Lepakshi: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting

Hidden away in the remote village of lepakshi in the rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, merely a couple of hours drive from Bengali, is one of the most spectacular Vijayanagara temples. Unlike so many other religious monuments of the period that have suffered disfiguring additions or have lost their original carvings and ceiling paintings, that at lepakshi dedicated to virabhadra, a fierce emancipation of Shiva, is miraculously intact. Its architecture, sculptures and paintings showcase the finest artistic achievements in southern India during the first half of the sixteenth century. While the remarkable qualities of lepakshi have long been recognized, particularly its unique series of ceiling paintings, this volume is the first to provide the temple with a comprehensive description. It is authored by three eminent scholars: George Michel, who has focused on Vijayanagara temple architecture; Anna L. Dallapiccola, who has extensively researched the sculptural and painting traditions of southern India; and Brigitte Khan majlis, an expert on Indian textile designs and techniques. In addition to newly prepared architectural plans of the monument, the volume is illustrated with more than 250 specially commissioned photographs of the temple’s exterior and interior by Surendra Kumar. Photography: Surendra Kumar.