Lord Veerabhadra Temple is located at
Lepakshi village, which is 15 km east of
Hindupur in
Anantapur District. It is built on a mount and dates back to the 16th century. The temple is an excellent specimen of Vijayanagar art.
The temple is divided into three parts - the 'Mukha Mandapa', (also called 'Nitya Mandapa' or 'Ranga Mandapa'), the 'Artha Mandapa' and 'Garbha Griha', and the 'Kalyana Mandapa'. These three parts form a triangle with a common mandapam. There are 38 carved monolithic pillars in grey sandstone.
A remarkable feature is the Antarikshastambham (the hanging pillar) which is an architectural wonder. Another highlight is the monolithic Nandi sculpture, which is said to be the biggest monolithic Nandi in India. A huge Nagalingam is seen to the south of the main shrine, which is covered by a seven-headed cobra. A festival is conducted during the month of February ('Asvayujamasam') which is a 10-day long celebration and includes the car festival.
