Ancient Hindu temples in India are steeped in mystery more than history. The Snake Temple at Vidurashwatha is unique & you will find no other temple such as this in the entire country! Snake Gods are worshipped to bestow us children & good health. Devout Hindus who are denied these, invoke Vasuki, the Snake God of fertility & get a statue installed in the premises, to appease him. So far there have been more than 15,000 of them and still counting! The very image of these endless rows & columns of these statues, with worshippers circling them, with monkeys jumping from one to the other, with devotees applying turmeric & vermillion, with priests nudging the pilgrims, are typical scenes here. Visit this temple for a mystic experience! Vidurashwatha is also known as the Jalianwala Bagh of South India. 32 Indians were shot dead by the British on April 25 1938 for defying an order not to hoist the Indian Flag during Freedom movement. We pay a visit to a memorial built to these brave hearts!

Lepakshi is a hidden gem in the architectural treasure trove of South India. The extraordinary quantities of stones quarried, moved, sculpted & installed to build temples in India over 2 millennia stands testimony to the efforts & beliefs of Hindus. The Veerabhadra Swamy Temple of Lepakshi is one of the best examples of Vijayanagara architecture which evolved during 14-16 CE in the Deccan. Visit Lepakshi if you want to: See the largest monolithic stone statues of a Bull & King Cobra; Awe at an ornate hanging pillar with people passing their hankies underneath it; Marvel at the 500 year old paintings depicting Hindu mythology on the ceilings of the temple; Listen to the storey of how Lepakshi got its name through a Vulture named Jatayu which helped Lord Rama looking for his wife; Admire & photograph the carvings of all the details adorning the walls & pillars of this 500 year old temple. If you have not already visited Hampi, or, don't have time to do it, this is your calling.