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Location : 350 kms from
Bangalore, Karnataka
" If dreams were made
out of stone, it would be Hampi"
Hampi is a World Heritage Centre and the world’s
largest open-air museum.
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Hampi was the capital city of the powerful
South Indian Vijayanagar Empire. . The empire reigned supreme
under Krishnadevaraya, the Emperor. The Vijayanagara empire
stretched over at least three states - Karnataka, Maharashtra,
and Andhra Pradesh. and became a by-word for golden rule
Founded by Harihara and Bukka in 1336; it fell to the Muslim
rulers of North India in 1565 after the disastrous Battle
of Talikota and subsequently lapsed into decline and abandonment.
The once-proud city of victory is now a city of desolation.
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However, the ruins of these historical
monuments have stood the ravages of man and time and
still evoke memories of the grandeur of a bygone era.
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A visit to Hampi is a sojourn
into the past.
Although in ruins today, this capital city once boasted riches
known far beyond the shores of India. The ruins of Hampi of
the 14th Century lies scattered in about 26 sq. km area, amidst
giant boulders and vegetation. Protected by the tempestuous
river Tungabhadra in the north and rocky granite ridges on
the other three sides, the ruins silently narrate the story
of grandeur splendor and fabulous wealth.
Most of the ruins are along the road leading from Kamalapura
to Hampi.
Three kms down the road, on a commanding site, stands the
temple of Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy.It is built in the Dravidian
style. Strange-looking fishes and marine monsters carved along
its outer walls are worth noticing.
The Virupaksha Temple rises majestically at the western
end of the famous Hampi Bazaar. The temple has a 120 feet
tall tower on its eastern entrance. The temple contains
the shrines of Shiva, Pampa and Bhuvaneswari.Parts of this
temple are older than the Vijayanagar kingdom itself. The
work of this style dates back to the 11th or 12th century.
Nearby is the 6.7m tall monolith of Ugra Narasimha. An inscription
nearby states that it was hewn from a single boulder in
1528 during the reign of Krishnadeva Raya.
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Vithala Temple Complex
The most splendid monument of Hampi is undoubtedly the
Vithala Temple
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Complex with its
56 musical pillars. To the east of the hall is the famous
Stone Chariot with stone wheels that actually revolve. In
front of the shrine stands the great mantapa. Resting on a
richly sculpted basement, its roof is supported by huge pillars
of granite, about 15 feet in height, each consisting of a
central pillar surrounded by detached shafts, all cut from
one single block of stone. Several of the carved pillars were
attacked with such fury that they are hardly more than shapeless
blocks of stones and a large portion of the central part has
been destroyed completely.
The best way to experience this World Heritage Site is to
take a leisurely stroll through the eloquent ruins. The splendid
remains of palaces and gateways of this broken city eloquently
showcases the infinite talent and creativity of Man and also
shows his capacity for senseless destruction.
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Belur
and Halebid -
Come to the twin temple towns of Belur and Halebid for
a glimpse of Hindu temple art at its glorious best.
In the 16th century, Belur-Halebid were at the heart
of the throbbing Hoysala empire. The Hoysalas were huge
patrons of art and
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architecture
and built massive temples that have survived the ravages
of time. |
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The most outstanding temple
in Belur is the Chenakeshava, a monumental edifice that took
103 years to build, possibly because of the intricate details
and the myriads of friezes and sculptures that embellish the
temple walls. Scenes from the epics, elephants in battle and
sensuous dancers come alive in stone. The 42 'madanikas' or
celestial dancers were inspired by Queen Shantaladevi, who
is said to have epitomized beauty. The Hoysala architects
had an eye for detail and such wizardry with their chisels
that the earrings on the lobes of the dancers can rotate and
beads of perspiration glisten in the hair of some. |
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PRIME ATTRACTIONS
Chennakesava Temple at Belur. Belur
is a small town in the Hassan district of Karnataka. Belur
is 222 Kms from Bangalore, 34 Kms from Hassan and 149 Kms
from Mysore. Belur is known as Dakshina Varanasi or South
Banaras for its exquisite temples.
Here, kings of the Hoysala dynasty constructed the 'Chennakeshva'
temple. It is about one hundred feet high and has a magnificent
gateway tower built in the Dravidian style.
The breathtaking temple reigns on a star-shaped pedestal.
Every possible surface is covered with the most perfectly
proportioned figures.
Everything is carved in a gleaming, polished black stone,
which looks like metal.
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Pillars:
Inside, in the startling darkness gleam the beautiful
pillars, each unique in its filigreed splendour.
The most popular
being, the Narasimha pillar in the Navaranga, unique
in its filigreed splendour. It is said to have revolved
on its ball bearings once. A small space has been left
on it to be sculpted by anyone who has the talent. It
remains untouched.
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The
pillars were made by rough-finishing a monolithic block
of stone and then mounting it in an upright position
on a wheel. This was rotated against a chisel, set as
a turning tool. Each pillar has a bell-shaped member
towards the lower half of the shaft. A sloping bracket
has been fixed to the capital by means of sockets. The
brackets were carved from single slabs into images,
enshrined with leafy aureoles of beautiful maidens known
as 'shilabalakis'. The seductive voluptuary emphasis
is remarkable. |
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About 16 km away from Belur
is Halebid, the other temple town, equally magnificent but
not as well preserved. Halebid was the capital of the Hoysalas
till it was destroyed in the early 14th century after attacks
by the Delhi Sultanate. The Hoysaleshwara temple survived
the pillage but it somehow managed to remain incomplete even
after 87 years of uninterrupted construction. The temple is
dedicated to Shiva and has two enormous Nandi bulls at the
entrance.
The temples of Belur and Halebid were made of steatite, a
material that is easy to work on, soft initially but hardening
after prolonged exposure. The Hoysalas promoted temple art
to such a degree that the artists actually left their signatures
on their work. The sculptures are unparalleled in their beauty;
in fact, as a challenge to their art, the sculptors left a
small blank space on the revolving Narasimha pillar, to be
filled in by anyone who has the talent. The space remains
blank till today.
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Sravanabelagola is a small town between
Bangalore and Hassan. It is a holy place for Jains and
is world famous for the largest monolith statue of Lord
Gometeshwara also known as Bahubali. Legend has it that
King Chandra Gupta Maurya spent his last few years here.
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The town is split by two hills Indragiri and and Chandragiri.
Indragiri is the larger of the two hills and it is on this
hill that the Gomateshwara statue stands. It is a steep climb
to reach the statue.There are more than 500 steps that lead
up to the temple . Footwear has to be removed before climbing
the steps.
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