Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi

Coordinates: 13°48′6.64″N 77°36′34.37″E / 13.8018444°N 77.6095472°E / 13.8018444; 77.6095472
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Veerabhadra Temple
Veerabhadra
Location
LocationLepakshi
StateAndhra Pradesh
CountryIndia
Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi is located in Andhra Pradesh
Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi
Shown within Andhra Pradesh
Geographic coordinates13°48′6.64″N 77°36′34.37″E / 13.8018444°N 77.6095472°E / 13.8018444; 77.6095472
Architecture
TypeDravidian architecture

Veerabhadra temple is a Hindu temple located in the Lepakshi, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to the Virabhadra, a fierce form of the god Shiva.

Built in the 16th century, the architectural features of the temple are in the

monuments of national importance and is considered one of the most spectacular Vijayanagara temples.[1][2] The fresco paintings are particularly detailed in very bright dresses and colours with scenes of Rama and Krishna from the epic stories of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas
and they are well preserved.

There is a very large

Nandi
(bull), mount of Shiva, about 200 metres (660 ft) away from the temple which is carved from a single block of stone, which is said to be one of the largest of its type in the world. The temple is home to many Kannada inscriptions as its located close to Karnataka border.

Location

The temple has been built on the southern side of Lepakshi town, on a low altitude hillock of a large exposure of granite rock, which is in the shape of a

National Highway NH7 to Hyderabad that takes a branch road at the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border leading to Lepakshi, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) away. Another route to reach the temple is taking a route from Hindupur. It is situated 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Penukonda, located in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.[3][4][5]

History

The temple was built in 1530 AD (1540 AD is also mentioned

Vijayanagar Empire during the reign of King Achyuta Deva Raya, at Penukonda who were native to Karnataka. The temple consists of only Kannada inscriptions. The cost of building the temple was defrayed by the government.[6][3][4] According to Skanda Purana, the temple is one of the divyakshetras, an important pilgrimage site of Lord Shiva.[6]

Architecture

Carvings of Brahma and Vishnu on pillars in the manadapa
Paintings in the ceiling of the Muka mantapa
A painting in the ceiling
The hooded serpent with 7 heads shading the lingam sculpture

The temple is of the Vijayanagara architectural style.

mantapa or Natya mantapa or Ranga mantapa; arda mantapa or antarala (ante chamber); and the garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum.[7] The temple, as an edifice, is encircled by two enclosures. The outermost walled enclosure has three gates, the northern gate is used regularly. The inner east gate is the entry to the assembly hall, which is a large sized open hall designed with a large space in its central part.[3]

It is at the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum and has a profusion of sculptures and paintings over every inch of space on the columns and ceiling.

Ganga and Yamuna flank the entrance to the sanctum.[6] The exterior columns of this hall are built over a decorated plinth; the decorations are in the form of blocks of carved images of horses and soldiers. The columns are slim and have features of colonnettes carved with eaves, overhanging in a curved shape. The open space in the middle part of the hall is defined by large columns or piers which have carvings of triple figures.[3]

In the columns in the northeastern part of the hall, there are images of

Parvathi, Shiva's consort, flanked by female attendants. There are also carvings of divinities such as Bhringi with three legs and Bhikshatana carved in a dancing posture; this is in the northwestern part of the hall. The ceiling of the hall is fully covered with mural paintings depicting the scenes from the epics, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas along with the life sketches of the benefactors of the temple.[4][3]

The paintings in each bay on the ceiling of the main mandapa, the antarala and other shrines, depict the grandeur of Vijayanagara pictorial art. They are painted over an initial plaster layer of lime mortar. The colour scheme consists of vegetable and mineral colours of yellow, ochre, black, blue and green blended with lime water; the background is generally painted in red colour. Apart from figures of gods and goddesses, in the presence of the devotees arranged in rows, the frescoes also depict the incarnations of Vishnu.[8] The paintings are in striking compositions where the particular emphasis is on the period costumes and facial expressions.[3]

The fresco in the ceiling of ardha mantapa (ante chamber), which is said to be Asia's largest, measures 23 by 13 feet (7.0 m × 4.0 m). It has frescoes of the 14

Ardhanarishwara, Kalyanasundara, Tripurantaka, Nataraja, Gouriprasadaka, Lingodbhava, Andhakasurasmahara and so forth.[8]

The presiding deity deified in the sanctum sanctorum is a near life-size image of

Agasthya is said to have lived when he installed the image of the Linga here. The ceiling in the sanctum above the deity has paintings of the builders of the temple,[6][4] Virupanna and Viranna, regally dressed and crowned with headgear similar to those adorning the Krishnadevaraya's bronze statue in Tirupati. They are depicted, with their entourage, in a state of reverential prayer, being offered sacred ashes of their family deity.[8]

Within the temple complex, on the eastern wing, there is a separate chamber with Shiva and his consort Parvathi carved on a boulder. In another shrine chamber there is an image of Lord Vishnu.[6]

Within the temple precincts, to its eastern side, there is huge boulder of granite stone which has carving of coiled multi-hooded

Linga.[6][4]

The apparently "hanging pillar" is yet another attraction in the temple. There is a gap between the base of the pillar and ground through which cloth and paper can be passed, as the pillar is slightly dislodged and touching the ground only on one side.

A huge granite Nandi (bull), 20 feet (6.1 m) in height and 30 feet (9.1 m) in length, bedecked with garlands and bells,[6][3] carved out of a single block stone, is located about 200 metres (660 ft) from the temple, which faces the statue of the serpent in the precincts of the temple.[4]

  • Front Side View of Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi
    Front Side View of Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi
  • North Side View of the temple
    North Side View of the temple
  • The Dance Teacher
    The Dance Teacher
  • Giant footprint inside the temple premises. It is said to be of that of Sita or Hanuman.
    Giant footprint inside the temple premises. It is said to be of that of Sita or Hanuman.

References

  1. ^ "Centrally Protected Monuments". Archeological Survey of India. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  2. ISBN 978-93-86906-90-8
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Michell 2013, p. 328.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Kamath, J. (13 January 2003). "The snake and the bull". Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  5. ^ Knapp 2009, p. 608-09.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Knapp 2009, pp. 608–09.
  7. ^ Bhardwaj 1998, p. 295.
  8. ^ a b c Chilli, pp. 51–53.

Bibliography

External links

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