Vitthala Temple
Location:
To the east of Hampi Bazaar is the Vitthala temple, about 2 kms away.
About Vitthala Temples
The Vitthala Temple is situated on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra
River. The most magnificent of the religious edifices at Hampi, it can
be reached from the west by walking on from Hampi Bazaar along the
riverbank, or from the east through the Talarigattu Gateway. Its
reputation is well deserved both in the variety of styles that
characterize the shrines within the temple courtyard and in the fineness
of the carvings that embellish them.
The ruins of the temple is a World Heritage monument. It
is in a relatively good state of preservation. The temples incredible
sculptural work is a pinnacle of Vijayanagar Art. The outer pillars are
known as the 'Musical Pillars' as they reverberate when tapped, although
this practice is now discouraged to avoid further damage. The temple
also features an ornate stone chariot in the temple courtyard containing
an image of Garuda.
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 main temple was dedicated to Vishnu as Vitthala. 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'.
