The Veerabhadra temple is in Lepakshi in the Anantapur district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Built in the 16th century, the architectural features of the temple are in the Vijayanagara style with profusion of carvings and paintings at almost every exposed surface of the temple. The fresco paintings are particularly detailed in very bright dresses and colours with scenes of Rama and Krishna from the epic stories of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas and they are well preserved. There is a very large Nandi (bull), mount of Shiva, about 200 metres (660 ft) away from the temple which is carved from a single block of stone, which is said to be one of the largest of its type in the world.
Location
The temple has been built on the southern side of Lepakshi town, on a low altitude hillock of a large exposure of granite rock, which is in the shape of a tortoise, and hence known as Kurma Saila. It is 140 kilometres (87 mi) away from Bangalore. The approach from the National Highway NH7 to Hyderabad that takes a branch road at the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border leading to Lepakshi, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) away. Another route to reach the temple is from Hindupur. It is 35 kilometres (22 mi) from Penukonda.And it as in anantapuram district of Andhra Pradesh state.
History
The temple was built in 1530 (1540 is also mentioned[1]) by Virupanna Nayaka and Viranna, both brothers who were Governors under the Vijayanagar Empire during the reign of King Achutaraya, at Penukonda. The cost of building the temple was defrayed by the government. According to Skanda Purana, the temple is one of the divyakshetras, an important pilgrimage site of Lord Shiva.
Introduction – The first reference of Lepakshi is found in Skandapurana as ‘Lepakshya-Papanasanah’ among the 108 Shaiva scared places of southern India. Sthalamahatmyam mentions that sage Agastya stayed here, in a cave on the Kurmashila hill, during his visit to scared places in the south of Vindhya mountain. He built a small temple dedicated to Papanasheshvara. This place is marked with a natural rock shelter over a hill and still revered by the locals.
The town is variably called as Lepaksha, Lepakshi, Lepakshipura in inscriptions found here.
The etymology of the name, Lepakshi, is not very certain. Gopala Rao suggests that it could be Lepa + Akshi meaning ‘embalmed eye’. Few locals try to assign it with the eyes of a figure in a painting inside the Veerbhadra temple however the paintings are of very late period in comparison to the name of the town. The place was known as Lepakshi even before the construction of the temple as the father of Virupanna (Virapanna) is referred as Lepakshi Nandi-Lakkisetti in an inscription.
It is hard to derive the importance of this place during the ancient times. It is located not very far from Siddapura, Jatinga Rameshvar, Brahmagiri, Yerragudi, all places connected to the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. This suggests that Lepakshi was under the Mauryan rule and from them it passed to the Satavahanas. After the fall of the Satavahanas, it came under the Chutus, the Gangas, the Chalukyas of Badami, the Nolambas in respective order. The Nolambas were in possession of it till the 10th century CE.
From the Nolambas, it passed to the Chalukyas of Kalyani and then to the Hoysalas who ruled till the first quarter of the 13th century CE. In 1346 CE, Harihara constructed a fort at Penugonda and made Lepakshi his second capital marking the start of the Vijayanagara rule over the town. During the rule of this dynasty, Lepakshi was benefited with multitude of construction activities, centered around this temple only.
The place was insignificant before the construction of the Veerabhadra temple. Though it is not certain when this construction took place, however it may be said that it was constructed before 1493 CE which the date reflected in the earliest inscription found here. During the Vijayanagara period, the temple grew horizontally and vertically. Major activities took place during the reign of king Achyutaraya (1529-42 CE). Virupanna was an officer in the personal staff of Achyutaraya and he played instrumental part in the extension of this temple complex.
Veerabhadra Temple – This Vijayanagara period temple is the biggest temple in the town. Though the direct evidences in form of inscriptions with regards to its beginning are practically nil, but many traditional legends are in vogue. As per a legend, it was constructed by Virupanna using the state treasury. The king came to know about it and announced the punishment that Virupanna to be blinded. When Virupanna heard this order, he executed it on his own on the same spot. Local guides will show you the place inside the temple where they say Virupanna threw his eyes.
