Veerabhadra Temple, Hindu temple in Lepakshi, India.

Veerabhadra Temple is a Hindu temple in Lepakshi in India, with three main sections and a sanctum that holds detailed sculptures and paintings on every visible surface. The building extends across several levels, connecting open columned halls with enclosed chambers that carry reliefs and figurative representations.

Virupanna and Viranna, treasury officers at Penukonda under King Achyuta Deva Raya, built the temple around 1530; some accounts give 1540. The site was already a hill called Kurma Saila, where the sage Agastya had installed a Shiva linga. The temple holds 21 inscriptions, several in Kannada script and Sanskrit, recording land grants made for its upkeep. Tradition says Virupanna blinded himself after the king summoned him, leaving the temple unfinished.

The frescoes on the interior walls show figures from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, painted with colors made from minerals and plants. Visitors also see depictions of deities and mythological stories applied to plastered surfaces.

The temple stands on Kurma Saila hill, and visitors find parking available near the entrance. Modest clothing is expected when entering the grounds, and access to some areas may be restricted depending on religious ceremonies.

One of the pillars in the temple does not fully touch the ground, allowing cloth to pass beneath it. This detail shows the advanced building techniques applied during its construction.