[indfo]

Thread content deleted as since it contained various [FONT], [COLOR] and [SIZE] tags.
Posting with such text formatting should be avoided on Team-BHP as it is inconvenient for members to read post.

Please note that it is now imperative for you to upload pictures directly to the Team-BHP Server. Click here (Uploading photographs directly to Team-BHP) to view our simple help article on uploading pictures.

[indfo]

Suddenly Thursday evening I realized that the long weekend will go waste if I don’t plan anything.
My wife is always ready for a trip so it’s never hard on a last minute plan.
It had been raining all around in Andhra pradesh and it never occurred in my mind that my trip could get washed out. I made a quick plan, thought of heading out of Bangalore at around 9am and return by 4'ish in the evening.

Date: Friday Oct 2
Transportation Device: Accent Viva
Fuel: A need for a break, photography itch
Fellow Passengers: Wifey, Cousin

9:15am :
Cloudy and a cool weather to start the journey. Covering around 120kms one way would never be a pain.
Bangalore (Jayanagar) – Hebbal Flyover – Devanahalli Airport – Chikkabellapur - AP-Border - Lepakshi
It’s basically one straight road, pick the new airport road, keep driving until you hit the A.P (Andhra Pradesh) Border. Exactly at that place there is one road that deviates to the left. (There will be a lot of trucks and buses lined up here and there is a good chance you will miss the left turn.)
From the left turn, the Lepakshi temple is around a 20kms drive. The roads are decently good and as there is no traffic on that road, you can maintain your highway speeds.

[Image shot with upside down camera focusing on the puddle of water to get a painted effect]
11:15am:
We reached the temple at Lepakshi. There is ample parking space available right at the footsteps of the temple. First 30 minutes we ventured the temple on our own. It’s a great sight - seeing the old structure which has a lot of similarities to the Hampi architecture. Then we took services of a guide (Rs.100 not fixed, so you can pay lesser if you wish to). The guide took us around the temple again explaining the significance and stories behind many sculptures. This took us another hour.
Having roamed around the temple complex twice it was time for me to pull out the camera and pick the best places to shoot. After an hour of clicking it was time we moved on to another destination at Lepakshi.

2:00pm:
Nandi (Bull ), Lepakshi
This is the largest Bull sculpted out of stone in the whole of Asia. I am sure it would be in the whole world as I don’t think there is any other BULL sculpture anywhere else in the world.
After about half an hour at this place we headed out in search of lunch. There is absolutely nothing which is decent around this place. I would suggest you carry something to eat or time it in such a way that you are headed back to Bangalore during lunch time. On the way there is a newly acquired hotel by Kamat. The place seems to have recently opened and they were quite un-organized. The food was good. But this place is easily around 1 hour from Lepakshi, so time it well.

5:30pm:
Devanahalli Fort.
Just before the Bangalore airport, you would find the Devanahalli fort on the left. This is a very badly maintained place and there is nothing much to do over there. There are quite a few temples but all looked deserted and we didn’t venture inside. The fort actually has a small city inside, you will never realize that it is a fort as soon as you drive through the gates! One nice thing is that you can walk over the fort walls and for that you need to take the steps right at the entrance of the fort.

7:00pm:
After a slow drive back home through the same route (Devanahalli – Hebbal Flyover – Vidhan Soudha – Jayanagar) we were back with loads of snaps. It had been raining all through out the drive but fortunately for us, whenever we got down from the car, we had a respite from rains and could see all the places in peace.

Total drive: 250kms
Mileage: 15kms
Cost: Petrol : 850, Food & Snacks : 250 (For 3), Guide : 100, Temple Donations (undisclosed ;-) )

Complete set of snaps at my site: Lepakshi, Andhra Pradesh, India

[Rudra Sen]

indfo, I've deleted your images. It's a must that you upload your images directly to TBHP server. Please check the link I've provided on your first post. Thanks.

[indfo]

But here are couple of images which i wanted to share.
The first one being the snap which was taken inverted with the reflection on the puddle of water on top and the actual building on the bottom.

Second one has a nice meaning at lepakshi. It is said that it was constructed in matter of minutes when the sculptors were waiting for their mom to prepare lunch.


[removed URL to external pictures]

[indfo]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

indfo, I've deleted your images. It's a must that you upload your images directly to TBHP server. Please check the link I've provided on your first post. Thanks.

Kindly delete this whole thread (or the section which says the thread was deleted)
I will start it again.
My apologies for not having read though the instructions properly.

[ampere]

Thanks for the info. Did not know of such a place. I will check this place out.
Photos looked good on the site you pointed. Similar to Hampi.

