AJAI VIRUPAKSHA JAI VIRUPAKSHA

GREAT HINDU KINGDOM

History of VijayNagar KingdomMithun Reddy

SOURCESINSCRIPTIONS LITERARY DOCUMENTS COINS ARCHITECTURE

Sultan-AllahudeenSultan-Allahudeen-Gherzai

YADAVAS OF DEVAGIRI

KAKATIYAYAS OF WARANGAL

HOYASALAS OF DORASAMUDRA

The OriginTelugu or Warrangal origin theory . Kannada origin theory .

The Vijayanagara EmpireThe Sangama Dynasty (1336 1485 A. D.) The Saluva Dynasty (1485 1505 A. D.) The Tuluva Dynasty (1505 1567 A. D.) The Aravidu Dynasty

The Sangama Dynasty (1336 1485 A. D.):Sangama was the first of the four dynasties that ruled Vijayanagara in succession.

Harihara I (1336 1356 A.D.)The first ruler of this dynasty was Sangamas eldest son Harihara I (1336 1356 A.D.) He founded the new kingdom in collaboration with his four brothers. He established his control over the valley of Tungabhadra, portions of Konkana and Malabar Coast. With the disappearance of Hoysala power Harihara was able to assume the status of an independent sovereign. The grant to Sringeri matha, in which Harihara is mentioned as ruler of the whole country between the eastern and western seas, as well as the inscription of 1348 stating that Vidya Nagara was his capital, shows his improved political status after the death of Ballala IV.Harihara set up an efficient and orderly government, ensuring the enjoyment of peace and security by his subjects. The appointment of his brothers as viceroys over different regions helped the centralization of administration. The establishment of the Bahamani Sultanate at Gulbarga in 1347 checked the northward expansion of Vijayanagara Kingdom.

Bukka I, (1356 1377 A.D.)Harihara I was succeeded by Bukka I, (1356 1377 A.D.) the most distinguished among the Panchasangamas. He set up upon himself the task of destroying the hostile elements so that he could consolidate and strengthen the new state. The Shambuvaraya Kingdom of Arcot region was conquered and the Reddis of Kondavidu was subdued. Kumara Kampana, the son of Bukka, destroyed the Sultanate of Madhura in 1371 and the entire peninsula to the south of Tungabhadra was brought under the sway of Vijayanagara. Bukka had to fight with the Bahamani Sultans twice, once during the period of Muhammad I and another at the time of Mujahid. Goa was captured during Bukkas reign and the rulers of Malabar and Ceylon paid tribute to him.

RAICHUR FORT

Mudgal fort

It is admirable that in spite of grave political challenges and ceaseless wars, Bukka was able to pay attention to the work of reconstruction and rehabilitation. Under his direction the city of Vijayanagara was enlarged and strengthened. In 1368 he heard a complaint of Jains against the Vaishnavas and reconciled the two sects. He is said to have sent a mission to the Emperor of China.

Harihara II (1377 1404 A.D.)extended his dominions in Konkana beyond Goa to Chaul. His son Virupaksha quelled the wide spread rebellion in the Tamil region. In Andhra Harihara II was able to defeat the Reddis of Kondavidu and the Velamas of Rajakonda, thereby making himself the master of the peninsula to the south of the river Krishna. On the death of Harihara II the succession to the throne was disputed. Virupaksha I ruled for only a few months and was followed by Bukka II (1404 1406 A.D.) Finally Devaraya I (1406 1422) came to the throne. He had to fight against the Reddis of Kondavidu, Velamas of Rajakonda and the Bahamani Sultan of Gulbarga. Amidst these difficulties Devaraya I proved himself capable of retaining his control over the vast territories inherited by him. Devaraya I was followed by his sons Ramachandra (1422) and Vira Vijaya (1422 - 24) whose rule was not eventful.

Devaraya II (1424 1446Devaraya II (1424 1446) repulsed the intrusion of Gajapati Kapilesvara and restored the Reddi Kingdom of Rajamahendri to its former position. When Ahmad Shah I of Bahamani invaded Vijayanagar he was driven out. Perhaps it was the danger from Vijayanagar that forced the Bahamani ruler to shift his capital to Bidar even when the war was in progress. Devaraya II had to fight two wars against Ala Ud Din. Both the wars were confined to the Krishna Tungabhadra and centered round the forts of Mudgal and Raichur. A naval expedition under the command of Lakkanna was dispatched against Ceylon and King of that island was forced to pay tribute. During the regime of Devaraya II the Sangama dynasty reached the highest watermarks of its glory. Although he was continuously at war with the enemies, he found time to patronize men of letters in Sanskrit and vernaculars. He promoted fine arts and adorned his capital with new temples.

