Lepakshi Temple & The Hanging Pillar, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, India

Lepakshi is a village in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located 15 km (9.3 mi) east of Hindupur and approximately 120 km (75 mi) north of Bangalore." ' Lepakshi is culturally and archaeologically significant as it is the location of shrines dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Veerabhadra which were built during the Vijayanagara Kings' period (1336–1646). The temples are the location of mural paintings of the Vijayanagara kings and Telugu inscriptions. Near the temple complex is a large granite Nandi bull. On a hillock known as Kurma Saila, "tortoise shaped hill", are other temples to Papanatheswara, Raghunatha, Srirama, and Durga. Lepakshi is also famous for puppet show based on Hindu mythology.There is also a three-headed bull with single body carved on the pillar of main entrance pillar.

The Veerabhadra temple of Lepakshi, which was built by the brothers Viranna and Virupanna, is dedicated to Veerabhadra. It is an example of the Vijayanagara architectural style Points of interest in the temple include a rock chain, Vastu Purusha, the Padmini race lady, the hanging pillar, Durga Paadam, the eyes of Viroopaakshanna and Lepakshi saree designs. The paintings on the roof are made with natural pigments.. Another interesting aspect of this temple is that it is North facing. There is a 3 headed bull with single body is carved on the pillar of main entrance. 

 

Built in the typical style of Vijayanagara architecture, the temple features many exquisite sculptures of god, goddesses, dancers and musicians, and hundreds of paintings all over the walls, columns and ceiling depicting stories from the epics of the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas. This includes a 24 feet by 14 feet fresco of Veerabhadra, the fiery god created by Shiva, on the ceiling, which is the largest fresco of any single figure in India. At the front of the temple is a large Nandi (bull), the mount of Shiva, which is carved from a single block of stone, and is said to be one of the largest of its type in the world.

 

The outer portion of the temple has a massive Dance Hall with 70 stone pillars supporting the roof. One corner pillar is the famous ‘hanging pillar’ that does not touch the temple floor at all and there is a small gap between the temple floor and base of the pillar which gives the impression of the hanging pillar. The base of the pillar barely touches the ground and it is possible to pass thin objects such as a sheet of paper or a piece of cloth from one side to the other.

If you visit, you’ll see many people doing the same thing: putting a piece of cloth or paper underneath and sliding it to the other side, proving that the pillar is disconnected from the floor. How did ancient artisans construct such a huge pillar that defies gravity and hangs from the ceiling? And, we are referring to a 20-foot-tall, solid granite pillar its still big mystery.