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The beauty of the idols in the Lepakshi Temple, Andhra Pradesh, is so alluring that most visitors do not pay much attention to the sculptural marvels.
India boasts of temples galore, but Lepakshi located in Andhra Pradesh is one of its kind. The temple is around 110 kilometres away from Bangalore. The nearest rail station Hindupur is 10 kilometres from the temple.
Though there are trains and buses going from Bangalore to Hindupur, the most convenient way is to travel by car. It is advisable to start early in the morning for Lepakshi as the weather is cool and the road free from heavy traffic. Besides it also helps to avoid the scorching sun on the hill. Moreover, as the day progresses, the surface of the temple gets terribly hot and it is too uncomfortable to walk within its precincts.
It takes around one and a half hours to reach Hindupur. The sight along the way is not only picturesque but pastoral. Tall standing gay sunflowers and colourful aster fields provide the much-needed relief from the hustle and bustle of city life. One should take along a breakfast or brunch hamper and have an alfresco meal, before or after the visit to the site.
Comfortable lodges and small hotels cater to dusty travellers as does the time-trusted Travellers Bungalow, located between Hindupur and Lepakshi. The Andhra cuisine is fiery and appeals to most Indian palates.
Lepakshi is a thriving silk centre, famous for its silk saris with artificial zari borders. Plenty of powerlooms work in the small bylanes of the town. Handicrafts, especially wood carvings are popular in Lepakshi. In fact, the Andhra government handicrafts showroom chain is called Lepakshi. Mythology has it that when Lord Rama was searching for his abducted wife Sita, he came across the fallen bird Jatayu here. He commanded the bird to rise: �Le Pakshi� which over time became Lepakshi.
Guides speak passable English, but are fluent in Hindi and Telugu. They are available to those interested in delving deeply into the past of the site.
Not only is Lepakshi a must-visit for heritage seekers, but it is also a visual paradise for fashion designers. The hairstyles in the fabulous murals are all distinctive, as are the sari designs and border motifs. Lepakshi has a wealth of ideas for designers to draw from.
Virupanna worshipping the feet of Veerbhadra and other scenes from folklore are engraved on the open rock at the entrance. According to history, Virupanna was the treasurer in the ministry of King Aliya Raya. He decided to build a glorious temple of his own accord. But the architectural plan required a huge amount of money. Not one to give up easily, Virupanna simply helped himself freely to the royal treasury. A sculpted spectacle on Shiva Purana unfolded, transporting viewers to ecstasy.
The adversaries of Virupanna did not take kindly to his achievements. They convinced the king that Virupanna was trying to vie with him for fame and glory by building a temple. The enraged king needed no proof and instructions were issued to blind the ambitious builder. But Virupanna had the last laugh-he himself gouged his eyes out. Perhaps he was convinced that he had created an artistic splendour that has no room for improvement.
The beautiful but damaged murals give a fascinating view of feminine apparel, ornamentation and hairstyles. The grace of the presiding deities Lord Veerabhadra (Shiva) and Parvati is stunning, clothed as they are in local cottons.
A look at the various figures gives an impression that the sculptors took care of minute but vital aspects while working on them. To differentiate between rajrishis and maharishis, they placed a book in the rajrishis� hands, denoting their need to gain more knowledge. Similarly, kamandala was placed in the hands of the all-knowing maharishi. The ancient art of Bharatnatyam, so beloved to Lord Nataraja (the form of Shiva as the cosmic dancer), is well depicted in the Natya Mandiram. Ecstasy is in the air, expressed in many ways-cherubs dancing, gymnasts performing, musicians playing, women adorning themselves and so on. A celestial fiesta, fit for a Son et Lumiere, show seems to have been envisaged centuries ago by artisans who were blessed with a heavenly skill.
Along the inner wall are two long red splashes on the rock face. These are said to be stains from the blood that oozed out from Virupanna�s eyes on the spot where he threw them. The Archaeological Survey of India did conduct some tests, and even certified that the marks were indeed bloodstains. However, it is difficult to be sure whether the stains were indeed of Virupanna�s eyes. For in these places, legend takes over and facts are relegated to the backseat.
It is difficult to fathom why Lepakshi is known only to a few people. Although the Bahmanis invaded the area, not much damage has been wrought on the temple. Maybe a marvellous work of art created by Virupanna changed the minds of the invaders and they could not bring themselves to wreak destruction on the temple.
Lepakshi shall always remain fresh in one�s memory, so intense is its impact.
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