Mallikarjuna (1446-1465) was a weak ruler and during his reign the (1446Gajapatis captured Rajamahendri, Udayagiri and Chandragiri. The Bahamanis came very near the capital in 1450. These reverses caused the decline in the fortunes of the Sangama dynasty. Taking advantage of troubled condition in the empire, Virupaksha, the cousin of Mallikarjuna usurped the throne. Virupaksha II (1465 85) was a weak and unworthy sovereign. He precipitated the disruption of the empire, which was undermined by the insubordination of the nobles and officers of the state on the one side and by the in roads of external enemies on the other. Sultan Muhammad Shah III sent his Prime Minister Mahamud Gawan to conquer the whole of the Konkana coast including Goa, Chaul and Dabul. The rule of Virupaksha became unpopular and roused the whole empire to indignation and rebellion. The King was killed in 1485 by his own son. The total disruption was averted by Saluva Narasimha, an able general who ended the rule of the Sangama dynasty.

The Saluva Dynasty (1485 1505 A. D.)Saluva Narasimha (1485 1491), the saviour ofVijayanagara, had begun his career as the Mahamandaleshwara of Chandragiri in about 1452, in the reign of Mallikarjuna. After the death of Mallikarjuna, Narasimha tried to consolidate his power by conquering Masulipatana, Kondavidu and Udayagiri. In 1485 he became the first ruler of Saluva Dynasty, with the support of the governors of the empire. During the short span of six years Saluva Narasimha tried to restore the empire to its past glory; but his success was not complete. Gajapati Kapilendra re conquered Udayagiri in 1491. The Chiefs of Ummattur and Srirangapatna remained unsubdued. However, Narasimha improved the condition of cavalry, transformed the peace loving farmers of Vijayanagara into a nation of warriors, infused fresh vigour into the body politic and rescued the state from destruction. At the time of Narasimhas death his two sons were too young too rule. Therefore, he entrusted the Kingdom to the care of his trusted general and minister Tuluva Narasa Nayaka. Prince Timma was murdered by a minister and Saluva Narasimha II was crowned by Narasa Nayaka. When the new King turned hostile to Narasa, he was removed to Penugonda where he remained in confinement. Narasa Nayaka now ruled Vijayanagara like a sovereign. Narasa Nayaka restored peace and retained the boundaries of the empire. He suppressed many rebellions and pushed the invasion of the Gajapatis back. When Narasa Nayaka dies in 1503, his son Vira Narasimha succeeded him. In 1505 Saluva Narasimha II was murdered and his dynasty came to an end.

The Tuluva Dynasty (1505 1567 A. D.)Vira Narasimha (1505 1509 A. D.)became the founder of the Tuluva Dynasty when he ascended the Vijayanagara throne after the assassination of Saluva Narasimha II. He had to counteract the incursions of Yusuf Adil Khan who tried to conquer Adoni Karnul. He was defeated by Aravidu Ramaraja and Timma, the able generals of Narasimha. Vira Narasimha extended the hand of friendship to Portuguese, increased the strength of the army and attended to the welfare of the peasants and agriculturists. He was succeeded by his step brother

Krishnadevaraya.

As a Warrior and General:Krishnadevaraya was always successful in the wars that he waged almost throughout his reign. He became famous both as a warrior and general. He firmly believed that the proper place of a monarch on the battlefield was at the head of his forces. Therefore, he used to lead his armies personally. As a general, Krishnadevaraya knew how to win glorious victories under the most difficult and discouraging circumstances. The triumphant forces of Vijayanagara entered even the capitals of his enemies and planted the boar standard on the battlements of Cuttack, Bidar, Gulbarga and Bijapur. The uniform success of the Raya was due to his tremendous capacity for organisation. He showed amazing resourcefulness in the overcoming obstacles besetting his path. He smashed rocks and boulders for making a road for his soldiers to reach the fort of Udayagiri, set up movable wooden platforms around Kondavidu to enable his men to fight on an equal footing with garrison defending the fort and put to the sword his own soldiers who turned their backs on the enemy at Raichur and converted a disaster into a brilliant victory. According to Dr. N. Venkataramanayya, Krishnadevaraya was accustomed, after the conclusion of every battle, to go to the battlefield, looking for the wounded; he would pick them up and make arrangements for their recovery. Those that specially distinguished themselves in the fight were placed directly under his supervision so that he might bestow particular attention on them and help them regain their health as quickly as possible. As a result of this kind and friendly treatment the military officers and soldiers were prepared to throw themselves into the jaws of death in executing his commands.

