KP On The Go!

Introduction Alandi is well known as the residence and final resting place of Sant Dnyaneshwar - one of the most important figures of the Warkari sect and one of the principle saints of Maharashtra. The town is thus a major place of pilgrimage in the state. The town lies just to the north of Pune city, on the banks of the Indrayani river which it straddles with immense bathing ghats. Alandi - under lights I have been meaning to visit Alandi for a long time, but for one reason or the other, that never happened. Until this time. -x-x-x- An Accidental Visit On a midnight drive to a place further north from Pune, we passed through the town of Alandi. While crossing the bridge over the Indrayani we were caught by the sight of the sprawling and empty ghats and decided to halt for a while. The illuminated ghats of Alandi -x-x-x- The Sounds Under Lights The visual delight of the ghats under lights quickly transformed to a more musical one with each step we took - for...

Introduction The Kakatiya Dynasty has been credited with some amazing architecture during their reign in the 12th and 13th centuries. One of the structures that has withstood the test of time (and changing rulers) is the Ramappa Temple near Palampet, about 65km north of Warangal. The grand temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, has some amazing sculptures depicting mythological scenes and daily lives of the people. However, the temple is famous for the graceful bracket figures of madanikas flanking high on the corners and entrances. The madanikas of Palampet -x-x-x- The Temple Complex The temple complex has two entrances - the main entrance on the west and a smaller one to the east. The area outside the complex is littered with ruins which are under restoration by the ASI.   The ruins outside the complex The complex is quite spacious in itself. It houses the main temple in the centre, a mantapa with a stone plaque to the north-east and one minor temple to the north...

Introduction The village of Lepakshi is located at the south-western corner of Andhra Pradesh, at its border with Karnataka. The otherwise nondescript village is now well known for the beautiful temple of Veerabhadra Swamy and its monolithic Nandi (bull; Basava locally). The temple belongs to the Vijayanagara school of architecture. The construction of the temple is attributed to Virupanna Nayaka and Viranna who were officers of King Achyutaraya of Penukonda. The construction is dated to the first half of the 16th century. Inside the Veerabhadra Swamy Temple The Veerabhadra temple can be divided in to two sections - the outer enclave and the inner enclave. The inner enclave further has the main temple, the Nagalinga section and the western pillars. -x-x-x- The Outer Enclave The temple complex has a double enclosure. The outer enclosure has a square plan with three gates - northern, eastern and western. The northern gate has a tower and is the main entry gate for the tem...