Day 15...Lunch in Andhra Pradesh ...Lepakshi temple and the floating pillar...

We started our journey into neighbouring Andhra Pradesh at 9.15am...its a smooth rd.of 120 kms (one way) to the temple complex...
The entrance to Lepakshi temple village...its still a good 16kms.drive inside...on the right once you reach Lepakshi there is a gigantic Nandi waiting to welcome all...

Info from Google...

What is the story of Lepakshi?

The historic town of Lepakshi has been connected with an occurring of the Indian epic of Ramayana. According to the Valmiki's Ramayana, when Ram accompanied by Hanuman, met the dying Jatayu, they helped him attain moksha by uttering the words "Le Pakshi," which means "Rise, bird". Hence the name, Lepakshi.



Nandi...
The entrance into the temple...
Info fm.Google

The Lepakshi temple, also known as Veerbhadra temple is located in the tiny hamlet of Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh. It is a paragon of excellent architecture and art. It is famous for its architecture characterised by hanging pillars and cave chambers that can astound you!

Symmetrical masterpiece...

Elegant and intricate pillar carvings...

One has to walk around them... 

Remanents of a completed Pooja...

Exquisite stone carvings inside the temple...

Ladies day out... They were having a funday... Just like I was...

Ganpati Bappa Morya...

Roofless structure outside the temple

Outside the temple... But within the complex...
This is the famous pillar of Lepakshi for which we drove a total of 240 kms...
The gap is clearly visible.


The floating pillar...and ceiling frescos...

Info from Google
How is Lepakshi pillar hanging?
Among the 70 stone pillars, there is one that hangs from the ceiling. The base of the pillar barely touches the ground and is possible to pass objects such as a thin sheet of paper or a piece of cloth from one side to the other.


There was a religious ceremony in progress for which carnatic music being played inside the temple.

The entry/exit into the temple

Our Lunch thali in Andhra Pradesh...

Tipu Sultan was born here in 1751 

Entrance to Devanahalli fort...
There is a whole village inside the gates and the firt walls surrounding and bordering the village... 


The archway isn't very big...but good enough for a horse and rider to pass through ... back then...


Our last stop for the day was at the Zoroastrian Doongerwadi (tower of silence) Final resting place for the Parsees of Bangalore and neighbouring areas.
Well looked after land.
We started at 9.15 from Kamanahalli and were home by 5.18 pm...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Zoroastrianism settlement that were there in Parsiwada...Diu...

Image
https://iranicaonline.org/articles/parsi-communities-i-early-history Link👆🏾 for those who wish to read up on Zoroastrianism and Zoroastrians (Parsees as we are locally called in India) I was told we used to have an agiary and a dakhmu in Diu... So it was first on my list to hunt down... Thankfully the first person I asked for help was very happy to have met 2 parsees in his hometown... He volunteered to take us triple seat on his Enfield to the above 2 places... The Fire temple has been converted into a temple of learning for the past 25 years... Prior to that I was informed that for over 60 or 70 years the place had shut down as Zarthostis had left the place way back... No worshippers no Fire temple and Dakhmu is like a picnic spot... The Dakhmu or Cemetery shut probably 80 years back Below are my picture story of a community that is still very very fondly remembered by the locals... The Fire Temple that was... Remanats of a vibrant past... ...
Read more

Bhuj Agiary and Jamnagar agiary

Image
Visited Bhuj and Jamnagar Agiaries now non operational...  Due to lack of worshippers... I was told only 1 family in Bhuj is looking after the place and they stay in Ahmedabad... Bhuj agiary premise is well looked after by Mr.Abu Bakar... Whereas in Jamnagar there are 5 families and all are mostly senior citizens The Jamnagar Agiary is looked after by Mr.Sarosh Daruwalla as care taker of the premise and Mr.Wadia the trustee. Also was shown the insides of Bhuj house too... Below are some of my pix of Bhuj house The parsee jailor of Bhuj with his sons Below are some of my pix of the Bhuj Agiary that was... Inspite of the Bhuj Earthquake couldnt see much damage to the premise or walls. There are 4 of these that were on the roof till the devastating earth quake of Bhuj... When they fell down and now adorn the 4 corners o...
Read more

Bhavnagar Agiary (now a Dadgah)

Image
Started at 11 from Chotila to go to Hingolgadh... To our bad luck it was shut Then we decided to take the RoRo boat to Hazira...Surat It was along drive...cutting through the landscape... In between decided must visit Bhavnagar agiary (now a Dadgah) So located it on google and met the care taker who has been looking after the place for last 21 years... (Have his no.in case any Zarthosti wants to visit) The last Dasturjee passed on in year 1992/93... So now its a Dadgah and all Zarthostis can enter within... My impression of the premise was it needs to be maintained as it is crumbling... Its nearly a 130 year old structure... The Dharamshalla and Community hall adjacent to Agiary too are in a bad shape. I was informed that there are merely a dozen families or 30 to 35 parsees currently in Bhavnagar. First glimpse of the fire temple The well The care taker for past 21 years ...
Read more