Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi – Paintings

Veerabhadra Temple, Lepakshi – Paintings

This temple has the finest specimens of mural paintings of the Vijayanagar kings. They are painted over an initial plaster layer of lime mortar. The colour scheme consists of vegetable and mineral colours of yellow, ochre, black, blue and green blended with lime water; the background is generally painted in red colour. 

The paintings found in various parts of the temple are listed below;

Natya Mandapa:

The first panel at the entrance of the Natya Mandapa is a large panel depicting the legend of Manu Needhi Chola. This panel measures 18.5 metres in length and 2 metres in breadth. The roof of the Mandapa is divided into many sections. These sections contain paintings depicting Mahabharata stories, Ramayana stories, Kala Bhairava, Vatapatrasaayee, Viruppanna & Viranna worshipping Veerabhadra with their family members, Lord Shiva marriage, story of Muchukunda, Lord Shiva playing chess with Parvati, Nataraja and Ashta Dikpalakas.

Maha Mandapa:

The first panel at the entrance of the Maha Mandapa is a large panel depicting various forms of Lord Shiva like Lingodbhava, Kalasamhara, Andhakantaka, Dakshinamurti, Chandesha Anugraha Murti, Bikshadana, Harihara, Chandrasekhara, Ardhanareeshwara, Kalyana Sundara, Tripurantaka, Gangadhara, Nataraja, Rishbhantika and Parvati. The roof of the Mandapa is divided into many sections. These sections contain paintings depicting Ramayana stories. The other paintings found in Maha Mandapa are Ardhanareeshwara, Shiva, Vishnu, Veerabhadra, Nataraja, abduction of Sita by Ravana, Uma Maheshvara, Ashta Dikpalas, Kannappa Nayanar story, king Muchukunda and a royal procession. The fresco of Veerabhadra on the ceiling of Maha Mandapa measures 24 feet by 14 feet. It is said that this fresco is the largest in India.

Raghunatha Shrine:

The roof of this shrine has paintings of Narasimha, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Lakshmi Narayana, Koormavadhara and Matysavatara.

Shayanagara:

The roof of this structure has paintings of Uma Maheshvara, Shiva seated in sukhasana posture and a temple enshrining Shiva Linga.

Circumambulatory path around the Veerabhadra Shrine:

Paintings of Uma Maheshvara, Lord Shiva on Kailasha, Narasimhi, Venugopala, Mahisasuramardini, Bhairava, Sadashiva, Kaliyamardhana and Ganesha can be found on the circumambulatory path in between the Veerabhadra shrine and Raghunatha shrine.