Virupanna himself gouged out his eyes and threw them on the walls of the temple. Surprisingly, even today the blood marks of the eyes are present on the walls.
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A little ahead of the Kalyan Mandapa, you will find a huge footprint on the floor. It is said that this footprint belongs to Sita Mata. The mysterious thing is that this footprint is always wet. However, no one has been able to find the source of this water till date. It is said that when Ravana was taking Goddess Sita to Lanka, he stopped here for a while. That’s when the footprints fell on the ground.
A few meters away from the main temple is a huge Nandi statue, which is another major attraction in Lepakshi. This statue of Nandi was carved out of a huge rock. A little ahead is the Jatayu Theme Park. A ticket is required to enter the park.
How to reach Lepakshi Temple?
The temple is located at a distance of about 120 km from Bangalore. The easiest way to reach Lepakshi temple from Bangalore is by train and the nearest railway station is Hindupur. Buses are also available from Bangalore to Hindupur. There are many bus services to Lepakshi temple from Hindupur bus stand.