Virupaksha Temple

Virupaksha Temple is located in Hampi 350 km from Bangalore, in the state of Karnataka in southern India. It is part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Virupaksha is a form of Shiva and has other temples dedicated to him, notably at the Group of Monuments at Pattadakal, another World Heritage Site.

 Hampi sits on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in the ruins of the ancient city of Vijayanagar, capital of the Vijayanagara empire. Virupaksha Temple is the main center of pilgrimage at Hampi and has been considered the most sacred sanctuary over the centuries. It is fully intact among the surrounding ruins and is still used in worship. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, known here as Virupaksha . The temple's history is uninterrupted from about the 7th century. The Virupaksha-Pampa sanctuary existed well before the Vijayanagara capital was located here. Inscriptions referring to Shiva date back to the 9th and 10th centuries. What started as a small shrine grew into a large complex under the Vijayanagara rulers.

HISTORY

 Under the Vijayanagara rulers, in the middle of the 14th century, there began a flowering of native art and culture. When the rulers were defeated by invaders in the 16th century, most of the wonderful decorative structures and creations were system . The cult of Virupaksha-Pampa did not end with the destruction of the city in 1565. Worship there has persisted throughout the years. At the beginning of the 19th century there were major renovations and additions, which included ceiling paintings and the towers of the north and east gopura atically destroyed

FEW MONUMENTS

STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE
The Vijayanagara Architecture of the period (1336 - 1565CE) was a notable building idiom evolved by the imperial Hindu Vijayanagara Empire that ruled the whole of South India on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in Karnataka, India. The empire built a number of temples, monuments, palaces and other structures over South India . Vijayanagara architecture can be broadly classified into religious, courtly and civic architecture, as can the associated sculptures and paintings Vijayanagara temples are usually surrounded by a strong enclosure.

TEMPLE STRUCTURE
The main temple consists of a sanctum, three ante chambers and an open pillared hall. A pillared cloister, entrance gateways, courtyards, smaller shrines and other structures surround the temple. The nine-tiered eastern gateway, which is the largest at 50 meters, is well-proportioned and incorporates some earlier structures . It has a brick superstructure and a stone base. It gives access to the outer court containing many subshrines. The smaller eastern gateway leads to the inner court with its numerous smaller shrines.

ENTRANCE : East facing giant tower ( Gopura ) 9 storied tower with a pair of cow horn on the top . The lower two tiers of the tower is made with decorated stone work. Made with brick and mortar. Around the exterior of first tier spots many interesting stucco figures

The main temple is east facing and has two large courtyards , one leading to the other. The first courtyard houses mainly 100 pillared hall called the KALYANAMANTAPA. A narrow passage on the wall of the 100 pillared hall gives access to the kitchen .

 The second tower three storied gives access to the inner courtyard

The headed NANDI ( Bull Statue )

Lamp post , the balipitas ( sacred platform )

The most striking feature of this court is central pillared hall RANGA MANDAPA . Two mythical lion like creations forms the balustrade for the entrance of this elevated pavilion. 5 aisles and 38 pillars Further west , sanctum of lord Virupaksha Two 4 armed guardian deities,8 feet tall stand on either side of the inner hall.