The ceiling above the inner sanctum holds the great prize of Lepakshi: a fresco of Veerabhadra and his attendants painted directly onto granite, one of the largest and best-preserved Vijayanagara-period murals in existence. The figures process across the ceiling in panels divided by ornamental borders, drawn in the distinctive Vijayanagara style — large eyes, sharp profiles, flat saturated colour.
The mural is dim, so let your eyes adjust before you try to make sense of it. The painting continues into the adjacent assembly halls, with smaller panels showing scenes from the Ramayana and the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. Photography is generally prohibited inside the temple, but you are welcome to stand beneath the painting for as long as you like.