Lepakshi, Virabhadraswamy Temple
Historical background
The small town of Lepakshi in the region known as Rayalaseema, Royal Realm, in south-western Andhra Pradesh, is famous for its temple dedicated to Virabhadra. The monument extends over a rocky outcrop known as Kurmsaila, or Tortoise Hill, a name deriving from its shape which recalls the shell of a tortoise. This uneven terrain had an impact on the layout of the temple, which incorporates several huge natural boulders and seven small shrines dedicated to various deities. No epigraphs are available recording the foundation date of the temple. Local legends attribute its origin to the mythical sage Agastya, and a small shrine dedicated to him is in the inner precincts of the complex. The temple dates back to before the 16th century, but was expanded to its present dimensions during the Vijayanagara period. Tradition credits the construction of the present monument to Virapanna, the governor of Penukonda, and his brother Viranna, representatives of the Vijayanagara emperor Achyutaraya (r. 1530-42). Grants dating from 1531 to 1538 inscribed on the enclosure walls and onto the adjacent bedrock suggest a concentrated period of building activity. It may be assumed that Virapanna and Viranna were responsible for bringing the seven shrines scattered on Kurmasaila into one coordinated architectural complex, and that the outstanding ceiling paintings, the only surviving murals of the Vijayanagara period, date from these years.
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The main temple is entered from the north through a pair of gateways with uncompleted brick towers. The inner gateway leads directly into a grandly-scaled natyamandapa (‘dance hall’). This open structure has 70 majestic granite columns carved with nearly human-size deities, celestial musicians and dancers. They carry a ceiling almost 4 metres high above the floor. At its centre a corbelled dome with elaborate carvings reaches a height of c. 6.4 metres. Steps on the south side of the natyamandapa ascend to a narrow columned verandah that runs around three sides of the outer walls of the inner part of the temple. The ceilings of the natyamandapa and verandah just noticed are covered with fine paintings.
The inner part of the Virabhadra temple comprises a spacious, but poorly lit mahamandapa (‘great hall’), off which open a number of shrines. The central space of the hall is adorned with a single painted composition of Virabhadra (c. 7.6 x 4.2 m), the deity worshipped in the sanctuary at the far end of the hall. Other paintings, now damaged are seen on the ceilings over the side bays of the hall, on the walls and ceiling of the passageway running around three sides of the Virabhadra sanctuary, in the Shayanagara (bedroom of the deities), and in the subsidiary shrine known as the Raghunathalaya.
The subjects depicted are mostly devotional, drawn from the popular epics, the Periya Puranam and other texts. They include also depictions of Virapanna and Viranna, the temple donors, together with their retinues, thereby offering an invaluable visual record of courtly life during Vijayanagara times.
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Shiva, shown in three-quarter profile, faces a devotee generally identified with Chandesha. Near the deity is a diminutive gana blowing a long trumpet. Shiva holds in the lower right hand the axe that he bestows on Chandesha.
Bhikashatanamurti; Accompanied by a gana carrying a large container on his head, and a leaping deer, Shiva walks through the Daruka forest, suggested by two trees. In the lower left hand Shiva holds a capacious bowl, in which one of the two richly attired rishipatnis, on the right, pours a ladle of rice. The end piece of her white sari is shown slipping from her shoulder to reveal her breast and abdomen. Two rishis witness the scene.
Hariharamurti; This composite figure stands straight, framed by two trees. The right half of the body, i.e.Shiva, is fair complexioned, with a crown of dreadlocks. The left half of the body, which is dark-complexioned, is Vishnu.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Bhikashatanamurti; Accompanied by a gana carrying a large container on his head, and a leaping deer, Shiva walks through the Daruka forest, suggested by two trees. In the lower left hand Shiva holds a capacious bowl, in which one of the two richly attired rishipatnis, on the right, pours a ladle of rice. The end piece of her white sari is shown slipping from her shoulder to reveal her breast and abdomen. Two rishis witness the scene.
Hariharamurti; This composite figure stands straight framed by two trees. The right half of the body, i.e. Shiva, is fair complexioned, with a crown of dreadlocks. The left half of the body, which is dark-complexioned, is Vishnu.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Chandrashekharamurti (?); This damaged depiction does not conform to the usual iconography of Shiva in this form. Here the deity turns the head towards a devotee standing on his right.
Ardhanarishvara; This figure is formally identical to the Harihara image. Here, the right side of the icon is Shiva, and the left side Parvati. Both these aspects of Shiva are flanked by sages and devotees.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Chandrashekharamurti; This damaged depiction does not conform to the usual iconography of Shiva in this form. Here the deity turns the head towards a devotee standing on his right.
Ardhanarishvara;This figure is formally identical to the Harihara image. Here, the right side of the icon is Shiva, and the left side Parvati. Both these aspects of Shiva are flanked by sages and devotees.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Kalyanasundaramurti; Shiva and Parvati are at the centre of this heavily restored composition. Shiva’s extended lower right hand holds gently Parvati’s hand, whose stance reveals her shyness. On Shiva’s left sits Brahma, in charge of the ritual. Two women blessing the couple stand near Parvati.
