Table of Contents
About the place
Lepakshi is located in the Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh. It is approximately 120 km north of Bangalore. We have the option of taking the Chikkaballapur or Doddaballapur highway route. This place is well-known for its floating pillars, Nagalinga, and Nandi statues.
A legend surrounds the name of this location and its significance in the Hindu epic Ramayana. The legend has it that the bird Jataayu fell here after the battle with Ravana while abducting Sita to Lanka. When Sri Rama arrived at this location, he helped it achieve moksha by saying ‘Rise Bird’, which translates to ‘Le Pakshi’ in Telugu. As a result, the location became known as ‘Lepakshi’.
Places to visit in Lepakshi
Veerabhadra Swamy and Lepakshi Amma Temple
Veerabhadraswamy Temple honors Lord Shiva’s incarnation, Veerabhadra, and Lepakshi Amma. Viranna and Virupanna, two brothers who served as Governors under King Achutaraya during the Vijayanagar era, built the temple. The Vijayanagar architectural style temple is famous for its sculptures and mural paintings from that time period.
We can see the priest as we enter the temple, who will greet us with a warm smile and ask what language we prefer so that he can explain the temple’s wonders and legend. He will explain everything in Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, English, Tamil, or Malayalam. He will no longer pursue us and will leave us alone after that. We can pray and visit the location.
Floating/Hanging Pillar
Along the outer side of the main temple, we can see the long patios with pillars. The hanging/floating pillar at Lepakshi Temple is also well-known. Among the 70 pillars, one dangles from the ceiling and barely touches the ground. We can pass a thin piece of cloth or paper from one end of the pillar to the other. According to legend, during the British period, when an engineer attempted to move it in an unsuccessful attempt to discover its secret, the entire structure of the temple began to shake, and he left without turning back. This is one of the most beautiful memorials of our ancient architectural engineering.
Nagalinga
We can see a giant hooded multifaceted snake (Naga) and Shivalinga as we move towards the backside of the main temple. According to legend, the Naga of the Nagalinga was carved in a single stone by sculptors while they waited for their mother to prepare lunch. There’s a superstitious belief that when the mother returned to invite them to lunch, she was taken aback. She is said to have praised them, but due to her evil eye, there is a crack in the stone that appears to split the sculpture in the middle towards the base.
Unfinished Kalyanamantapa (Marriage Hall) of Lepakshi Temple
We can see an unfinished Kalyana Mantapa structure after seeing Nagalinga. According to legend, Shiva and Parvati would have married here if the Mantapa had been completed.
Sita’s Footprint
As we stroll forward, we notice a large footprint on the floor. It is presumed to be the footprint of Goddess Sita. Despite the fact that the source of the water is unknown, this footprint is always wet, regardless of the time.
Jataayu Park
We can see Jataayu Park from the small garden outside the temple. It is approximately a km away from the temple. The Andhra Pradesh tourism counter, located at the park’s entrance, will require a 10/- entry fee as of January 2021. There are steps up to the top of the Jataayu point.
We could see two sections at the top. The first is a small structure with grills that serves as a viewing platform. The other is the highest point, from which the Jataayu statue is visible. The top offers scenic views of Nandi, Lepakshi temple, a nearby village, and fields.
Monolithic Nandi
Another major attraction at Lepakshi is a large Nandi statue located about 1km from the main Lepakshi temple. This is India’s largest monolithic Nandi statue, made of a single granite sculpted Nandi. The unique feature of this Nandi is that its head is held high as it gazes at Nagalinga at the Lepakshi temple. We can spend some time in the small park that located around the statue. Please do not leave litter in the park; it is well-kept.
Our Lepakshi Experience
We had a great time on our short day trip from Bangalore to Lepakshi. The architectural beauty of the temple is worth seeing. Since this location is not crowded, we can enjoy the calm and peaceful atmosphere. We noticed a few reporters documenting the significance of this location in Telugu during our visit to Nagalinga. Andhra Pradesh represented it in the 2021 Republic Day Parade.
How to Reach Lepakshi
Route(From Bangalore) :
By Road
Car/Bike:
- It is preferable to hire a cab or drive your own vehicle because public transportation will not take you to the exact location. Depending on the route, you’ll need to take an auto from either Hindupur or the Lepakshi entry gate.
Bus:
- There are numerous buses available to Hindupur or the Lepakshi entry gate. To get to the temple, you can take an auto or a tempo.
By Rail
- The nearest railway station is Hindupur, which is about 12 km away from Lepakshi. Trains run frequently from major cities, including Bangalore. You can take an auto from the railway station to Lepakshi.
By Air
- The nearest airport is Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore. Taxis from the airport to Lepakshi are easily available.
Travel Guidance
- Start early in the morning because the weather in this area is very hot almost all year.
- Wear cotton clothing and bring sunglasses and hats.
- There aren’t many good restaurants near the temple or on the highway. Thus it is preferable to bring your own food. If you haven’t already bought food, there’s an AP tourism restaurant near the Nandi statue that serves good food at a reasonable price.
- Parking at Lepakshi is limited near the temple, so arrive early to find a parking spot. There was a parking fee of 30/- for four-wheelers as of January 2021. Also, the next time you park near Jataayu Park or the Nandi statue, you won’t have to pay.
- If interested, you can read our post on Puttaparthi, another nearby destination.
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