Dayout to Lepakshi

Recently wifey and me planned for a weekend trip after a long time. This is the first trip with my daughter.
Short 1 day trip as not interested to stay away from home for night stay.

worked out different options starting with Mysore, Beemeshwari fishing camp (Muttati), Lepakshi. Dropped the plan to Mysore due to cauvery water issue, Beemeswari fishing camp was dropped as wifey also wanted to do the water rafting and can't leave to baby, so finally ended with Lepakshi option.

Lepakshi is just 120km from Bangalore towards Hyderabad (NH 7). and road is very good.
DDay, we got ready by 8 in the morning and started and one the way near hebbal, wifey's friend joined our trip (extra PAX added to our plan just the before night). Headed after crossing airport after paying the toll (charged 30/-) there was no much traffic and weather was really good. It was cloudy and no heat of the sun, so the drive was even more pleasure.

We stopped near the Kamat upachar for breakfast around 9am. The place is very nice and well maintained. We had our traditional idly, vada, dosa and upma (not every one all, but of every one's choice). Near the kamat upachar, we saw around 15 bikers stopping for a break, Didn't take pics of the place.

Soon after finishing breakfast we started our journey and, and the weather is still very nice, and just near Karnataka and andhra border there is one more toll plaza. we have to take left near the village (Chilamattur), One can see the sign board showing Lepakshi towards left, take the road and Lepakshi is 15km from that place. The road toward lepakshi is just average, has to pass through few villages.

Soon we enter lepakshi we see the famous ikon "The Basavanna" (The Bull) Carved on the single stone which has the record of world's Largest carved on single rock(eka sila vigraham).

 That's my 9 month old daughter near the bull statue.

Took few snaps and headed towards the veerabadra swamy temple. Some info about the place, the temple is built around 500 years back in Vijayanagar kingdom style under the king who ruled penukonda, 30km away from lepakshi

 The entrance of the temple complex, it looks small from outside. soon we entered the temple, there were so many sculptures carved on the pillars of the temple. we did darshan and started looking at the sculptures, A guide approached us and started explaining the features of the temple, And we really found some interesting facts in this tour.
I will try to explain the details of the temple along with the pics.
The center hall is called "Natya Mandapa" and has a story of the famous Apsara "Ramba"dancing pose while other gods play musical instruments.

 Lord Brahma playing mrudhangam

Apsaras dance guru with 3 legs posing in a dance posture, which can be seen as same posture of Ramba.

The specialty of the temple complex is the "Hanging pillar" which was designed to make the whole temple complex stand with out foundation as it was build on the granite hill. This is one the architectural marvel achieved during that time. Later period British wanted to check the facts behind the story and tried to move the pilla with iron rods, and there was disturbance on the sealing and other pillars. and later they stopped as the full complex might fall.

Here are the few pics of the pillar.



On the ceiling of the temple complex, we can see the different mythological stories painted with vegetable oils.