Tripurantakamurti; Tremendous tension is suggested by this depiction, with Shiva shown with his legs wide apart and his right arm extended. He carries the bow, whose string is the serpent Vasuki. His five hoods are clearly visible at its top, and the tail twisted into a knot at its bottom. The powerful arrow which has just being shot by Shiva is none other but Vishnu, as suggested by the face (badly rubbed) shown at its tip on the extreme left. Hanging upside down in mid-air are the three fortresses of the asuras that have been transfixed by Shiva’s arrow. Each fortress is defended by an asura armed with a sword and shield. Brahma is Shiva’s charioteer. The chariot’s front wheel is Chandra, the moon, the back wheel , Surya, the sun, and it is drawn by two horses. Behind the chariot are two rishis. Clearly recognizable on the right is Narada with the vina resting on his shoulder.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Kalyanasundaramurti; Shiva and Parvati are at the centre of this heavily restored composition. Shiva’s extended lower right hand holds gently Parvati’s hand, whose stance reveals her shyness. On Shiva’s left sits Brahma, in charge of the ritual. Two women blessing the couple stand near Parvati.
Tripurantakamurti; Tremendous tension is suggested by this depiction, with Shiva shown with his legs wide apart and his right arm extended. He carries the bow, whose string is the serpent Vasuki. His five hoods are clearly visible at its top, and the tail twisted into a knot at its bottom. The powerful arrow which has just being shot by Shiva is none other but Vishnu, as suggested by the face (badly rubbed) shown at its tip on the extreme left. Hanging upside down in mid- air are the three fortresses of the asuras that have been transfixed by Shiva’s arrow. Each fortress is defended by an asura armed with a sword and shield. Brahma is Shiva’s charioteer. The chariot’s front wheel is Chandra, the moon, the back wheel , Surya, the sun; it is drawn by two horses. Behind the chariot are two rishis. Clearly recognizable on the right is Narada with the vina resting on his shoulder.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva: Tripurantakamurti; Tremendous tension is suggested by this depiction, with Shiva shown with his legs wide apart and his right arm extended. He carries the bow, whose string is the serpent Vasuki. His five hoods are clearly visible at its top, and the tail twisted into a knot at its bottom. The powerful arrow which has just being shot by Shiva is none other but Vishnu, as suggested by the face (badly rubbed) shown at its tip on the extreme left. Hanging upside down in mid-air are the three fortresses of the asuras that have been transfixed by Shiva’s arrow. Each fortress is defended by an asura armed with a sword and shield. Brahma is Shiva’s charioteer. The chariot’s front wheel is Chandra, the moon, the back wheel, Surya the sun; it is drawn by two horses. Behind the chariot are two rishis. Clearly recognizable on the right is Narada with the vina resting on his shoulder.
Gangadharamurti; Shiva touches Parvati’s crown with the lower right arm, and gently lifts her chin with the lower left arm. Parvati stands to the right of Shiva, and turns her head away from him so as to look at her two companions. Ganga, who descends from one of Shiva’s dreadlocks is depicted as a huge waterfall, filled with aquatic life. Six male figures, probably Bhagiratha and other rishis, stand to the right.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva: Tripurantakamurti; Tremendous tension is suggested by this depiction, with Shiva shown with his legs wide apart and his right arm extended. He carries the bow, whose string is the serpent Vasuki. His five hoods are clearly visible at its top, and the tail twisted into a knot at its bottom. The powerful arrow which has just being shot by Shiva is none other but Vishnu, as suggested by the face (badly rubbed) shown at its tip on the extreme left. Hanging upside down in mid-air are the three fortresses of the asuras that have been transfixed by Shiva’s arrow. Each fortress is defended by an asura armed with a sword and shield. Brahma is Shiva’s charioteer. The chariot’s front wheel is Chandra, the moon, the back wheel, Surya the sun; it is drawn by two horses. Behind the chariot are two rishis. Clearly recognizable on the right is Narada with the vina resting on his shoulder.
Gangadharamurti; Shiva touches Parvati’s crown with the lower right arm, and gently lifts her chin with the lower left arm. Parvati stands to the right of Shiva, and turns her head away from him so as to look at her two companions. Ganga, who descends from one of Shiva’s dreadlocks is depicted as a huge waterfall, filled with aquatic life. Six male figures, probably Bhagiratha and other rishis, stand to the right.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Nataraja; Shiva dances with the right foot firmly planted on the dwarfish Apasmara symbol of ignorance and delusion. The Apasmara, carrrying a dagger, is shown with bulging round eyes and dishevelled hair, crawling beneath the god’s feet. On either side of Nataraja are rishis and devotees.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Nataraja; Shiva dances with the right foot firmly planted on the dwarfish Apasmara, symbol of ignorance and delusion. The Apasmara, carrrying a dagger, is shown with bulging round eyes and dishevelled hair, crawling beneath the god’s feet. On either side of Nataraja are rishis and devotees.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Vrishabharudhamurti; Shiva and Parvati are riding on Nandi. Parvati sits behind her consort, carrying a lotus in the left hand. Five rishis, four in front of Nandi, and one behind, pay homage to the divine couple, while celestials are seen flying in the clouds above.
Chandrashekharamurti; A large crescent moon rests on the front of the god’s crown. Two ascetics are shown on Chandrashekhara’s right, and one one on his left. Two celestials fly in the clouds above.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
Date: First half of the 16th century
Description: Aspects of Shiva; Vrishabharudhamurti; Shiva and Parvati are riding on Nandi. Parvati sits behind her consort, carrying a lotus in the left hand. Five rishis, four in front of Nandi, and one behind, pay homage to the divine couple, while celestials are seen flying in the clouds above.
Chandrashekharamurti (having the moon as diadem)
A large crescent moon rests on the front of the god’s crown. Two ascetics are shown on Chandrashekhara’s right, and one one on his left. Two celestials fly in the clouds above.
Location: Andhra Pradesh Temple;Virabhadraswamy Temple;Lepakshi
Positioning: Colonnaded verandah, north bay
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