Of Sculptures and Murals, Lepakshi

This is the first of my series of long journeys across India. I was supposed to leave two weeks earlier but I was content in reading the travel writings of others who have gone before me. It’s nobody’s guess that everyone has a different motivation and a different opinion. Every piece of good travel writing is ultimately personal, a distillation of observations and experiences without precedants. In this spirit, I am seeking out my own set of experiences.

The second reason for the delay was the general inertia in being content to idle away the hours in the comfort of home. While travelling cheap and in India is anything but comfort, it is precisely the joy of travelling that motivates one to leave home. On the road, everyday is an experience.

So I took a slow passenger train from Bangalore this morning to Hindupur. There is never a moment of boredom on a passenger train. All sorts of people board it, from the uneducated villager to the sophisticated businessman. At Doddabellapur, a monkey boarded the train to the amusement of all. “May I see your ticket please?”, the TC may have asked had he come checking.

Lepakshi is a short bus ride from Hindupur. The temple dedicated to Veerabadra Swamy is a departure from the popular deities. Here, for once the gatekeeper is given prominence over Lord Shiva. Perhaps, this is a tribute to the fact that no job is mean enough to be important.

At this temple, there is not much in the way of architecture. This is more than made up in the wealth of sculptures and murals. Of the latter, the colours are vibrant, lines fluid and designs exquisite.

At Lepakshi, India’s largest Nandi sits as Basavanna.