As an Administrator:Sewe I remarks that Krishnadevaraya was not only a monarch de jure, but he was also a de facto sovereign with extensive powers and strong personal influence. With the active co operation of Saluva Thimmarasa he administered the Kingdom well, maintained peace in the land and increased the prosperity of the people. The administration of the empire was carried on along the lines indicated in his Amuktamalyada. He was the opinion that the King should always rule with an eye towards dharma. His concern for the welfare of the people is amply proved by his extensive annual tours all over the empire, during which he studied everything personally and tried to redress the grievances of the people and to punish the evil doers. The Portuguese Chronicler Domingo Paes praises Krishnadevaraya as, the most feared and perfect King a great ruler and a man of much justice. Though a staunch follower of Vaishnavism he showed respect all sects and petty religious prejudices never influenced him either in granting gifts or in his choice of companions and officers. According to Barbosa, The King allows such freedom that every man may come and go live according to his own creed, without suffering any annoyance.

As patron of Arts and Letters:The reign of Krishnadevaraya was also remarkable for the encouragement and development of arts and letters. He constructed the famous Vittalaswami and Hazara Ramaswamy temples. A gopuram was added to the Virupaksha temple on the occasion of his coronation. He restored many shrines throughout South India. A number of towns, dams and public buildings were also constructed. Many festivals and ceremonies were held during the period of Krishnadevaraya who encouraged many arts like sculpture, painting, dancing and music. The Raya was known as Andhra Bhoja and true to his name; he took a keen interest in literary activities. Being himself a great Sanskrit scholar he wrote Madalasa Charita, Jambavati Parinaya and Rasamanjari. Amuktamalyada was his masterpiece in Telugu. Eight poets called the Ashta Diggajas adorned the court of Krishnadevaraya. According to tradition these poets were Allasani Peddanna, Nandi Timmanna, Madayyagari Mallanna, Pingali Sooranna, Ayyalaraju Ramabhadra, Ramaraja Bhooshana, Tenali Ramakrishna and Dhoorjati. Besides, many other Sanskrit, Telugu and Kannada poets enjoyed the patronage of the emperor. Skilled and successful as a general, courageous and chivalrous as a soldier, benevolent and constructive as an administrator, Zealous and tolerant as a religious man, elegant and profound as author, refined and critical as a lover of art, Krishnadevaraya has few parallels.

Successors of Krishnadevaraya:Krishnadevaraya was succeeded by his step brother Achyutha Raya (1529 1542 A. D.) who had to face internal disturbances and external aggressions. In his wars with the Gajapati King and the Sultan of Golkanda, Achyutha was successful. But he failed to offer effective resistance to the advancing Sultan of Bijapur as a result of which he lost the forts of Raichur and Mudgal. However, he was able to quell the rebellions in the Kanchi area, Kerala and Ummattur. After the death of Achyutha Raya in 1542 the succession became disputed. Aravidu Ramaraya, (popularly known as Aliya Ramaraya) the son in law of Krishnadevaraya showed his warlike qualities in ensuring Sadashivas succession and thereby his own ascendancy. From 1542 to 1550 he functioned as Regent. But when Sadashiva came of age and tried to assert himself, Ramaraya imprisoned him and assuming all powers of the sovereign ruled the empire for next fifteen years (1551 1565) as its unquestioned master. He appointed his brothers, Tirumala and Venkatadri as minister and the commander of the army respectively. Ramaraya strengthened his hands by removing from office many hereditary loyal servants and appointing his own men in their place. He also admitted many Muslims into his army, and placed them in responsible offices. He was fond of availing himself of every opportunity to interfere in the relations between the Muslim states of Deccan and playing them off one against the other, hoping to keep them weak and to increase his own power. In the beginning Ramaraya joined with Ahmadnagar, Bidar and Golkanda and fought with Bijapur. But after 1558 he changed sides and joining Bijapur attacked the other powers.

The Battle of Talikota (1565):The provocative doings of Aliya Ramaraya led to the organization of confederacy of the Sultans of Deccan for the overthrow of Vijayanagara, towards the close of 1564. Of the five Muslim states, Berar alone stood aloof. Hussain Nizam Shah I of Ahmadnagar became the leader of the coalition and played the most conspicuous role in the subsequent battle. The battle of Talikota (also known as Battle of Rakkasatangadi) was fought in January 1565. Ramaraya and his two brothers Tirumala and Venkatadri took part in it. In spite of his old age, Ramaraya commanded the centre facing the Ahmadnagar forces. The right wing facing the Golkanda and Bidar forces was led by Venkatadri whereas the left wing confronting the Bijapur forces was led by Tirumala. In the beginning it appeared as if Vijayanagara was going to win. But a sudden attack from the enemy side led to the imprisonment and killing of Ramaraya. Tirumala withdrew to Vijayanagara, from where he fled to Penugonda with vast treasures and emperor Sadashivaraya

