Veerabhadra Swamy is reincarnation of Lord Shiva and He took this form during the Daksha Yaga. It is Raudra bahava of Shiva and He is the presiding deity in Lepakshi temple.
Lepakshi is a small village In Andhra Pradesh and is about 75Kms from Bangalore city. The temple is very famous for its marvellous carvings, mural paintings and the Hanging Pillar.
This place has an interesting connection with Ramayana. Jatayu after the unsuccessful battle with Ravana got injured and waited at this place for Rama. When Rama saw Jatayu he compassionately said Le-Pakshi' meaning 'rise, bird' in Telgu.
About the Temple.
This temple was constructed in 16 the century by two brothers who were in service of Vijaya Nagara King . The temple is situated on a low rocky hill called Kumarasailam. There are other shrines surrounding the sanctum for Ganesha, Vishnu, Badrakali and Lakshmi. The main deity is in a standing posture and the idol is very impressive . One has to circumambulate around the rock to see all the sub shrines.
There is a multi pillared mandapa in front of the main shrine and a dwajasthamba. This mandapam is beautified with carvings, sculptures and mural painting on ceilings.
The mandapam houses a hanging pillar and is an architectural marvel. There are about 70 pillars in the mandapam and one among them hangs from the ceiling. i.e. its base does not touch the floor .There is a small gap between the pillar and the floor. One can spread a cloth below the gap in the pillar and can be pulled out easily. Really amazing creation from the craftsmen of yesteryears. Many engineers and architects have tried to study the secret behind this marvel. Presently the pillar appears slightly dislodged from its original position. We were told that one British Engineer tried to move it in an unsuccessful attempt to find out the secret of the construction.
The huge temple spread on a rock itself is a great attraction. In the outer enclosure of the temple one would find a beautifully carved Nagalingam, a seven hooded serpent holding a Shivlinga in its coil. There is also a huge Ganesha idol nearby .One would also find a pair of huge foot prints as one goes around the temple which is believed to be of Sita devi's.
A Kilometer or so from the temple one can see a beautifully carved gigantic monolithic Nandi.
A few pictures from my collection.
