The beautiful Lepakshi Temple (also known as the Veerabhadra Temple) was built in the 16th century, but many people have not heard of it. One proud Indian, Maulik Lekhadia, is trying to correct that by pointing out an amazing fact about the Lepakshi Temple :
There are totally 70 pillars and none of them touch the ground… as you can see a cloth can smoothly slide underneath each of these pillars… modern day scientists are still unable to explain this…..
Update : Maulik Lekhadia isn’t the only person claiming this. The dubious honour also goes to Jago Jain Jagore, Ron Selvan, Bengaluru City, భారతీయ సంస్కృతీ సాంప్రదాయాలు( Indian Culture), PK Pal, Raghuram Salian, Bhavesh Shah, Vimal Lakhwala, Sushra Smarty Vaalupaiyan, Radhabhava Gaur Das, Kaushik K. Tank, Rita Tank, Sri Amma Bhagavan Devasthan, ಪಾವಗಡ ಸೂರಿ, Wings Shikar, Mahesh Trivedi Limbdi, Message from the teachings of Shri Shirdi Saibaba for today, दिल दोस्ती दुनियादारी, Kanhaiya Dube, Satya Prakash Sabherwal, and the list goes on and on and on…
Isn’t that amazing? The temple is apparently held up by FLOATING PILLARS! His post is immediately shared by over 270 people and declared by some as evidence that India is a great country.
Balderdash, you say? Well, you would be correct. Let’s find out what’s really going on!
There Is Only One Pillar
Although Maulik Lekhadia claims that the temple is being held up by 70 floating pillars, the fact of the matter is that only ONE of the 70 pillars supporting the temple allows a piece of cloth to be passed under it.
Two ladies passing a saree cloth underneath the hanging pillar of Lepakshi Temple / Credit : Priya Prakash
All these photos above are of the same hanging pillar, which was apparently dislodged by a British engineer who wanted to find out how the pillars were supporting the temple.
It’s Not Really Hanging
Although it’s called the hanging pillar, a cursory inspection of its base will show that it isn’t really hanging from the ceiling. It appears to be supported only on one corner, leaving a significant portion of the base clear off the ground. This allows cloth to be passed under it, giving the illusion that it’s floating.
Although it has been declared as an engineering wonder, anyone who knows the truth will know that there is nothing wondrous or miraculous about this “hanging pillar”. As for Maulik Lekhadia‘s claim that “modern day scientists are still unable to explain this…“, we will have to chalk that up to a lack of contact with actual scientists and a predilection to embellish a story.
The Temple Isn’t Just About A Hanging Pillar
The Lepakshi Temple isn’t just famous for its hanging pillar. For tourists who wonder if it’s worth going to the Lepakshi now that you know the Hanging Pillar of Lepakshi Temple isn’t really hanging from the ceiling, take a look at these other sights in and around the Lepakshi Temple.
Carved from a single piece of stone, this is the second-largest Nandi (bull) of Shiva. It is about 15 feet in height.
India is a great country, but its greatness does not come from such “miracles”. Its rich and diverse culture and heritage does not require embellishments. India is amazing as it is.
when you write something think about what are you writing and most importantly have a first hand experience of it.
1. You call it “” appears to be supported only on one corner”” , It shows your opinionated mind about writing. How can a structure which is supported on ground will allow anything to pass underneath it. Do fact check before pilling up words.
Nityanand Sharma, before responding, try checking your facts first. 🙂
You claim that there are 70 pillars and NONE OF THEM touch the ground? That’s bullshit.
Anyone who has ever gone there, or read about Lepakshi, knows that there is only ONE (1) pillar that allows cloth to be passed under it.
If you also look at the picture of the base, you can see that the pillar is touching the ground on one corner. This allows cloth to be passed under the pillar as long as it does not involve that corner.
Use a little common sense, and don’t get so defensive. India is no less of a nation just because there is no such thing as a temple with 70 floating pillars. 😉
Is it soo.One pillar is actually not touching the ground at all i have seen people putting cloth under it.Not one corner was left through which the cloth did not pass.it does not need any support.the support shown in the picture must be something else,which was there just for once. 😉