After tiring and prolonged work schedule for many weeks, we decided to head towards a place where we could score a completely new experience. And also which could revive our energy to carry out the everlasting demand of IT Job. At least till we get chance for next enthralling journey. We were looking for a place which is comparatively less explored. And, where we could get a historical essence with divine feelings. That is when we visited Lepakshi Temple. And though we visited several weekend getaways around Bangalore before and after this like Coorg, Chikmagaluru, Wayanad, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Munnar, Alleppey, Kumarakom, Mahabalipuram, Yercaud, Pondicherry, Mysore, Kabini, Hampi, Badami, Halebidu. We must mention that the Lepakshi Tour was one of the most delightful and refreshing!
After giving it some thought, we reached to a conclusion that this would be a short one day trip somewhere near to Bangalore. Then after further exploration we settled down for a place named “Lepakshi”. As, it could have been easily covered in one day trip. Also it had all that we were carving for. So began our trip an early morning on a foggy day.
PS: If you are not so familiar with Bangalore, Lepakshi or around , here’s a guided trip to Lepakshi from Bangalore that you can take.
Lepakshi background
Lepakshi is a small village located in the Anantapur District, in Andhra Pradesh, India.The famous Veerabhadra temple that dates back to 1583, and is dedicated to Veerabhadra, is located here. It is one of the finest & oldest temples of India. It was built by the brothers Viranna and Virupanna. And, this temple is one of the most notable examples of the Vijayanagar architectural style. Also, it is famous for its sculptures. These were created by the artisans of Vijayanagara empire. Also, it has idols of Ganesha, Nandi, Veerabhadra, Shiva, Bhadrakali, Vishnu and Lakshmi. A huge Nandi bull made out of a single granite stone is one of the major attractions near the main Lepakshi temple. And, the place is renowned for being one of the best repository of mural paintings of the Vijayanagar Kings. Many old Kannada inscriptions dating back centuries can be seen on its walls.
Legend 1 from Lepakshi Temple : Legend has it that the Naga of the Nagalinga was carved out of a single stone by sculptors while they waited for their mother to prepare lunch.
Legend 2 from Lepakshi Temple : Another legend gives the town a significant place in the epic Ramayana. It says , this was where the bird Jatayu fell, wounded after a futile battle against Ravana who had abducted Sita and going to Sri Lanka with her. When Sri Rama reached the spot, he saw the bird and said compassionately, “Le Pakshi” — ‘rise,o bird!!’ in Telugu.
And that is where the place is believed to have got it’s name from.
Table of Contents
Where is Lepakshi Temple ?
Lepakshi is around 135 KM from Bangalore. In fact, it is very near to Karnataka and Andhra boarder. So, you can stay in Bangalore and do a day trip to Lepakshi conveniently. You can also club your trip to Lepakshi with Nandi hills. You can book your accommodation in Bangalore using our favorite site Booking.com.
The most preferred and also the best route to take is NH7, Bangalore-Hyderabad highway. This is the same road which connects the Bangalore International Airport to Hebbal Flyover. It was fun to drive on NH7, although it was tough driving till International Airport due to ongoing construction and heavy traffic flow towards the Airport. (The construction is now over , though). But once we crossed the BIA, there was very less traffic and 4 lanes road with divider. Thereafter it was fun to drive. And finally, the road leading to Lepakshi temple is also in good condition. It is a narrow road but compensated by very less amount of traffic.
Directions to Lepakshi Temple
Our experience
We started at 6:45 AM from our house in our own car and reached at Lepaskhi around 9:30 AM with one break in between for fuel filling and breakfast. It was really fun to drive on NH7. We spent around 15-20 mins near Nandi statue and around 2 hours in exploring Main temple. Around 12 PM we started from Lepakshi and by 2:30 reached back to Bangalore.
The Basavanna Temple
1 KM before the main temple there is big Nandi statue, another major attraction of Lepakshi. As said, it is the biggest Nandi statue in India. A very nice park is built up around this statue and is very well maintained. You can spend sometime here and can take some good snaps.
