Architectural Wonder LEPAKSHI: Enthralling Murals and Architecture of Vijayanagara

Lepakshi, in Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh is well known for Veerabhadra Swamy temple and massive monolithic Nandi. This temple was erected during the Vijayanagara Empire. It houses numerous mandapas, most splendid are the Natya mandapa and the Kalyana mandapa, whose pillars are studded with marvelous sculptures with intricate workmanship. These sculptures depict dancing and playing music, which indicates the importance given for art in those days.This temple is a gallery of large collections of Vijayanagara Mural Paintings. Thus this place is also known as Ajanta of Andhra Pradesh. These paintings illustrate the stories from Puranas, Ramayana and Mahabaratha etc... These murals also explain the lifestyle of those days.The most notable features in this temple are intricate sculptures adorning the pillars, paintings with vibrant colours, the hanging pillars, inscriptions of the Vijayanagara and the monolithic Nandi.