Post No. 12,463
Date uploaded in London – – 24 August, 2023
Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com
Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.
this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.
tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com
https://www.pustaka.co.in/home/author/london-swaminathan
Xxx
Hampi -Hindu Wonder destroyed by Muslim Invaders (Post No.12,463)
Where is the biggest destruction of Hindu temples by Muslim Invaders in India?
That is Hampi in Karnataka spreading over 24 square kilometres.
Unforgivable, unforgettable, incredible and biggest destruction by Muslim invaders.
Hampi is the greatest jewel of Indian Architecture. If one weighs all the Vijayanagara and Hoychala architecture with the architecture of Chozas and Pandyas the former will weigh far heavier.
I have seen Brihadeeswara temple and Madurai Meenkashi temple, Gangai Konda Chozapuram, Avudaiyar Kovil etc and seen Halebidu, Belur and Sravanabelagola. No one can come nearer to Vijayanagara and Hoychala sculptures.
Chozas may beat them only in Bronzes. One must see all the bronzes in Madras Museum. Each Choza bronze would fetch million dollars in the criminal, notorious, anti culture auction houses in London and New York.
xxx
Let me take you to Hampi now:
What is to see?
Hampi, the ruined village of architectural wonder is one of the most fascinating tourist destinations of India. The place is full of giant temples, splendid palace, amazing monuments, market streets, fortifications, aquatic structures and several other man-made wonders. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is surrounded by 500 ancient monuments, temples, buildings, and captivating ruins
Hampi is identified with the historical Kishkindha, the Vanara Kingdom, mentioned in the Ramayana, an ancient Sanskrit epic. Hampi was the capital of Vijayanagara Empire, the last great Hindu Kingdom, before it was attacked by Muslims rulers
Xxx
Where is Hampi?
Hampi or Vijayanagara is a city in the Vijayanagara district in the Indian state of Karnataka;it is near the city of Hosapete. It is on the banks of River Tungabadra.
By air: Hubli Airport, approximately 166 km away, is the closest domestic aerodrome to Hampi. Belgaum Airport is another major domestic airport, located around 270 km away from Hampi.
xxxx
What happened when Muslims attacked?
Between 100,000 to 500,000 people were massacred when a confederation of five Muslim Bahmani states of the Deccan— Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar, Bidar and Berar—plundered and destroyed this beautiful capital of an empire that stretched from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Orissa in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south. Many ran away anticipating the carnage. Of those who remained, all were killed: men, women and children. ‘The city of Bezenagar is not altogether destroyed, yet the houses stand still, but emptie, and there is dwelling in them nothing, as is reported, but Tygers and other wild beasts (sic),’ wrote Cesare Frederici, circa 1567.
XXXX
Origin of the Vijanagaram
The constant depredations by the marauding armies of the north Indian Sultanate prompted two local chieftains, Harihara I and Bukka, to build their kingdom around the temple of Virupaksha in 1336, which was surrounded by tall rocky hills. The two chieftains visited the Shankara Mutt at Sringeri and the reigning pontiff Vidyaranya became their preceptor, both spiritual and temporal. Thus began the rule of the first of the four dynasties—Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva and Araveedu—that were to rule Vijayanagara between 1336 and 1565.
Xxxx
What did foreign visitors say?
To start with, the size. ‘The circumference of the city is [60 miles]; its walls are carried up to the mountains and enclose the valleys at their foot,’ says Nicolo Conti, circa 1420. ‘Seven citadels and the same number of walls enclose each other,’ fortified with gateways and bastions. ‘The seventh fortress is placed in the centre of the others, and in that is situated the palace of the king,’ adds Abdul Razzaq, an envoy from Herat, Persia, circa 1442-44. xxxx
‘In this city you will find men belonging to every nation and people, because of the great trade which it has, and the many precious stones there… the streets and markets are full of laden oxen without count… and in many streets you come upon so many of them that you have to wait for them to pass, or else have to go by another way,’ writes Domingo Paes, a Portuguese visitor between circa 1520 and 1522.
xxxxx
List of Temples and Monuments to visit
Virupaksha Temple
One of the oldest active temples from 7th century AD in India is located at a riverbank, at the western edge.
The temple has shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, Goddess Pampa and Goddess Bhuvaneshwari. Overlooking Virupaksha temple to the South, Hemakuta hill has several scattered ruins, which includes Jain temples and a monolithic structure of Narasimha.
The temple has a 120 feet high tower on its eastern entrance
The highlights are the sets of triple chambered temples with its pyramid like granite roofs. In addition the Hematuka Hill is one of the best places in Hampi to see the sunrise and sunset and not as tedious to reach the top like to the Mataranga Hill.
A monolithic but mutilated statue of Nandi is there. Apart from the sculpted pillars, the ceiling contains lovely paintings of the marriage of Virupaksha and Pampa Devi and Rama and Sita. Vidyaranya, Shankaracharya of Sringeri and adviser to emperors, in procession, forms one of the many panels.
xxxx
Hazara Ramaswamy temple
The story of Ramayana is impressively carved on all around the shrine walls like a comics strips on stone. The temple is a little gem, with three rows of friezes encapsulating the whole temple and narrating the story of the Ramayana and a few episodes of the Bhagavata, visible as one circumambulates the temple three times. According to inscriptions, the bazaar street of this temple was known as the pan-supari bazaar.
xxx
Vitthalanatha Temple
The most splendidly carved building dedicated to Lord Vishnu is an architectural highlight of Hampi.
It is situated about 2 kms away to the east of Hampi Bazaar .The halls are noted for its extraordinary pillars with the animated carvings on it.
