Shri Vijayavitthala Temple is a true representative of human craftsmanship. Dedicated to Lord Vitthala or Lord Vishnu the Vijaya vitala temple is a wonderful monument situated at Hampi. Built mainly by Dravidian architecture the temple has all the stuff that a typical south Indian Temple would have.
About Vijaya Vithala temple :
Originally built in the 15th century A D, Vittala Temple is one of the most popular attractions in Hampi’s. Built in a rich architectural style, this spectacle is in an expansive campus with compound walls and towers as gateways. Also constructed along are many temples, pavilions and halls within the campus.
Vittala is another incarnation of Lord Vishnu, who was amongst the ordinary people and is worshipped as a deity by the cattle herds. There are still the remains of a township called Vittalapura, which existed around this temple compound. Vittala temple has extraordinary pillared halls and the stone chariot and is also the chief attraction of the temple. Also, present are an array of sculptures on the giant granite pillars carved in the halls.
Attractions Of Vijaya Vithala temple In Karnataka :
Shri Vijayavitthala Temple is a true representative of human craftsmanship. Dedicated to Lord Vitthala or Lord Vishnu the Vijaya vitala temple is a wonderful monument situated at Hampi. Built mainly by Dravidian architecture the temple has all the stuff that a typical south Indian Temple would have.
Built in 15th Century AD, the temple is built in the form of sprawling campus with many halls, pavilions, temples located inside the campus. Many successive kings have enhanced the campus of temple during their regimes to this present form. The main attraction of this temple is 56 musical pillars when tapped gently these pillars produce musical sounds. These pillars are popularly known as Musical Pillars or SAREGAMA Pillars. The temple is situated just 2 Km East of Hampi Bazaar and opens from 8.30 in the Morning to 5.30 in the Evening.
Legend has it that Lord Vishnu found it too grand to live in and thus returned to his own humble home. The Stone Chariot is situated to the east of the temple hall. By far, this is the most amazing monument in Hampi and is portrayed as the icon for Hampi.
Location :
Most of the city lies on the south bank of the Tungabhadra River. The city was built around the original religious centre of the Virupaksha temple at Hampi. Other holy places lie within its environs, including the site of what is said to be Kishkindha where a Hanuman temple, the cave home of Anjana, Kesari and Shabari, a holy pond named the Pampasarovar are located. It also contains the cave home of Sugriva, the monkey king of the Ramayana.
The city at its greatest extent was considerably larger than the area described here; an account is given at the article on the Vijayanagara metropolitan area. The central areas of the city, which include what are now called the Royal Centre and the Sacred Centre, extend over an area of at least 40 km². It includes the modern village of Hampi. Another village, Kamalapura, lies just outside the old walled city, but is also surrounded by ruins and monuments. The nearest town and railway is in Hosapete, about 13 km (8.1 mi) away by road. Hosapete also lies within the original extents of the old city, though most of the items of interest are within walking distance of Hampi and Kamalapura.
History :
The Vijayanagara empire was founded by(Harihara) and Bukka, also called the Sangama brothers. The empire consolidated under Harihara I and began to expand and prosper under Bukka Raya. Some time after its original establishment the capital was established at the more defensible and secure location of Vijayanagara on the south side of the river.
Contemporary descriptions depict a very large and highly-developed metropolitan area: recent commentators say,
“The massive walls, which can still be traced, enclosed an area of more than sixty square miles, much of which was occupied by fields and gardens watered by canals from the river. The population cannot be estimated with precision, but it was certainly very large when judged by the standards of the fifteenth century. The great majority of the houses were naturally small and undistinguished, but among them were scattered palaces, temples, public buildings, wide streets of shops shaded by trees, busy markets, and all the equipment of a great and wealthy city. The principal buildings were constructed in the regular Hindu style, covered with ornamental carving, and the fragments which have survived suffice to give point to the enthusiastic admiration of the men who saw the city in the days of its magnificence.