AHAMAD SHAHI, AHAMAD NAGAR

ADIL SHAHI, BIJAPUR

BARID SHAHI, BIDAR

QUTUB SHAHI, GOLCONDA

The Aravidu Dynasty. Tirumala Raya, the sole surviving commander, left Vijayanagara for Penukonda with vast amounts of treasure on the back of 550 elephants. The empire went into a slow decline regionally, although trade with the Portuguese continued, and the British were given a land grant for the establishment of Madras.Tirumala Deva Raya was succeeded by his son Sriranga I later followed by Venkata II who made Chandragiri his capital, repulsed the invasion of the Bahmani Sultanate and saved Penukonda from being captured. His successor, Ramadeva, took power and ruled till 1632 after whose death, Venkata III became king and ruled for about ten years after which Vellore was made the capital. The empire was finally conquered by the Sultanates of Bijapur and Golkonda. The largest feudatories of the Vijayanagar empire the Mysore Kingdom, Keladi Nayaka, Nayaks of Madurai, Nayaks of Tanjore, Nayakas of Chitradurga and Nayak Kingdom of Gingee declared independence and went on to have a significant impact on the history of South India in the coming

chandragiri

CULTURAL CONTRIBUTIONRELIGION LITERATURE ART & ARCHITECTURE

MONUMENTS IN HAMPISECULAR MONUMENTS.

NONNON- SECULAR MONUMENTS

VijayanagaraA - Elephant Stables (1), B - Great Platform (Mahanavami-dibba) (8) C - Great Tank (2), Stepped Tank (3), D - Hazara Rama Temple (Ramachandra) (8), E - Hundred-Columned Hall, (2), F - Krishna Temple (6), G - Linga Shrine (1), Narasimha Monolith (2), H - Lotus Mahal (5), J - Queen's Bath (2), K - River Walk (8), M - Virupaksha Temple (8), Hemakuta Hill (5), N - Vitthala Temple (19), and - other features (4)

1. Elephant Stables

Elephant Stables The elephant stables are located just to the east of the Lotus Mahal complex. Beneath each dome is a single large chamber with a painted ceiling. The building is leftleftright symmetric about its central entrance, including the interior decorations. The lawn area must originally have been a dirtdirtfloored parade ground.

2. Great Platform Royal Center

Great Platform Royal Center, The granite platform overlooks the royal center from its elevation in the Palace Enclosure. The platform faces west; its south face is shown here. A staircase ascends to the right; the main staircases is on the west face. The platform was constructed in stages from the 14th to the 16th centuries. It consists of three stacked squares, whose dimensions are respectively 38m (127ft), 28m (93ft), and 22m (73ft) on a side. The height of the platform is about 10m (30ft). The platform is traditionally identified as the MahanavamiMahanavami-dibba (House of Victory) described by 16th16thcentury Portuguese visitors. According to these observers, king Krishnadevaraya would ascend the platform during the Mahanavami festival, where he would perform worship and view the parades of animals, musicians and dancers, mock battles, and fireworks below. The two lower courses, which were built during the first phase of construction, are inscribed in parallel bands with scenes of courtly life, including hunting scenes and processions of animals, soldiers, musicians, and dancers.

Lower FriezeGreat Platform,

The west end of the south face. From bottom to top, we see: 1) the king reviews a military procession; 2) a hunting scene; 3) horsemen; 4) camels, musicians, and dancers; and 5) elephants

South Staircase Great Platform,

The decoration continues the scheme seen on the previous page, with bands (from bottom to top) of hunters, horsemen, camels, and elephants

Balustrade Great Platform

On the second tier of the south wall, an elephant and lion anchor bands of repetitive smaller carvings. To the right of the lion is a group of three figures which "share" several arms and legs between them. The join between blocks looks very artificial; the restoration here may be incorrect.

East Staircase Great Platform

At some point the central east entrance was closed off, then these two staircase s were built, one to either side. This appears to be the "back door" of the platform

West Face Great Platform A great twotwoleveled staircase gives access to the platform on the west face; clearly this was the "main entrance" for ceremonial purposes. The schist facing is 16th century and belongs to the last phase of construction.

Dancers Great Platform The dancers in this relief adopt a typically widewide-legged stance. The center dancer, tapping a drum, is thought to be a Muslim. These figures, with beards and turbans or conical hats, appear in several places on the platform example), (example), reflecting an association between Hindu and Muslim cultures (see: Lotus Mahal). Mahal).

South Prospect Great Platform

Looking to the south from the Great Platform, we see: an aqueduc t, the Stepped Tank, Tank, and the Great Tank. Tank.

Great Tank Royal Center,

The large tank measures 67m x 22m (223ft x 73ft), about 2/3 the length of an American football field. Water was brought in by aqueduct for special events (such as boat fights, perhaps), then drained out afterwards. The view faces west; a small group of people on the north side provides a sense of scale.

