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Temples in Karnataka
The Vithala Temple is situated on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River. The most outstanding of the religious edifices at Hampi.
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It can be reached from the west by walking on from Hampi Bazaar along the riverbank, or from the east through the Talarigattu Gateway. The ruins of the temple are a World Heritage monument. It is in a moderately good state of preservation. The temple's unimaginable sculptural work is a height of Vijayanagar Art. The outer pillars are known as the 'Musical Pillars' as they echo when banged.
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Although this practice is now discouraged to avoid further dent. The temple also features a flamboyant
stone chariot in the temple courtyard containing an image of Garuda. The main temple was dedicated to Vishnu as Vithala. Facing east, the chamber of the god along with its axial 'mandapa' forms a long and low structural group, about 7.6 meters in height and 70 meters in length.
The group comprises the open 'maha mandapa', a closed 'ardha-mandapa' with side-porches and a covered 'pradakshina-prakara' enclosing the 'antarala' and 'garbha griha'.The temple stands in a large rectangular enclosure. The three lofty Vijayanagara gopurams on the east, north and south sides are now dilapidated. Of these the south 'gopuram' is the most ornate. Along the interior of the enclosing wall ran a pillared colonnade.
The enclosed courtyard contains in the centre the god's sanctum with its axial 'mandapa' and around it the 'Amman' sanctum, the 'kalyana mandapa', an 'utsava mandapa', a hundred-pillared 'mandapa' and a stone 'ratha' (car). Originally there was a lofty 'kipa-stambha' (12.2 m high) in front of the east 'gopuram', but now it lies on the ground, broken in pieces.
The 'ardha mandapa' leads to a covered 'pradakshina-prakara' running round the 'garbha-griha' and the 'antarala'. The 'tritala vimana' of the sanctum is well finished in an ornate style. The wall of the shrine has ornate 'deva-koshthas', large and well-proportioned 'kumbha panjaras' in bold relief and early curved cornice with fine Vijayanagara kudus along with some earlier type kudus also. A frieze of 'bhuta ganas' is above the 'deva-koshthas'.
The brick superstructure of the 'vimana' with its domical 'sikhara' is now much dilapidated. The 'garbha-griha' is now empty except for two 'pithas'. The Amman sanctum has an 'antarala', a closed 'ardha-mandapa' and 'maha-mandapa'. The 'ardha-mandapa' has a sub shrine on the north, facing south. The 'garbha-griha' has no superstructure extant. Its exterior is rather plain. The 'kalyana-mandapa' of the temple to the south east of the courtyard, is particularly find and almost surpasses the 'maha-mandapa'.
It is also an open-pillared 'mandapa', symmetrically planned with deeply recessed sides and is in many ways similar to the 'maha-mandapa'. It has the usual arrangement of various types of composite pillars, balustrades, etc. and beautifully carved and highly ornate ceilings. This 'mandapa' contains vestiges of original Vijayanagara paintings.
The 'utsava-mandapa' to the north-east of the courtyard is similar to the 'kalyana-mandapa' in its general style. Abutting the southern wall of the courtyard is a hundred- pillared 'mandapa' with three inscriptions in three different languages stating that it was built by Krishnadeva Raya in AD 1516. The 'mandapa' is rather plain.
The main temple was dedicated to Vishnu as Vitthala temple. Facing east, the sanctum of the god along with its axial 'mandapa' forms a long and low structural group, about 7.6 metres in height and 70 metres in length. The group comprises the open 'maha mandapa', a closed 'ardha-mandapa' with side-porches and a covered 'pradakshina-prakara' enclosing the 'antarala' and 'garbha griha'.
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