Wonder 1 : Nandi at Basvanna Temple
At 27ft in length and 15ft in height, it is a colossal structure, reputedly India’s biggest monolithic Nandi. Its grand size and the perfectly proportioned body make it a popular photo-op with visitors. Can you imagine such a huge structure cut out of one single stone!! The whole area has been developed in the form of a park, around this Nandi. You can visit, roam around or just sit in the park.
There is a beautiful small pond as well at one side.
The Veerbhadra Temple, Lepakshi
As soon as you step into the temple premise, it will start tracing an impact of its enriched cultural and ancient engineering marvel. It is a true splendid creation which compelled me to think about the master skill posed by the engineers, architects and whoever else were involved in creating this masterpiece.The whole Lepakshi temple is made of stones depicting our never vanishing traditional and cultural integrity. Various deity of God and Goddess have been carved out on the walls and pillars of the temple. You can see various sculptures all around in the temple, all made of stone and some are crafted on walls and pillars. Another attraction is roof painting speared all over on the roof of temple depicting glorious ancient Indian culture and traditions.
As soon as you enter the temple, you get a feel of it’s vastness. You will immediately step into a courtyard that runs all across the main temple. The courtyard is neatly lined with Verandah on all sides, with endless pillars, intricately carved.
Upon crossing the courtyard, you can proceed to the main temple. A flight of stairs lead to the main temple. I bet you will be mesmerized with the carvings on the pillars and walls of this temple.
Wonder 2 : The Hanging pillar of Lepakshi Temple
Wonder 3 : The Shivling of Lepakshi Temple
From near this pillar, you can step out in the courtyard of the temple. Now, you are in the backside of the main temple. From here, walk towards the right, and take a turn at the end towards right once more. You will soon witness a huge Shivling. But the Shivling is also hooded under a multiface snake (the naag). This is a unique Shivling. We haven’t witnessed any such Shivling in the rest of the country so far.
Wonder 4 : The incomplete Kalyan Mandapa of Lepakshi Temple
After crossing the Shivling you will arrive at a structure that looks incomplete. It is a Kalyan Mandapa (a marriage hall).
Legend 4 of Lepakshi Temple : It is said the if this Kalyan Mantapa had been completed, Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati’s marriage would have happened here. It’s construction was started by the then King’s accountant while the king himself was on a trip. When the King came back, he was utterly furious with the accountant for having spent the kingdom’s money on this construction without the King’s knowledge or approval (I feel it was more of an ego clash that the king had). He immediately ordered the Kalyan Mandapa construction to be stopped. And so it remains incomplete, till date.
Wonder 5 : The eye on the wall in Lepakshi Temple
Right across the incomplete Kalyan Mandapa, one can witness a red mark in one of the walls . And this strongly resembles an eye. You must be wondering how come an eyemark on the wall!! So, there’s a legend behind this too and this is how it goes:
Legend 5 of Lepakshi Temple : It is believed that the King was so furious with the accountant on having constructed the Kalyan Mandapa that he inflicted a punishment on the accountant. The punishment was that his eye be popped out . And, that explains the eye mark on one of the walls. I am not sure how true it is. But it does look barbaric. I guess this is the only temple that I have visited so far, with blood marks present on it’s walls.
Wonder 6 : Sita’s footprints inside the Lepakshi Temple campus
Moving further , after crossing the Kalyan Mandapa, you will arrive at a huge footprint in the temple floor. Almost as if someone stamped with strength on the floor. This footprint is believed to be of Goddess Sita. Interestingly, this footprint is always wet. You can see water from underneath constantly sipping and washing this foot. Although, the source of this water is unknown. Yet, it is believed that since it is the footstep of the divine Goddess, the water appears magically as a sign of respect to her. And you can try to dry or wipe out the water, it slowly seeps back into place. Interesting..huh!!
Legend 6 of Lepakshi Temple : It is said that when Ravana was abducting Goddess Sita, and taking her to Sri Lanka, they stopped at this temple to rest for a while. That is believed to be the source of the footprint that is seen in the floor of the temple premises.
