Le Pakshi Archives

27/Jul/2022

Location:

Location of Lepakshi Temple is in Lepakshi village in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located 15 km east of Hindupur and approximately 82 km west of Kadiri and 120 km north of Bangalore, 484 km from Hyderabad.

History:

Jatayur finally died while resisting. Face down in a temple on the surface. The Ramayana tells us that when Ravana took Sita, the old bird Jatayu resisted him. Jatayu was seriously injured by Ravana’s sword while stopping the chariot in the sky and fell face down in a temple on the surface. Jatayu lived with the excruciating agony of death until Sri Rama came to him. Before his death he met Ramachandra, then Ramachandra told him – ‘Le Pakshi’.

Hence the name of this temple of Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh in Lepakshi. Means a bird in Telugu, stand up. It is said that the incident described in Ramayana happened in Lepakshi. The place is also known as Lepakashi.

This Lepakshi Temple described in Ramayana was built in 1538 in memory of Jatayu. Built in the 16th century, the structure of this temple is in the Vijayanagara style. The temple was built by two brothers Veeranna and Veerupanna, councilors of Vijayanagara Raj. Then it was named Birbhadra temple or popularly known as Lepakshi Temple. However, according to Purana, this temple was built by Agastya Muni.

Architecture:

The Lepakshi Temple has about 70 carved stone pillars. One of the most remarkable and at the same time amazing thing about the Lepakshi temple is these temple pillars. The interest of tourists is increasing day by day. Many temples may have so many 16^th-century pillars but the amazing thing about these temple pillars is that not a single pillar rises from the ground. All hang from above. There are gaps under each pillar and easy melting through that gap.

A piece of cloth or paper goes. If the tourists express interest in this matter, the local guides here show them with a pen. Guides here carry paper sheets or women’s veils. They are the ones who put the cloth, paper, or page under the pillar from one side and take it out from the other side. While watching it, all the tourists are in awe of this amazing trunk. But guides don’t do it by magic or trickery. Tourists wonder how these pillars have stood for centuries without resting on anything. To date, no modern architect or technologist has found the reason. Researchers are still researching for what purpose these pillars were kept hanging like this. There must have been some thought behind it. A pillar or two may be left loose by mistake, but it is a mystery that all remain so.

Another attraction of Lepakshi temple is a Nandi idol. This Nandi idol is placed about a mile away from the main temple. The statue is 27 feet in length and 15 feet in height. This colossal Nandi idol is probably the largest Nandi idol in India. Apart from this, a gigantic Ganesha idol and a large Shivalinga made of granite stone also attract the attention of tourists. This Nandi idol is growing every year. Why it is increasing is also unknown to people.

Mystery:

The main deity of Lepakshi temple is Virbhadra. It is said that when Shivajaya insisted on going there without an invitation for the Daksha Yagna without Shiva, Shiva expressed his disapproval of going there. Sati then appeared in Dasha Mahavidya form and won the heart of Shiva and went to Pitralaya with Mahananda.

Seeing Sati attending the yajna without invitation, Daksha began to blaspheme in the name of Shiva. He could not bear the blasphemy. Sacrificed himself in Yajna. When Sati died in Daksha Yajna, Shiva, in grief and anger, tore a lock from the tangle of his head and threw it on the ground, giving birth to the infinitely powerful Virbhadra. The head is from Daksha’s head by attending the Dakshalaya yajna 33 Kope cut this hero. Later his son-in-law Shiva came and placed a free goat on Daksha’s neck and saved Daksha’s life and apologized to him for this act of Virbhadra.

Birbhar’s temple found nowhere else in India except Segashti. Various forms of Shiva are depicted in this temple. People believe that Shiva walks to this temple every night with Nandi. It heard that many people have witnessed this scene. Located 180 km from Hyderabad and 130 km from Bangalore, the ideal time to visit this Leshakshi temple is in the morning. Because it is quite hot here most of the year. Therefore, one must come to the Lepakshi Temple of Anantapur in Antaradesh to wander in the world of history, mythology, and mystery at the same time.

One more mystery is the footprints of Sita inside the Lepakshi Temple complex. Moving on, you’ll reach an enormous footprint on the temple floor after crossing the Kalyan Mandapa. Almost as if somebody were stamping on the bottom with force. Goddess Sita assumed to have this footprint. This footprint is usually moist, interestingly. you’ll see this foot constantly sipping and washing water from underneath.

Although this water’s origin is unknown. Yet, because it the footstep of the divine Goddess, it’s thought that water magically appears as a sign of regard for her. And you’ll attempt to dry the water or wipe it out, it slowly flows back to its location.

Lepakshi Veerabhadra Swamy Temple Timings:

Lepakshi Temple is open every day of the week from 5.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 4.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. in the evening. During festivals, however, timings alter.

Click to Follow: Facebook and Twitter