Location:  Lepakshi Temple Rd, Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh 515331, India

Built in: 1530, Vijayanagara Empire

Entry Fee: No Entry Fee

Remember Jatayu from Ramayana? The magnificent bird fell right here, after getting wounded by Ravana, trying to save Sita!  Hence the name, Lepakshi(the bird).

– Welcome to Lepakshi Temple. This temple is about amazing architecture, wonderful wonders and of-course splendid stories you can not miss!

There is something else also which makes the temple one of the most unique amongst its contemporary. It’s Mural Paintings.

The Paintings:

Let me tell you, the paintings you are currently looking at, are atleast 600 years old and used vegetables and minerals colors.

The Architecture:

There are Monolithic Marvels to see!

1. The Monolithic Ganesha:

2. The Monolithic Shivling:

3. The Monolithic Nandi:

The Wonder:

The Hanging Pillar inside the temple. And yes, people validate by passing a piece of cloth all the time:

The Story (unfinished Kalyan-Mandapa) :

The Royal Treasurer Virupanna was accused of withdrawing funds without King’s permission to build this Kalyan-Mandapa or Marriage Hall! When the King came to know this, he announced the punishment to blind Virupanna. Hearing this verdict, Virupanna himself stabbed and removed both his eyes inside the temple premises. And the work of the Marriage hall got stopped for ever. Hence still looks unfinished:

Tasks for you:

Dear Reader, Inside the temple complex only, you can try to search for these Three Spots, which directly relates to the stories and legends. If you are accompanied by kids/students, this can be entertaining! You won’t be disappointed I promise. Here is a list:

1. Jatayu’s beak marks

2. Sita’s Footprint

3. Blood-spots of Virupanna

[Note: If you are able to find all three, I promise to send you goodies on behalf of Oldtemples. ]