[ampere]

Bumping an old thread. Did not want to start a new one.

Had a morning drive to Lepakshi temples and I must say, I was really amazed at the architecture.
Firstly the architecture belongs to the Vijayanagar style. (I initially could not believe this), but later research proved
I was wrong. The place is also famous for the Lepakshi saree designs.

Road Condition: Its a breeze to hit the AP Border (The first toll gate is right on the border.)
After the toll gate, you hit the Raxa Academy on the left. Take first exist after this and you will be greeted wit the state road that joins NH7 to Hindupur. Lepakshi lies on this route about 15 km from the GQ. The road condition ranges from OK to bad, but is manageable.

You are greeted by Nandi as you enter. Made of one stone!






The temple is also a marvel.

The Entrance


The Shiva Linga at the backside of the temple.




Intricately carved Ganesha


The Temple Complex





A few more artefacts.










Some amazing murals and pillars







Overall it was an amazing experience with weather playing the perfect host.
The place just about 100 odd Km from Bangalore. Another thing I wonder is that NH7 is grossly under-utilized on the BLR-HYD section.
(Well I have not been all the way to HYD, but to whatever distance I have traversed on this sector, it made me think this way)

The few number of times I have been to this side, I hardly see many vehicles on the road (though good for me! ).

[StarVegabond]

You could have combined Penugonda fort (nothing great..just ruins) as well as Puttaparthi along with Lepakshi.

we did this last year Aug last year immediately after the north karnataka & Andhra floods.

[akbaree]

Nice pictures ampere.

You are right, Lepakshi is one beautiful place. And the atmosphere there is so serene, that you feel like returning again and again.

I have promised myself to go to Lepakshi during Shivratri - there's a huge fare. I hope Shiva would be kind enough to let me fulfill my promise.

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by ampere

Lepakshi lies on this route about 15 km from the GQ.

I guess you wanted to mean N-S Corridor and not GQ

[ampere]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

You could have combined Penugonda fort (nothing great..just ruins) as well as Puttaparthi along with Lepakshi.

we did this last year Aug last year immediately after the north karnataka & Andhra floods.

@Star, Already been to Puttaparthi. The issue is Darshan times cannot be guaranteed. Also wanted to come back soon. Penugonda fort? There is always a second time!

Started by around 6:30 in the morning and was back by 11! Drove my father's Ritz petrol, and boy what an engine that was. The running is period is over and it was revving just great.

Originally Posted by akbaree

Nice pictures ampere.

You are right, Lepakshi is one beautiful place. And the atmosphere there is so serene, that you feel like returning again and again.

I have promised myself to go to Lepakshi during Shivratri - there's a huge fare. I hope Shiva would be kind enough to let me fulfill my promise.

I was particularly impressed with the open area of the temple, which I thought is the place used for resting/social networking. The plan seemed to be so perfect and the surrounding art-decor, so in-place, I was thinking wow! these guys were so ahead of their times!

Yes, the priest did tell that there is a huge fare during the festival with rath yatra (I could not get which festival he mentioned; was too busy clicking away!). What is so nice is that we are so surrounded, such nice places, but we hardly make it a point visit these places and actually try to know about them.

On a different note, one place I am yet to visit is the one you did with your aunt!

Originally Posted by arindamray

I guess you wanted to mean N-S Corridor and not GQ

Yes what you say is correct. IT IS NS Corridor. But for all the 4L highways, GQ has become some kind of a common jargon and hence just mentioned it that way.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by ampere

Started by around 6:30 in the morning and was back by 11! Drove my father's Ritz petrol, and boy what an engine that was. The running is period is over and it was revving just great.

this means, you were at your fathers place the day before itself isn't it ?
it appears you missed a very good independence day celebration. it just got over by 10:45 AM

[ampere]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

this means, you were at your fathers place the day before itself isn't it ?
it appears you missed a very good independence day celebration. it just got over by 10:45 AM

I know! Even my dad was cribbing !
I was there the previous night.

[Lukeskywalker]

Nice pictures there Ampere, never been to Lepakshi in spite of many coaxings from my mom who wants to visit it, now your pictures have just added a new impetus.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Lukeskywalker

Nice pictures there Ampere, never been to Lepakshi in spite of many coaxings from my mom who wants to visit it, now your pictures have just added a new impetus.

Thanks Luke. If I re-collect you stay in North BLR right? It should be very easy get on NH7 for you! And just an hour to drive.

PLUS now there is a Kamat just 7 Km after Chikballapur as well.