Stepped Tank Royal Center This large and geometrically thrilling tank, lined in green diorite, has never required restoration. It has no drain, and is fed by an aqueduct (top of photo; a young man, sitting in the aqueduct's shadow, gives a sense of the tank's size.) Markings on the blocks (not shown) indicate that they were cut elsewhere, before being moved to the site and assembled here.

West End Large Tank

The west end of the tank is overlooked by a platform shrine with four standing columns and pyramidal roof. Below, four carved columns line the side of the tank (a similar group of in-line incolumns decorates each side of the tank). To the lower right, a staircase descends into the tank

HundredHundred-Columned Hall Royal Center, This structure, which measures 40m (130ft) on a side, is often claimed as an "audience hall." However, its floorplan, a square 1010-column by 10-column grid 10without central open space, has led some to question this use. The footings of the original wooden columns are still visible in the floor (detail). The columns (detail). were 80 - 85 cm (31.5 - 33.5 inches) on a side. Metal clamps, inserted in the socket holes, fastened the columns to the floor. The columns themselves were burnt when the city was overrun in 1565. The concrete floor is a modern covering; the original floor was plastered. To the south in this photo is a large staircase (next page), which led up to the second story of the building. In this, the "secular" part of the Royal Center, one must imagine a great many vanished wooden superstructures, for palaces and other civil buildings unlike the more permanent and costly religious structures were built of wood, so now only their stone foundations are left. This made sense in an era when kings were peripatetic, moving themselves and their capitals from place to place as invasion and opportunity dictated.

Staircase HundredHundredColumned Hall

This grand staircase, mentioned on the previous page, originally led up to a second story of the hall.

Enclosure Wall ("Zenana Enclosure"), Vijayanagara Enclosure XIV is popularly known as the Zenana (harem) enclosure, but there is no evidence for such an association. The wall is built like a sandwich: it has an inner and an outer face of smoothed and fitted stone blocks, with an earth and rubble fill between them. The outer face is shown here. The wall was built without mortar, and originally covered with plaster. This is a rather sloppy wall. Perhaps it was built in haste. The joins between blocks are irregular. Some gaps were filled in with small stone plugs (bottom center), while others were left open (triangular gap, left center). Closely spaced drill holes, visible on the center block and several other blocks in this photo, were used to cut the stone but then were not smoothed out. Some of the blocks, such as the one in the center of the photo, were cut in half, and then the two halves were replaced on top of each other. The stones are larger towards the base, and smaller towards the top. Smaller blocks are easier to lift, and the builders might have thought that a mortarless wall built in this way would be more stable than if all the blocks were of comparable size. Since the wall has been restored, it is not always possible to know what is original construction and what is modern rearrangement. Whatever the practicalities of the wall's construction might have been, its jigsaw -puzzle pattern seems just jigsawirregular enough to be visually interesting.

Platform Enclosure XIV, Vijayanagara

A wooden superstruct ure was erected on this base, which would have been used as a viewing platform for military or civil ceremonies

Lotus Mahal

This building, which has been popularly described as a pleasure retreat for Krishna Deva Raya's queen, probably served as a reception hall for the king or his military. The IndoIndoIslamic style of the building illustrates the close association between Hindu and Muslim cultures at this time.

Lotus Mahal The building is a fascinating fusion of Indian and Islamic architecture . Its arches are Islamic, but its platform and towers are purely Indian.

Queen's Bath Royal Center The Queen's Bath is a 15th century bathing pavilion for members of the royal household. Its balconies and domed corridors surround an interior tank. The building, which has been heavily restored, shows numerous Islamic influences, including the projecting balconies and pointed arches seen here.

Tank Queen's Bath A stone trough (middle) carries water from a channel outside into the tank. The "spouts" on either side do not carry water; they are bracketbracketlike decoration s which end in tiny pendant lotus

King's Balance Riverside path The king, sitting in a swing suspended from the balance, would be ceremonially weighed against heaps of precious objects, which he would then distribute as gifts.

Unfinished column Columns Unfinished

Gateway Hemakuta Hill

One of several 15th century gateways, with multiple stories, on the way to the summit.

Food Plates This is a display of plates recovered on the site. Some have condiment dimples around the edge of the plate, much as in restaurants today.

Tank with heaterThis small tank apparently has a heater associated with it charcoal was found in the square pit behind the tank. What could it be a space heater, a hot tub, a grill, a sauna? Perhaps water was simply heated over the pit and then poured into the tank .

DoorsRoyal Center, VijayanagaraThese massive, pierced stone doors (their pivots are to the front of the photo) must have been a part of a now lost building or gateway.

