Tri State Trip - Day 8 - Hampi - Part 3
See the beautifully constricted Lotus Mahal. This is Queen's resting place. Known as Indragini Mahal also. This Mahal was constructed with open hall at the bottom. Rooms on upper part.
A water tank is there in middle of the room. They used to fill the water tank by carrying water with pots. In Summer days, it used to be hot. It was hot with 30 to 40 degrees. Upper part tank was made to keep it cool.
Due to this in the hall when Queen sits on the sofa the spray holes made, were open. the water used to sprinkle. If wind blows from here other side is cool. If blows from other side this side is cool.
Natural air-condition system. In Jaipur Hawa Mahal, here it is A/C Mahal. Now it is not allowed to go to upper part. People damaged it by writing names, so, you can see from far.
You can see small stones on the pillar. It was for lighting the lamps. It is for beautify the Mahal. You can see the pipeline system for water on the upper part. All four sides water sprinkle system is there for cooling.
Queen used to sit in the cool middle part. It is the air-conditioning system. Upper part is having bids in line, flowers are made beautifully. The colour was orange, but not it is deteriorated. In Krshnadevaraya's asthan, Tenali Ramakrishna was there. We do not know where his house was. this is known as Tenali Rama Mantapa.
He used to sit there for writing poetry in the morning and evening. the beautiful Indo-Islamic architecture monument is elephant stable. Gajashala. This is the place to keep elephants in Vijayanagara. It is for king's favourite elephants.
There were total 11 elephants at that time. Elephants for Dasra celebration were used to groom here. Dasar Utssav is big celebration in Vijayanagara. Vijayanagara was having 900 war elephants. They were deployed at borders. Here king's favourite elephants.
You can see double story mantap in middle. It is made for Krishnadevaraya's favourite white elephant. Inside it was interconnected. It is small from far but very big inside. You can put an African elephant inside. With help of interconnection Mahouts can go to feed and clean the area.
the opposite building is Mahouts residential building. They used to take them for bathing in river and brining food from the forest. You can see two fish drawings at the down part. These are the sign boards like arrow mark. It for guiding people to the water source. It was drawn as fish lives in water.
As we have sign boards to direct us to different places. Same thing here. Sarswati temple and Chandrasekhara temple. This area was occupied by locals and department evicted them from here. Underground Shiva temple. Inside the right-side walls were noblemen's quarters. This is the wall. Inside noblemen's quarters area.
This inert now. No i dol, no puja. Presently we are here for Narasimha Bhagavan. It is Ugra Narasimha. Here there are two temples. One idol is damaged.
Other one is intact. In Hindu religion two sects, Shaiva and Vaishnava are there. Vaishnav sect's Narasimha temple. Shaiva sect's Shiva temple. Narasimha's idol was damaged.
Shiva temple is intact. Reason is Shiva is shanta priya. Abhisheka priya. Vishnu is alankara priya.
Vishnu temples have wealth and Tresure. They destroyed idol and looted all the wealth. This is Ugra Narasimha. Vishnu's 4th avatar, Narasimha avatar. His body is half man and half lion. In 528 Krishnadevaraya constructed this temple.
The scultuer's name is Krishna Bhattacharya. From top to bottom single stone. Monolithic. Its original name is Laxmi Narasimha. Presently Laxmi broken. On left you can see Laxmi's hand.
The beautiful Laxmi is broken. Narasimha's belt is restored. Leg is restored.
They looted the temple and broken the idol. This idol was broken like this. the leg and chest part were broken and restored later.
this original idol was like this. Laxmi in siting position. Sitting on tail of Narasimaha. Laxmi's full idol was destroyed. It was beautiful idol.
Top to down single stone monolithic. Narasimha sitting on snake's tail. On the top Adisheshu as Prabhavali. It is single stone. First, they carved idol from single rock, then constructed the temple.
He is called by three names. This temple is having Shivling. This Shiv ling is Badibi linga of 15th century. Badibi means a poor lady. She constructed with her earnings. That is why Badibi linga. This is second largest shiv ling in South India.
First one is in Brihadeeswara temple, Tamilnadu. Tanjavore. This is 12 feet Shiv ling. See how big it is. It is monolithic. Nobody damaged this idol. See the water at the bottom. So, he is known as Jalakanta.
It is having three eyes. So, they call Mukkanna. Tri netra. You can see the arrangement for doing milk and water abhisheka. Peculiarity of this is its third eye is open. Third eye open means he is angry. To keep him cool water is there at the bottom. The water comes from underground canal.
If the water is more in canal, here also it will be more. Here puja is being performed. According to Hindu dharma, if idol is damaged, there will no puja.
