( Chaitanya varma / CC BY-SA 4.0)

In the village of Lepakshi in Andhra Pradesh, India, stands the historic Veerabhadra Temple, built in the 1500s. This beautiful temple is covered in detailed carvings, but its most famous feature is the Hanging Pillar. Inside one of the large halls, there’s a stone column that appears to “float,” not touching the ground. There’s a small gap at its base, and visitors often slide a piece of paper or cloth underneath it to prove it’s really hanging.

The temple was built in 1530 by two brothers, Viranna and Virupanna, who served as governors in the Vijayanagara Empire. It is dedicated to Lord Veerabhadra, a fierce form of the Hindu god Shiva. Many believe the pillar was intentionally designed this way to show the builders’ incredible skill in engineering and architecture. There’s even a story about a British engineer who tried to move the pillar out of curiosity. He couldn’t do it, and though he slightly shifted its position, it stayed standing—adding even more mystery.

To this day, no one knows exactly how the pillar stays like that. One theory is that it’s a masterpiece of perfect weight balance created by the ancient builders. Another theory suggests that a powerful earthquake long ago may have shifted it just enough to lift it off the floor. Since there’s no proof for either explanation, the Hanging Pillar remains an unsolved wonder, attracting tourists, historians, and architects from around the world as a shining example of India’s rich history and skill.