Underground ChamberRoyal Center, VijayanagaraJust south of the Hundred-Columned Hall is the Underground Chamber, probably a treasury and storeroom. Material for the chamber was reused from an earlier (pre-Vijayanagara period) temple. Some distracting shadows have been edited out of the floor of the chamber in this photograph.

Bazaar Street Hampi The buildings along this street, once the residences of Vijayanagara aristocrats, are now occupied by laborers and small organizations, including a nursery school. A pleasant river walk begins at the bazaar, and proceeds east a kilometer or so to Vitthala temple. aristocrats, are now occupied by laborers and small organizations, including a nursery school. A pleasant river walk begins at the bazaar, and proceeds east a kilometer or so to Vitthala temple.

Streets At Virupaksha Temple

Streets At Achyutaray Temple

SISTERS MOUNTAIN

Land of the Rishis Riverside path This is the land of the rishis (sages), famous in the Ramayana as the monkey kingdom of Sugriva and his general, Hanuman. Hanuman.

Small Ganesha Temple Hemakuta Hill

The 15th century "Small Ganesha" temple is located at the base of Hemakuta hill, near the modern village of Hampi.

Ganesha Hemakuta Hill

This Ganesh is the occupant of the "Small Ganesha" temple, seen on the previous page.

Kadale Kalu Ganesha Means Gram seed Ganesha ! The shape of the Ganesha statue is in the form of a gram seed. Its located at the base of the Hemakuta hill, away from the Jain temples. This is a 5 meter tall monolithic statue installed in an inner sanctum. The pillered hall infront is great with special carvings on.

3. Hajara Ramachandra Temple

Temple Entrance (right side) Ramachandra Temple, Ramachandra temple, also called Hazara Rama ("One thousand Ramas"), was built in the 1420s (with later additions) as a royal chapel dedicated to the cult of Rama. The temple is the hub of all the eastern roads that lead into the royal center. Its sculptural program centers on the Ramayana, Ramayana, with friezes from that epic being carried out on the temple walls. This view shows the rightrighthand side of the east (front) entrance. A few of the Ramayana reliefs are visible on the facade. The scenes are sparsely populated, each consisting of only a few figures upon a featureless background. Each scene occupies its own rectangular patch of wall, following the narrative sequence of the story like the frames of a comic strip.

Interior RamachandraTemple

The black columns are made of finely carved and polished basalt, and display various forms of Vishnu

Court Scene From the temple wall. This appears to be a court scene. The king sits under a canopy beside his consort, who holds a flyflywhisk. He is flanked by an attendant paying homage on the left, and another attendant, on the right, holding two hard-tohard-to-identify items; perhaps a sword or staff in his right hand, and a spear or banner in his

Baby Krishna Ramachandra Temple

Among other images on the temple wall is this wellwell-known relief of baby Krishna

Shrine Exterior Ramachandra Temple

The brick tower of the shrine has been incompletely restored, which accounts for the unfinished look of its upper roof.

North Shrine Ramachandra Temple,

This smaller shrine is located north and east of the main temple

Frieze Ramachandra Temple

From the north enclosure wall (outer face). From top to bottom: stickstickfighting dancers, soldiers, and horses.

Panel of Hanuman Ramachandra Temple This charming relief of the monkey general is located just outside the temple enclosure. Contrary to appearances, he is not waving goodbye to the visitors. His right hand is upraised in a gesture of smiting (Architecture and Art of Southern India, p. India, 157) while his left hand holds an uprooted branch. The holes drilled into the panel are for the attachment of garlands. The slab was cut from another location and moved here; a similar relief is displayed in the onon-site museum.

4. Krishna Temple

Krishna Temple Vijayanagara

This partly collapsed temple, located south of Hemakuta Hill, was built to celebrate a military victory of King Krishnadevara ya. Monuments of India lists a date of 1513.

Rabbit In The Moon Krishna Temple This unusual image from the ceiling (underside of a lintel) shows the Moon, illustrated as a rabbit inside a red circle, between two nagas (snakes). Asians see a "rabbit in the Moon," in the same way that Europeans see a "man in the Moon." The meaning of the nagas in this context is unclear, unless it might be a rebus of some sort (nagachandra can be a person's name in India

Pillared Hall Krishna Temple

The decoration of this mandapa, mandapa, with its detached colonettes, colonettes, is similar to others in Vijayanagar a, including the betterbetterknown Vitthala Temple

Interior, Pillared Hall Krishna Temple,

Looking east from the shrine.

RatRat-headed Yali Krishna Temple

This unusual yali has the body of a lion, but the head of a rat; the two front limbs are arranged in the typical gnawing posture of a rodent.

Huntress with a Bow Krishna Temple

The surasundari braces her right hand on the head of an attendant, as he removes a thorn from her heel. She also uses her bow to balance herself. A quiver of arrows is carved in shallow relief behind her back.