This idol is not damaged, so, they offer puja. That is Hemakuta hill. Hemakuta hill sunset point.
You can see the wall here. This is Krishna temple. It's a big temple. Presently no idol. The sculptures were damaged. There was a bazar in front of it. Krishna temple. Big temple but damaged.
What is on the hill? It is Matanga hill. Sun rise and sunset points are there. This is Krishna temple. What is the name of bazar? it is Krishan bazar. The Krishna temple's upper part, Gopuram has fallen. To protect it rods installed.
If you see this side, it is Krishna bazar. Here it was paddy and clothes market. In Vijayanagara 7 royal tempes and 7 bazars. No idol is inside, it was broken. Presently it is at Chennai Museum. Raja Krishnadevaraya In 1530 war on Orissa, Kalinga empire While returning from the war he brought a Bala Krishna idol from Udayagiri and constructed a temple here. This is known as Bala Krishna temple.
You can see fish drawing pointing to water tank. You can see the culture and Telugu script. Beautifully done. This is Shila Balik In the upper part Rahu, Ketu drawing is there. It is eclipse. It is coming to swallow the moon. Eclipse.
At the time of eclipse all temple doors remain closed. That scene was drawn here. On this pillar Vishnu's Dashavatar were drawn. Mastya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Srirama Balarama, Kalki. Kalki is the last.
Dashavatara's drawn beautifully. Ladies like Apsara, Ganga, Yamuna drawn. At the bottom Crocodile. For auspicious things water bodies Ganaga, Yamuna was drawn. this is Bala Krishna. The idol was like this. Bala Krishna's idol.
Presently it is broken. Department restoring it. These two towers are rebuilt. Upper part has many sculptures. They are scenes of war.
You can see Gajapati Raja, Jaganmohini his daughter. The whole war scene created here. Upper part is broken. The deepa stambha is damaged. You can see a statue Vishnu Vahan Garuda. The eagle. Presently no puja.
No idol. No puja. It is a big temple. Whole Ramayana story was sculptured on the pillars. Vishnu's different Avatars were sculptured.
They all were carved on the pillars. This is kitchen room. Paka Shala. It is for making Prasad. Southeast corner is fire, so, kitchen.
this is Paka Shala. These are mantapas. These are Dharma Shalas, for devotees resting in the night. These are elephants with destroyed trunks. Beautifully carved elephants. Here it is a deferent mythical animal. These are Simha Yali, Dragon Yali etc.
Now we are in bazar. We are going inside Krishna bazar. These were stalls at that time. All these were installed with interlock system. They all are well protected stalls. This area was occupied by people. Department rehabilitated them.
You can see a pushkarini, kalyani, water tank. This is made for Holi, Deepostava, Teppostava. For Abishek of God they were using this water. River water used come here through canals. They used conduct Deepostava and Teppostava here.
The gate there is Asian pathway, world gateway. Old road. Connected to Krishan temple. From here Ganesh temple and down part of Virupaksha temple. It is like present Toll Gate on Highway. Same system. Sme like Toll Gate.
This is Katalekalu Ganesha temple. The peanut/ mustard Ganesh. Shashwakalu Ganesha is small. This is big. If you see at the back at Garbha Gruha, no foundation. See how they installed big pillars.
That tower is Virupaksha temple. You see that hill. Virupaksha temple That hill is Rushyamuka Parvat. Behind that Anjanadri hill.
This is Matanga hill. Hampi's sunrise and sunset points. The hill behind this is Malyavanta hill. Behind Ganesh temple Hemakuta hill. The kingdom is between these five hills. This is monolithic big Ganapathi.
This is Kagalekalu Ganesha, Peanut Ganasha Original names is Kshetra puja Ganesha, Modaka Ganesha, Shaktipeeta Ganesha There is no puja as his stomach part is broken. The trunk was having a diamond. It was projected diamond. Its stomach was very big. They thought there may be wealth in it. So, its stomach was broken.
When Bahmani Sultan knew it was only stone They tried to burn it with wood, oil Being single rock, it has not bunt. You can see black colour on the upper part. Top to bottom it is 18 feet. See the beautiful fingers.
Head is also beautiful. As trunk and stomach broken, no puja. It is biggest monolithic Ganapathi of South.
You can see Garbha Gudi, Ardha mantapa, Maha mantapa. This side nothing is there. Open hall. If you see from this angle You feel its stomach is not broken See the head, eyes, hand and leg. This beautiful idol was destroyed by Bahamani kingdom for wealth.
See the legs etc. they are beautiful.
2023-01-19 17:35
