Riverside Ruins in Hampi

Another set of temples along the southern banks of the river lies beyond the Kodanda Rama temple. Lord Shiva appears to be the principal deity, borne by two series of Shiva Lingas carved on the flat rock surface, numbering 108 and 1008 respectively. Lord Vishnu has also been given his due with a sculpted figure of the deity in a reclining posture. Other smaller shrines, a row of pavilions, motifs on rock surfaces and large boulders juxtaposed in curious postures can also be seen here. One can take a riverside expedition here if the waters are calm.

The Vittala Temple: Built to perfection, the Vittala Temple is Hampi’s most striking showpiece; with exquisite carvings on pillars, walls and gateways. This 15th century temple is dedicated to Vittala, a form of Lord Vishnu. A mini township is understood to have thrived around this magnificent temple complex. The stone chariot and the pillars in the hall are a remarkable piece of art. The stone chariot is Hampi’s pride, exquisitely carved from several blocks of granite, without revealing any of the joints.

The Maha Mantapa Hall facing the stone chariot is known for its musical pillars, which respond with musical tones when tapped. All but one of its four halls are intact, and the music hall in the eastern corner still preserves the statues of the musicians who performed there. The northern hall has a row of pillars depicting feats of Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu with half-man, half lion physical attributes. The southern hall depicts mythical characters called “yalis” The ceiling and pillars across the entire hall complex have been attended to in the same manner.

The complex encloses a small shrine with a deity of the Goddess, another 100 pillared hall in the south west and a marriage ceremony hall in the south east also ringed by engraved pillars.

Coracle Crossings: A coracle is unique to Hampi, a circular boat made of cane and protected by leather – today it has been replaced by plastic and PVC sheets – used to ferry about 6-8 people at a time to cross the river. The Virupaksha temple, the Kodanda Rama temple and the Vittala temple are points where the coracle can be boarded. The coracle is used to get to Anegondi, Hanuman Temple and Sita Sarovar among others. The coracle ride can be quite an adventure!

Gejjala Mantapa: Close to the Vittala Temple is an elevated rectangular structure supported by decorative pillars and an elaborate conical roof.

Purandaradasa Mantapa: Another pillared pavilion, but built on the riverbank, is dedicated to the poet Purandaradasa who composed over 75,000 compositions. A statue of the renowned poet playing a stringed musical instrument also exists at the pavilion. An annual music festival held every year to commemorate the poet is held here during January /February.

The Narasimha Temple: This temple is built on the slopes of the Gandhamadana Hill overlooking the river. Presently there is no deity within its sanctum, though art work on the temple walls indicate the temple to have been built for Lord Vishnu. The flat relief of the walls is broken by carvings of Hanuman, Garuda and an elephant. Floral motifs run along the wall at a height.