Linga Shrine Vijayanagara

The flooded shrine houses a 3m (10ft) linga, tall linga, which is partly under water. The quoted height of the linga includes its pedestal as seen here.

Narasimha monolith Vijayanagara The man-lion manincarnation of Vishnu is seated beneath a serpent canopy in a yoga posture. The band around his legs helps him to hold the position for long periods of time. This muchmuchphotographed statue has been extensively restored (see next page). It was commissioned in 1528 by king Krishnadevaraya, stands 6.7m (21ft) high, and is located just south of the Krishna temple.

Narasimha restoration Vijayanagara

Narasimha restoration Vijayanagara Before-and-after photos show the restoration (if you look Before-andclosely, you will see that the "before" photo was printed in reverse). Of greatest importance was the reconstruction of the lion's mouth and other areas of his face. His torso was smoothed over and refinished, and new crossed legs, joined with a yoga band, were created. The restorers also carved supports for the legs (right and left, underneath the thighs). They generally did not provide arms or feet, except for part of the left rear arm and the upper part of the left foot. A figure of Lakshmi on the god's lap was too damaged to be restored. A photograph of an intermediate stage of the restoration, including some details of costume (beaded necklace and cloth loop on brim of crown) which were Architecture, later removed, is printed in Hindu Art and Architecture, p.173.

Donor shrine Riverside path The banks of the river are replete with numerous small shrines. The 15th century carving apparently depicts a donor figure, who is now worshiped in his own right.

Tree shrine Riverside path The modern shrine is carved from a living tree, and probably represents Shiva (or his riverriver-bride Pampa, if the figure is female) appearing from within linga. the linga.

Ranganatha Temple Riverside path

This small temple along the path is dedicated to Ranganath , the reclining form of Vishnu

The brick superstructure of this gopura was never completed, only the stone base remaining

Unfinished Gopura Riverside path

CourtyardVirupaksha Temple

Virupaksha temple is an old foundation, rebuilt in 1510 for the coronation of King Krishnadevaray a. The tall eastern gopura and other renovations are 19th century. Virupaksha is a form of Shiva, as the husband of the personified Tungabhadra river; the sacred marriage is celebrated in an annual festival at the temple.

View to the northeast Hemakuta Hill

Seen in this view are: a 15th century covered walkway (photo left foreground); a 14th century, tripletripleshrined Shiva temple (photo right); Virupaksha temple (with tower) in the valley; and the hills across the Tungabhadr a river

Kitchen Virupaksha Temple

A line of ventilat ion holes opens just below the roof. These allow for the escape of smoke from the kitchen fires.

Column decoration Virupaksha Temple The column at photo left is covered top to bottom with cut reliefs in the shape of miniature shrines. Also notable is the compound column at photo right, which consists of a square pillar backing several detached colonettes, the whole resting on a curved base. In the middle relief of the square pillar, a devotee worships the linga. linga.

Column decoration Virupaksha Temple

Additional examples of the finely executed columns. The near column bears reliefs of Ganesh (top) and a surasundari (bottom), with a sculpted yali.

Panel decoration Virupaksha Temple

This panel bears decoration in the typical 15th century Vijayanagara style, most notable in the "classical" isolation of the figures. The middle right panel shows a Shiva devotee putting out his eye with an arrow as a sacrifice to the god.

Early Shrine Virupaksha Temple

This shrine is just outside the temple walls. It is quite early, probably 10th century or before. (The painted mandapa, however, is modern

ThreeThree-headed Nandi Virupaksha Temple

Shiva's mount is depicted here in an unusual, three-headed three-

Vitthala Temple

Courtyard Vitthala Temple

East end of the temple complex (plan), (plan), looking west. From front to back we see a square platform, the east face (rear) of a Garuda shrine which faces the temple, and the star-shaped mahamandapa (great pillared starhall, 1554) of the temple itself. The 16th century temple is dedicated to Vitthala, a form of Vishnu.

Stone Chariot Vitthala Temple

Looking northeast. The stone chariot is a Garuda shrine which faces west towards Vishnu's temple (plan). Garuda is the mount of Vishnu, and as usual the mount faces the god. The building north of the shrine is a pillared hall used for religious

Stone Chariot Vitthala Temple

South face of the Garuda shrine. The stone chariot is drawn by a pair of incongruously miniaturized elephants, which are not original; they date from the 19th century. It is said that the wheels were once able to turn on their axles, although they are currently cemented in place. The shrine had a pyramidal brick tower, visible in early photographs, which was removed at the end of the 19th century; the elephants were also added at that time.

Kalyana Mandapa Vitthala Temple

The Kalyana Mandapa, or "Marriage Hall" (plan), was used for ceremonies plan), involving the symbolic marriage of the temple's divinity to his consort. Part of the temple and Garuda shrine can also be seen, in the photo right.

