Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi

 

The Veerabhadra sanctuary is in Lepakshi in the Anantapur locale of the Indian province of Andhra Pradesh. Worked in the sixteenth century, the design highlights of the sanctuary are in the Vijayanagara style with bounty of carvings and sketches at pretty much every uncovered surface of the sanctuary. It is one of the halfway secured monumemts of national significance. The fresco works of art are especially point by point in brilliant dresses and hues with scenes of Rama and Krishna from the epic accounts of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas and they are very much safeguarded. There is an extremely vast Nandi (bull), mount of Shiva, around 200 meters (660 ft) far from the sanctuary which is cut from a solitary square of stone, which is said to be one of the biggest of its sort on the planet. 

Area 

The sanctuary has been based on the southern side of Lepakshi town, on a low height hillock of an extensive introduction of stone shake, which is in the state of a tortoise, and henceforth known as Kurma Saila. It is 140 kilometers (87 mi) far from Bangalore. The methodology from the National Highway NH7 to Hyderabad that takes a branch street at the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh outskirt prompting Lepakshi, 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) away. Another course to achieve the sanctuary is taking a course from Hindupur. It is arranged 35 kilometers (22 mi) from Penukonda, situated in Anantapur area of Andhra Pradesh. 

History 

The sanctuary was worked in 1530 (1540 is likewise referenced) by Virupanna Nayaka and Viranna, the two siblings who were Governors under the Vijayanagar Empire amid the rule of King Achutaraya, at Penukonda. The expense of structure the sanctuary was settled by the administration. As indicated by Skanda Purana, the sanctuary is one of the divyakshetras, a significant journey site of Lord Shiva. 

Design 

Carvings of Brahma and Vishnu on columns in the manadapa 

Artistic creations in the roof of the Muka mantapa 

An artistic creation in the roof 

The hooded snake Naaga shading the lingam mold 

The sanctuary is of the Vijayanagara building style. The fundamental sanctuary is spread out in three sections, these are: The get together lobby known as the Mukha mantapa or Natya mantapa or Ranga mantapa; arda mantapa or antarala (risk chamber); and the garbhagriha or the sanctum sanctorum. The sanctuary, as a building, is encompassed by two walled in areas. The peripheral walled nook has three doors, the northern entryway is utilized routinely. The inward east entryway is the section to the get together lobby, which is an extensive measured open corridor structured with a vast space in its focal part. 

It is at the passage to the sanctum sanctorum and has an abundance of figures and artistic creations over every last bit of room on the segments and roof. The pictures on the columns and dividers are of heavenly creatures, holy people, watchmen, artists, artists and 14 symbols of Shiva. Dolls of the goddesses Ganga and Yamuna flank the passageway to the sanctum. The outside segments of this corridor are worked over an enhanced plinth; the improvements are as squares of cut pictures of ponies and fighters. The segments are thin and have highlights of collonettes cut with roof, overhanging in a bended shape. The open space in the center piece of the lobby is characterized by vast segments or docks which have carvings of triple figures. In the segments in the northeastern piece of the lobby, there are pictures of Natesha flanked by Brahma and a drummer. In a connecting section there are dolls of sprites in moving stances, flanked by a drummer and cymbalist. The section at the southwest piece of the corridor has a picture of Parvathi, Shiva's partner, flanked by female chaperons. There are likewise carvings of divinities, for example, Bhringi with three legs and Bhikshatana cut in a moving stance; this is in the northwestern piece of the corridor. The roof of the lobby is completely secured with wall painting canvases portraying the scenes from the stories, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas alongside the existence representations of the promoters of the sanctuary. The sketches in each sound on the roof of the primary mandapa, the antarala and different sanctums, portray the glory of Vijayanagara pictorial workmanship. They are covered up an underlying mortar layer of lime mortar. The shading plan comprises of vegetable and mineral shades of yellow, ochre, dark, blue and green mixed with lime water; the foundation is commonly painted in red shading. Aside from figures of divine beings and goddesses, within the sight of the enthusiasts masterminded in lines, the frescoes additionally delineate the manifestations of Vishnu. The works of art are in striking pieces where the specific accentuation is on the period outfits and outward appearances. 

The fresco in the roof of ardha mantapa (bet chamber), which is said to be Asia's biggest, measures 23 by 13 feet (7.0 m × 4.0 m). It has frescoes of the 14 symbols of Lord Shiva as: Yogadakshinamurthy, Chandes Anugraha Murthy, Bhikshatana, Harihara, Ardhanarishwara, Kalyanasundara, Tripurantaka, Nataraja, Gouriprasadaka, Lingodhbava, Andhakasurasmahara, etc. 

The directing god worshipped in the sanctum sanctorum is a close life-measure picture of Veerabhadra, completely equipped and designed with skulls. There is a cavern chamber in the sanctum where sage Agasthya is said to have lived when he introduced the picture of the Linga here. The roof in the sanctum over the god has works of art of the manufacturers of the sanctuary, Virupanna and Viranna, superbly dressed and delegated with headgear like those embellishing the Krishnadevaraya's bronze statue in Tirupati. They are portrayed, with their company, in a condition of respectful petition, being offered holy fiery debris of their family god. 

Inside the sanctuary complex, on the eastern wing, there is a different chamber with Shiva and his associate Parvathi cut on a rock. In another hallowed place chamber there is a picture of Lord Vishnu. 

Inside the sanctuary areas, to its eastern side, there is colossal rock of stone which has cutting of snaked multi-hooded snake giving an umbrella spread over a Linga. 

An enormous rock Nandi (bull), 20 feet (6.1 m) in stature and 30 feet (9.1 m) long, embellished with wreaths and ringers, cut out of a solitary square stone, is situated around 200 meters (660 ft) from the sanctuary, which faces the statue of the snake in the regions of the sanctuary.