Its main attraction in the temple is a huge Stone Chariot complete with wheels carved out of stone stands in front of the main temple, containing an image of Garuda and a 56 pillared hall, “the musical pillars”, which produce musical sounds when they are stroked. Non doubt, the temples beautiful sculptures exhibits the richness of Vijayanagara art and it is relatively in a better condition of preservation.
Xxxx
Queen’s Bath
The Queen’s Bath is situated to the south of the Hazara Rama Temple; it is the most elaborate of the bathhouses belongs to the royal area of the capital.
The building is a large square structure, known it for the perfect contrast between its plain exterior and the nicely ornate interior. The bath measuring 15 metres in width and 1.8 metres depth is surrounded by finely decorated arched corridors and projecting balconies.
xxx
Huge Ugra Narsaimha Statue
Ugra Narasimha is a giant monolithic statue of Lakshmi Narasimha, the main lion god and one of the ten avatars (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, built in 1528 during the Krishnadevaraya rule with 6.7m height.
Situated in the south of the Hemkuta group of temples that contains the Virupaksha Temple, the statue sits atop a coiled snake Adishesha and it completely build of granite, a very hard substance.
There was a small figure of Lakshmi sitting on the lap of statue which was destroyed during the enemy Muslim invasion. The figure of Goddess Lakshmi is now kept in Kamlapura Museum.
An image of Lakshmi on his shoulder has been badly damaged and only one arm remains. All the four arms of Narasimha have been chopped off and the superstructure destroyed.
xxxx
Two Huge Ganesas
There are two large Ganeshas. Two Ganesas are called Kadalekalu Ganesha and Sasivekalu Ganesha
The first is the monolithic sasive kalu (mustard seed) Ganesha, who sits in an open pillared mandapa, 2.4 metres tall on a huge pedestal. Seen from the front, this is a mere Ganesha, but seen from the back, Ganesha is seated on his mother Parvati’s lap, a unique sculpture. An inscription tells us that merchants from Andhra Pradesh sponsored its carving. Another 4.5-metre-high monolithic image called kadale kalu (gram seed) Ganesha has a beautiful slender pillared mandapa in front of the sanctum.
Kadalekalu means Bengal gram seed in local language . Tamil poet Avvaiyar lists this as one of the Four Favourite snacks of Ganesh.
It is another giant statue of Ganesha located inside an open pavilion. Sasivekalu means of mustard seed in the local language. This four handed god is a fine example of the Vijayanagara’s artistic skills.
Xxxx
Massive Shivlinga
The massive Shivlinga is situated next to Narasimha statue. The 3 metre high figure stands in water that comes through an old channel. It is called Badavi ilinga
Krishna Temple
This temple is dedicated to lord Krishna, one of the ten incarnations of lord Vishnu. This temple was actually dedicated to the lord in his infant form. The complex consists of the main shrine, shrines of the goddesses, the chariot/market street and the temple tank. The main hall spots a series of pillars carved with mythical rampant creatures.
Elephant Stable
That was the shelter for the royal elephants. This long structure is made of a series of chambers with domical roofs. Each chamber is big enough to accommodate two elephants.
The central hall with an elaborated tower probably was used by the ceremonial band troop.
King’s Balance Tulabhara
The King’s Balance was the place where kings were weighed against grain, gold or money that was then distributed to the poor.
Lotus Mahal
The structure of this palace was probably used by the military of chief as his office or as a pleasure pavilion by the queens of the palace. Located in the ‘Zenana’ enclosure, the palace shaped like a lotus flower from top, has beautiful arc ways set in geometric regularity. It was an air-cooled summer palace of Queen.
Malyavanta Raghunathaswamy Temple
The Malyavanta Raghunatha is a swampy temple stands on the Kamalapura- Hampi road. With a Dravidian style, the outer walls of temple have been carved with strange looking fishes and marine monsters.
Ahyuta Raya’s Temple
This temple is still a beautiful and sizeable monument, probably built during the rule of Achyuta Deva Raya (1530-1542) by an officer Salakaraju Tirumaladeva.
Dedicated to Thiruvengalanatha or Lord Venkateshwara a form of Vishnu, the temple is an example of Vijayanagara style temple architecture in its most advanced form than any other temples in Hampi.
Two huge ruined towers, one behind the other, give access to the temple courtyards.
Royal Enclosure
A fortified campus, seat of the erstwhile kings is a sprawling area with the ruins of many stately structures. For example the Mahanavami Platform from where the king used to watch the annual parade of imperial majesty and military might. The area is packed with numerous palace bases, underground temple, aquatic structures and the likes.
Pattabhirama Temple: The Pattabhirama Temple is a large temple that stands within a sprawling campus. The temple is dedicated to the worship of Lord Rama. The beautiful temple is known for its intricate architecture and is very popular among the tourists.
Archaeological Museum: The Archaeological Museum at Kamalapura in Hampi is a treasure trove of historical artefacts and ancient relics. The museum is a significant one as it has rare and unique collections of sculptures and artefacts that belong to the Vijayanagara Empire as well as the British rulers of Hampi.
Gagan Mahal (Old Palace): The Gagan Mahal or the Old Palace in Hampi is a historical structure. The palace was of great importance during the rule of the Vijayanagara Empire. The ancient palace dates back to the 16th century. It is one of the main attractions of Hampi. It is famous for the intricate carvings on the walls and the decorated balconies.
—subham—-
Tag- Hampi, Muslim Invaders, Narasimha statue, big Linga, Stone Chariot, Foreign visitors, Vidyaranya, Harihara and Bukka
Tamil and Vedas 