On 14th August 2021 from Chitradurga, Karnataka we went to Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh. It is 172 km away. We started at 9AM and reached at 1 PM. Car parking is Rs.50/-. No entrance fee for Temple. Paid washrooms are available.
Lepakshi is situated in Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh.] It is located 15 km from Hindupur and approximately 120 km from Bangalore.
As this is a small village, there is no place to eat or to rest. But still it is a must visit place. when you go there besides Darshan of God you can see great art throughout the temple complex.
It is ancient temple complex, from the Vijayanagara empire dynasty. One can see very beautifully carved ornate designs on the pillars, coloured paintings on ceiling.
After crossing Kalyan Mandap we saw a huge footprint on the floor, according to the local residents this footprint is believed to be of Goddess Sita. One of the resident told us that this footprint is wet throughout the year and nobody knows from where water comes.
We visited Virbhadra temple which is known as Lepakshi temple, monolithic Ganesha, Shivling hooded with 7 faces snake (naag) - it is largest monolithic Naaglinga in India. Then we went to Lepakshi Nandi (Bull) which is a huge grand cut out sculpture of Nandi made of a single granite stone. This monolithic sculpture is a unique example of its kind in India.
Third must see place in Lepakshi is Jatayu.
Which is the place where Jataayu fell down.
Jatayu is a large vulture/Giddha mentioned in the Hindu Epic Ramayana. As per the Epic, it fell down from the skies in this village. The statue of Jatayu is on the highest point of the rocks.
As we have to reach Banglore by evening we didn't go up to the statue. But you can see the statue from Virbhadra temple as well as Nandi temple.
At 4PM we left Lepakshi and headed to Banglore and reached by 7 PM. We had stay at Dwarka lodge.