Wonder 7 : the Priest of Lepakshi Temple
Well, this did need a special mention. Although nothing to do with historical significance or architectural wonder, I couldn’t help feeling that the priest of Lepakshi temple is a wonder in himself. As you step inside the temple, he will greet you with a charming smile. And the first thing he will ask you is which language you know. Whichever language be your preference – hindi, english, tamil, telugu, kannada, Malayalam – he will interact with you in that language. He will explain to you enthusiastically about the wonders of this temple and their legend. And then he will leave you at your own to explore the place. No pressure of worshipping, no unnecessary bothering. And even if you are not there to offer your prayers, no problem. You will still be welcome. You can just visit the premises like a tourist at a historical site.
Rest of the Lepakshi temple
Apart from the special wonders and legends of the temple, there are many other interesting spots:
- The longVerandahs with infinite pillars,
- The chambers for meditation accessible through the Verandahs
- A small temple of Ganesha
- A leafless tree that is believed to be standing since ages
And there are countless more. In conclusion, it is a must visit in our opinion.
What we loved about Lepakshi Temple
Overall it was a wonderful trip that we had. We went to Lepakshi temple without knowing much about the legends and the wonders of the place. So, I guess we loved the place even more than usual. Also, we loved the fact that it was not at all crowded here. And, it is indeed an offbeat destination very near to Bangalore that many don’t seem to know about. Overall, there were hardly one or two other souls visible here and there. Thus, giving us an experience of utter tranquility.
Tips for visiting Lepakshi Temple
Travel Options
- Best is by your own vehicle. You can take cab from tour operator. Other option is to take Buses plying from Bangalore to Hyderabad. You will need to get down near boarder check-post. From there you can take auto/tempo running towards Lepakshi.
- However, be prepared to drive through fog and mist if you are starting early in the morning.
Food & Refreshment outlets on the way
- Kamat (after crossing Chikballapur town), APTDC (Near Andhra-Karnataka boarder, where you will take left turn for Lepakshi Temple ), Cafe Coffee Day while returning back, on the other side of the highway.
- For refreshment, best option is to use the toilets attached with less crowded restaurants and cafes like Cafe Coffee Day (Yes, we used that!) . Also, don’t forget with an Indian toilet, you use water instead of toilet paper!! Read these washroom tips to be prepared for using Indian washrooms safely when you travel.
Update: On our recent trip to Gandikota and Belum caves from Bangalore, we discovered there are several new food joints opened on either side of the highway till Lepakshi Village. So, you have a lot more options for food now that we had when we traveled here!!
Other tips
- Although the Lepakshi temple timings are 6:00am to 6:00pm, Try to reach as early in the morning as possible. Since the temple premise is all stones. And, you will not be allowed to enter with your shoes on. So as the day advances, the stones tend to become very hot, making it really difficult to walk across.
- Bring your water bottle with you. There are not many provisions near the temple.
- Wear comfortable cotton cloths, it is mostly hot all through the year in this area.
- Do visit the bull temple as well as the main temple.
- If you would like to go for a guided tour, here’s one for you from Bangalore to Lepakshi.
- We had a little hiccup almost 5km before reaching the temple. The village people had come out on the roads and were protesting against some water shortage issue. They had blocked the roads and were not allowing anyone to cross. Ultimately, we had to leave the highway and loop through the fields. So, it gave the trip a little adventurous edge too 😀 We will suggest : check the local news, ensure everything is peaceful. Although incidences like these are one in a million.
- There is no entrance fee to temple.
- It is good to offer some minimal money to the temple, that will go towards it’s sustenance. It’s up to your free will.
Although so far we have visited several other brilliant temples in India like Halebidu temple , Ranakpur Jain Temple and temples in Kolar and the Shore temple at Mahabalipuram. Each one is unique in it’s own way. But none we have found to be as intriguing as the Lepakshi Temple!!
***************************Wish you a nice and memorable trip*****************************
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This certainly looks inviting! You had me at “less crowded”, your pictures definitely give a great impression of the temple and it’s condition in the present day. The fact that it is offbeat also makes it special for the joy of exploring it at leisure. I’m glad you mentioned about going barefoot though! 🙂
Parampara-Parichay
http://awaradiaries.com
India
Thank you. Hope you will enjoy the temple when you get a chance to visit here
I wondered to see the weather change from foggy unclear vision to colorful bright picturesque view of the same highway. Why is this place too less crowded?? What could be the reason behind?? less known among masses or harsh sun during day time.