Kalyana Mandapa Vitthala Temple

Restoration is visible in the form of modern, squaresquare-bricked pillars supporting some of the colonettes.

Kalyana Mandapa Vitthala Temple

The Kalyana mandapa is as an open pavilion. Its interior, surrounded by impressive columns, contains a platform in the center (very slightly raised circle, inside a square) for the performance of sacred dances. The building in the background is the mandapa of the main temple.

Kalyana Mandapa Vitthala Temple

Massive pillars, decorated with soldiers riding yalis, carry the large brackets and roof beams. This is very similar to the pillar and bracket construction inside the main temple itself. The method of construction allowed for impressively large roof spans.

Garuda Kalyana Mandapa Vitthala Temple

Vishnu's mount Garuda is shown in his usual worshipful, flying attitude. The simplicity of Vijayanagara relief sculpture is in great contrast to the more ornate style which is so common in India

Yali and rider Kalyana Mandapa

The pincushion-like turban, worn by this rider, indicates that pincushionhe is a Muslim in the service of the court. Many buildings such as the Queen's Bath in the Royal Center also bear witness to a substantial Muslim population at the site. A small section of the main temple can be seen in the background.

East Face Vitthala Temple

This is the entrance (east face) of the main temple. Considerable restoration is evident

Entrance Vitthala Temple The full extent of damage to the temple can be seen in this view from the entrance through to the rear shrine area. Once thought to have been caused by Muslim invasion, the damage is now considered to be at least partly due to time and neglect. For example, there is no evidence of burning inside the building, as would have been expected if the damage had been done by invaders. In general, it can be said that when the Muslims overran the city in 1565: a) they burned the palace buildings down to the ground, so that only their stone platforms are left; b) they did some partial damage to the Hindu temples, such as this one; and c) they left the MuslimMuslimstyled buildings, such as the Lotus Mahal, pretty Mahal, much alone. The weight of the of this temple's ususually long and heavy roof beams and ceiling slabs may have been a contributing factor to the collapse of the building

Portico Vitthala Temple This south view of the entrance porch illustrates some of the original splendor of the building. One thing to notice here is the ChineseChinese-style "S""S"curved roof, which contains stone loops at the corners (underneath the tips of the eves) for the insertion of flagpoles. Three such loops are visible here, one at the upper left corner and two at the upper right of the photo. The curved roof profile can also be seen to advantage at the photo right on a previous

Mahamandapa Vitthala Temple This view of the temple's pillared hall, with its corner piers cut out into clusters of numerous colonettes, illustrates why Vitthala Temple is considered the finest of the Vijayanagara series. Apparently the colonettes, when lightly tapped by a wooden stick, produce "musical" tones.

Rings

Horse and Rider Vitthala Temple This elaborately worked column is typical of many inside the temple. The rampant horse and rider, supported by other animals and figures, is a favorite VijayanagaraVijayanagaraera motif. A nice additional touch is the group of ganas supporting the colonette base in the lower photo

Drummer Vitthala Temple

This drummer is one of the statues that graces the "Hall of Music" inside the temple.

Monkey Kings Vitthala Temple

The monkey kings appear to be armarmwrestling. Perhaps this pair represents Vali and Sugriva. When Vali, king of the monkeys, exiled his brother Sugriva from the kingdom, the faithful Hanuman followed his friend into exile. Ramayana stories are especially appropriate at Vijayanagara, the legendary site of the monkey kingdom.

Hanuman in action Vitthala Temple

The unbeatable Hanuman takes on several foes at once in this lively scene. Evidently he is as good with his tail (see the enemies, seized above) as with his hands (grabbing the victim, photo left, and preparing to bash him with his mighty fist, photo right). If the much-loved muchHanuman story has a flaw as literature, it is probably that the monkey general is so strong that everything is too easy for him.

Basement Frieze Vitthala Temple

This scene at the base of the temple displays Portuguese men who are handling horses. The men and animals are posed in a variety of different positions.

Natya mantap Vitthala Temple

This picturesque hall marks the end of a chariot road that runs about 1 km (.6 mile) eastward from the temple.

NANDI

ACHYUTARAY TEMPLE

Inside View Of Achyutaray Temple

Piller hall

Pond infront of Achyutaray Temple

Underground Shiva Temple

Purandara Mandapam Tungabadra

Group Of Temples At Hemakuta Hill

The Temples Which Are Builted By Vijayanagar Emperors In Other Places

TIRUPATI

SRI KALAHASTI

SRI KALAHASTI

SRIRANGAM

Madurai Meenakshi Temple

Gopuram Chidambaram

kanchipuram

JAI VIRUPAKSHA