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You are here : Home >> Photo Gallery>>Karnataka >> Hampi Vitthala Temple

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Now Showing: States of India / Karnataka / Hampi Vitthala Temple    [Viewed 2827 times]
U see the magnificent Vitthala Temple complex. A trip to Hampi is incomplete without visiting this temple. It has an outer wall, 3 gopurams-gateways in the east, north, south directions. The temple stands in a large rectangular enclosure (164*94.5m). All along the enclosure walls on the interior side are pillared colonnnades. Arranged around the sanctum is the Amman shrine, the kalyanamandapa, an natyamandapa, a 100 pillared sabhamandapa and a stone chariot dedicated to Garuda. Outside the enclosure in front of the eastern gopuram stands a dipastambha, nearly 12 m in height. Hill on right of pic in Anegundi hill where Lord Hanuman was born. Took this picture from the top of Anegundi Hill where Lord Hanuman was born. Pic taken around 12 noon so not very clear. But it gives you a good idea of the temple complex layout. The water that you see is the Tungabhadra river. U can see three gopurams, boundary wall. Best time to visit temple is early morning or after 4pm adjusted for season. Board outside temple. Built under patronage of Devaraya II 1422-46, additions during Krishnadeva Raya reign 1509-29. It has 100 pillared mandapa, eastern and northern gateways carved with depictions of Lord Vishnu. Composite pillars of Sabhamandapa are massive, made out of single granite blocks. Some of these when tapped produce musical notes. When u walk towards the temple from the main market u see this 2 storeyed gateway. Two empty cubical shrines that you see on either side of the structure probably once enshrined images of guardial deities like Hanuman.
This is the first Gopuram when u walk in from the market side facing the North. Lower portion is stone while upper is brick work (little of it is left). The outer wall of temple is plain but missed seeing the inside wall of the temple - did it have any sculptures. Sculptures on the Gopuram - u can see image of a Goddess. The temple was in active worship till the fall of the Vijayanagara empire in 1565. Another view of the lower portion of the Gopuram. The temple is about a 20 minute walk from the main market. Or u can take a car through the town and reach entrance from where the battery operated vehicle brings u to the temple. This is east facing gopuram ie also the main temple entrance. The gopurams were built by Chinnadevi and Tirumaladevi, queens of Krishnadeva Raya.
A close up of the restored work on the brick portion of the main entrance gopuram. For a good guide call Prakash 9448795114. Speaks English, Hindi, Kannada well. Just outside the main entrance is a huge bazaar remains of which you see. Bazaar measuring 945 sq mts and 40 mts in width that leads to a sacred tank known as Lokapavani that I missed seeing. Overview of temple. Left to right first is marriage hall (Kalyanamandapa), behind that is Sabhamandapa (meeting hall), centre is Stone Chariot, behind that is Dancing Hall (Natyamandapa). Behind that is Vitthala Temple and on extreme left is Prayer Hall (Bhajanamandapa). This is the rear side of the Vitthala Temple. As u see the gopuram is quite high and width of the temple quite huge.
We present a series of pictures on the world famous Stone Chariot. It was made between 1510-1513 to commemorate Krishnadevaraya``s victory over the King of Orissa. The round wheels remind me of the Sun Temple Konarak. This is the north facing side. Imagine this piece is made out of stone - can todays men and machines make something like this. A side view taken from the north eastern side. Sequence of structures is Stone chariot at the end, then Bali pet, Yagna mandapa, Tulsi and Deepstamb that u do not see in picture. Hill that you see in centre of pic is Anegundi hill. Pic taken around sun set time. A north facing view in broad daylight. See carvings at bottom of chariot. Elephant trunks are broken. Observe and admire the structure. Right side end picture is the Prayer Hall.
Same north facing view taken close to sun set. Hill on left hand side of picture is Anegundi Hill. To see pics of all monuments at night, flood lit, go to Hampi Festival pictures. A close up of the wheels - top of left hand side see the stone there to ensure the wheel remains inside and does not come out. Admire the intricate work. Pictures of soldiers, hunters, the Portugese, Arabs and Persians are depicted in this chariot. Behind the wheels were paintings as u see in picture. Can someone throw light on what images at bottom of picture represent. A north eastern view of the chariot. All the intricate and delicate details found in a wooden ratha are simulated in this stone chariot. The brick superstructure of the ratha, shaped like a vimana is no longer extant.

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[3] Comment(s) Posted
  1. Comment By - deepak madhukar petare Date - 24 Nov 2011 Time - 11:43PM

  2. very nice picture,please add very divine place called sannati (shreeyantra)temple in karnataka near gulbarga

  3. Comment By - Ramachander Homma Ramanna Date - 19 Nov 2011 Time - 9:55AM

  4. The Glory of vijaya Nagar Empire. Well depicted There is a lot of change than what I saw in 1953.For the good.!!!!

  5. Comment By - Rita Roy Chowdhury Date - 19 Nov 2011 Time - 6:52AM

  6. I feel very proud to belong to a nation who produced such wonderful works of art.


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