I guess less known among the masses. It’s not surprising. There are places where investors get interested and suddenly they rise to fame. There are others that remain underrated for ages .. this is one such place but I believe slowly it is getting noticed more and more
Your guides are always so extensive and detailed! I really loved learning about the legends in particular. Wonderful photos too!
Thanks Kristina
Amazing post and fantastic pictures 🙂 Lepakshi looks stunning! I would love to go there one day. I missed this place during my journey to India, so I must come back 🙂
And you must come back..do come back for sure:)
Wow the way that temple is carved looks so beautiful and intricate. It looks like a really spiritual place to visit. A nice relaxing day wanders around sounds perfect
It is a very beautiful temple and serene too
It’s impressive how empty the temple complex looks like and you are lucky to have been able to walk among the ruins. The architecture is really beautiful and if you think about, it’s amazing how they’ve built it that it still stands up, after so many years. I am looking at those column, that barely touches the ground. The Veerbhadra Temple is a place that I would really like to visit.
Its truly amazing about all these old temples, castles and other architectural monuments. Their foundation is simply so strong. They have stood tall across centuries. And still they are stronger than all our modern buildings!
And this is so close to Bangalore! I love the ancient feel here. Excellent photo opportunity here.
So rightly said
Beautifully written post. Lepakshi’s carving is really amazing. Incredible wonders!
It should definitely find a place amongst the wonders of India
I never heard of this place before but it seems amazing! The pound of the park is incredibly beautiful I have this region of the world still pending 🙂 but I will bookmark this post for the future 🙂
That pond was really a beautiful one with beautiful lotus in it
That is great you were able to carve out some time for a travel adventure from the rigors of the job. I like visiting temples so this would be a worthwhile jaunt for me. And, the fact that the priest knows so many languages and wants to talk about the temple makes it ever better as you learn so much more! Thanks for sharing. Making a mental note.
Thanks Lara.. and its nice to hear we share so much of interest w.r.t the places of travel
I’ve never heard of this place before. That is some amazing architecture and caving’s though! Seems like a lovely trip you guys had. You are very lucky to live so close to those temples.
Yes, it’s a small place, just known for that one temple amidst the village. But totally worth it
This is a great post! I feel like I learned so much about Lepakshi from you; Sita’s footprints were SO interesting. I love the ‘mystery’ of them always being wet. I don’t know much about India but I’m learning more and more through your blog. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Suz..glad you are liking my posts 🙂
Lepakshi is indeed a revelation. It is so near to Bangalore, yet I have not been there. Seen a few blogs which has inspired me to get there one of these weekends. Hope a trip materializes soon.
You are definitely going to like it when you happen to visit here
One visit to Lepakshi was never enough. It is amazing that we have this right near Bangalore and not many have visited it. Glad you added this to your posts. Hopefully we will have more people heading there and appreciating these wonders. 🙂
Thats so true Ami. The way we came to know about Lepakshi was through a biker friend who just takes off with his bike and wanders around. When we landed here, our immediate thought was – what a finding!!
Such an informative post. I love finding out about myths and legends.I defo want to visit.
THanks a lot verushka
Beautiful write up Neha. I have seen Lepakshi but had not heard of the legends. Glad that I read this post 🙂
Thanks Sindhu 🙂
Wow there are so many beautiful things to see! I had never heard of Lepakshi before. Great to add another place to my list!
Great Allison..all the best for your trip whenever it happens
Wow, I really love that you provided background into the legends 🙂 super interesting stuff! I’d love to see these temples for myself one day. Awesome that it’s not at all crowded.
Without the legends , it will be just another temple. With the legends it becomes THE temple
These are some incredible wonders! I love the shot of the highway too – magical!
hmm…magical indeed
I had never heard of this place! All of the temples seem really gorgeous. I also love that you included some of the legends, especially enjoyed the one about the footprint!
This is one place with maximum legends associated with it amongst all that I have visited so far