One name, many stories

I've had the fortune to savour the rich heritage of the once-mighty Vijayanagara Empire at Hampi, which though in ruins today, still breathes a museum to sense the depth of the artisan tapestry of some 500 years ago.

But there are a few gems tucked away from this treasure trove of brilliance in stone, but still reflecting the same amount of awe and marvel. And one such amazing site, which is a testament to the Vijayanagara spirit, is Lepakshi.

Lepakshi is a quaint settlement located about 120 km from Bengaluru, in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, and is easily reached by road in around two hours. One December morning at seven, I set out on this day-long excursion.

Backstories
Lepakshi, though small, is known for many hidden features that would impress lay tourists to those with a serious taste for prized archaeology. But it's important to dig deeper into its historical significance before decoding its architectural synthesis.

Historians state that the origin of the word 'Lepakshi' could be sourced from local mythology and folklore. Legend has it that Lord Rama had addressed the eagle Jatayu as 'Le Pakshi' or 'get up bird' when the latter lay wounded at this spot after failing to rescue Sita from Ravana. While this story is from the Ramayana, there is yet another historical account.

To know more, I head to the main draw of this place, Veerabhadra temple. This magnificent specimen of not just Vijayanagara, but also the large Dravida school of architecture, was constructed by Penukonda Virupanna - the treasurer of Vijayanagara emperor Achyuta Raya - in 1538. According to certain valid historical findings, it is an episode involving Virupanna that christened Lepakshi.

It is said that Virupanna had conceived the idea of constructing a temple in honour of his patron deity, Veerabhadra, for which he utilised funds from the royal treasury without consulting the emperor. The temple was nearly ready when Achyuta Raya came to know what Virupanna had done and decreed that the latter's eyes be destroyed as punishment. Dutifully, Virupanna himself carried out the order and is said to have dashed his eyes over a pillar. Even today, one can still see two dark stains on a pillar believed to be the spot where this happened. Hence, Lepakshi has also been translated as the 'Village of the blinded eye'.

Unfinished that the Veerabhadra temple complex came to be, one can still see that the Kalyana mandapa located outside the main temple remains incomplete, with only pillars bearing witness to that centuries-old harsh episode.

In all, there are three temples in one, with the main shrine dedicated to Veerabhadra, an aspect of Lord Shiva. The handsome image of the deity emits an ethereal feel to an already-dark sanctum, which is but a few steps from the main entrance to the temple complex - built on Kurma Shaila ('the Tortoise-shaped Hillock'.)  

The main sanctum also houses vigrahas of Papavinaseshwara and Raghunatha. Then, there is a towering idol of Goddess Durga, which uniquely faces a mirror, away from the sanctum's entrance. The temple is surrounded by an outer enclosure that is a pillared cloister. Within this, a second enclosure is from where the mahadwara can be accessed through a short flight of steps, leading to the ranga mandapa. There are 66 exquisitely sculptured pillars adorning it.  

An interesting feature of this temple is its hanging pillar or antariksha stambha, suspended from the ceiling of the ranga mantapa. Before the dawn of the 20th century, a cloth or piece of paper would seamlessly slide under it. Then, a curious British engineer disturbed it, which has slightly bent it on one side.

Another speciality of Lepakshi is its beautiful mural paintings that adorn the ceilings and walls of the ranga mantapa. These scenes also depict daily lives of those times, apart from puranic scenes like Shiva protecting Markandeya and Dakshinamurthy. The perfection in use of paint and the accuracy in detailing images as artwork are truly commendable. There are holes on the floor, and guides tell me that artists mixed vegetable dyes in them to paint these murals.

Finding serenity
The inner courtyard of the Veerabhadra temple has some rocky terrain as this place is located in a region with a lot of boulders. To the south of the main shrine is the Naga Lingam,  a massive six-metre-high black shivalingam, shaded by an intricately carved seven-hooded cobra. There is a rare calmness around this sculpture.

Right behind the Naga Lingam is a large idol of Ganapati, hewn symmetrically into the rock. A short walk away, through the said Kalyana mantapa, I reach the outer courtyard, where rests Durga padam, said to be the footprint of the goddess, which miraculously keeps filling up with water from an unknown source.

A visit to the Veerabhadra temple doesn't seal an experience of Lepakshi. On the main road, a little distance away is a small garden housing a humungous monolithic Nandi. Nine metres long and five metres high, this excellent example of South Indian craftsmanship is said to be among the largest Nandi idols anywhere in the world.  

A day isn't sufficient to take all that this heritage-rich town has to offer, with each of its stones expressing some ode to its rich past, and its murals reciting poetry in honour of their artists.