Lepakshi temple is famous for its many monolithic structures. Inside the second enclosure, there's a huge Ganapathi shrine. Towards its left is a stone-carving depicting SriKalaHasthi.
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| Ganapathi Shrine |
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| Stone-carving depicting SriKalaHasthi |
On the other side of this structure there's the Nagalingam, a Lingam sitting on a huge monolithic coiled serpent (Naga), facing the kitchen. The popular story connected to this carving goes like this: Once the sculptors, waiting for their mother to prepare lunch, started carving the stone. Mother completed her cooking and was in awe seeing the stone take shape a huge seven-headed serpent. Her admiration seemed to have caused a jinx and resulted in a crack in the sculpture. It was later mended and a Shiva linga was placed to compensate for the damage.
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| Naga-Lingam |
Facing the Nagalingam, one can see the Kalyana Mandapam in the background. It is an unfinished structure depicting the wedding ceremony of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi.
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| Entrance to Kalpana Mandapam with sages welcoming the guests |
Panchamukha Brahma, Vishnu, Brihaspati, Dattatreya, Vishwamitra and the Ashtadikpalakas standing witness to this wedding are beautifully carved on these pillars.
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| Kalyana Mandapam |
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| MainaDevi and Himavanta |
One of the pillars depicts Sage Vasishta performing the wedding ceremony, while Lord Shiva holds Goddess Parvathi's hand.
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Shiva-Parvathi Kalyanam
Image Credit: Wiki |
On one of the walls near Kalyana Mandapam one can see two red marks. As per a legend, Virupanna used the State treasury for the construction of the temple. When the King came to know, he announced the punishment that Virupanna be blinded. Hearing this, Virupanna punished himself by plucking his own eyes and throwing them. The marks are said to be result of that. This entire episode was during the construction of Kalyana Mandapam and so the structure was left unfinished.
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