The temple is executed in trikuta fashion, however the third shrine dedicated to Raghunatha was added later. Originally there were two shrines sharing the same mandapa and platform, the main shrine dedicated to God Vee.
Architecture
The temple is of the Vijayanagara architectural style. The main temple is laid out in three parts, these are: The assembly hall known as the Mukha mantapa or Natya mantapa or Ranga mantapa; arda mantapa or antarala (ante chamber); and the garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum. The temple, as an edifice, is encircled by two enclosures. The outermost walled enclosure has three gates, the northern gate is used regularly. The inner east gate is the entry to the assembly hall, which is a large sized open hall designed with a large space in its central part.
It is at the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum and has a profusion of sculptures and paintings over every inch of space on the columns and ceiling. The images on the pillars and walls are of divine beings, saints, guardians, musicians, dancers and 14 avatars of Shiva. Figurines of the goddesses Ganga and Yamuna flank the entrance to the sanctum. The exterior columns of this hall are built over a decorated plinth; the decorations are in the form of blocks of carved images of horses and soldiers. The columns are slim and have features of collonettes carved with eaves, overhanging in a curved shape.
The open space in the middle part of the hall is defined by large columns or piers which have carvings of triple figures. In the columns in the northeastern part of the hall, there are images of Natesha flanked by Brahma and a drummer. In an adjoining column there are figurines of nymphs in dancing postures, flanked by a drummer and cymbalist. The column at the southwest part of the hall has an image of Parvathi, Shiva's consort, flanked by female attendants. There are also carvings of divinities such as Bhringi with three legs and Bhikshatana carved in a dancing posture; this is in the northwestern part of the hall. The ceiling of the hall is fully covered with mural paintings depicting the scenes from the epics, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas along with the life sketches of the benefactors of the temple. The paintings in each bay on the ceiling of the main mandapa, the antarala and other shrines, depict the grandeur of Vijayanagara pictorial art.
They are painted over an initial plaster layer of lime mortar. The colour scheme consists of vegetable and mineral colours of yellow, ochre, black, blue and green blended with lime water; the background is generally painted in red colour. Apart from figures of gods and goddesses, in the presence of the devotees arranged in rows, the frescoes also depict the incarnations of Vishnu. The paintings are in striking compositions where the particular emphasis is on the period costumes and facial expressions.
The fresco in the ceiling of ardha mantapa (ante chamber), which is said to be Asia's largest, measures 23 by 13 feet (7.0 m × 4.0 m). It has frescoes of the 14 avatars of Lord Shiva as: Yogadakshinamurthy, Chandes Anugraha Murthy, Bhikshatana, Harihara, Ardhanarishwara, Kalyanasundara, Tripurantaka, Nataraja, Gouriprasadaka, Lingodhbava, Andhakasurasmahara and so forth.
The presiding deity deified in the sanctum sanctorum is a near life-size image of Veerabhadra, fully armed and decorated with skulls. There is a cave chamber in the sanctum where sage Agasthya is said to have lived when he installed the image of the Linga here. The ceiling in the sanctum above the deity has paintings of the builders of the temple, Virupanna and Viranna, regally dressed and crowned with headgear similar to those adorning the Krishnadevaraya's bronze statue in Tirupati. They are depicted, with their entourage, in a state of reverential prayer, being offered sacred ashes of their family deity.
Within the temple complex, on the eastern wing, there is a separate chamber with Shiva and his consort Parvathi carved on a boulder. In another shrine chamber there is an image of Lord Vishnu.
Within the temple precincts, to its eastern side, there is huge boulder of granite stone which has carving of coiled multi-hooded serpent providing an umbrella cover over a Linga.
A huge granite Nandi (bull), 20 feet (6.1 m) in height and 30 feet (9.1 m) in length, bedecked with garlands and bells, carved out of a single block stone, is located about 200 metres (660 ft) from the temple, which faces the statue of the serpent in the precincts of the temple.
Gallary
Download Click
Video
Gallary
Download Click
Video
Comments
Post a Comment