Annual Snake Visit (Katans Hand Guide) Location: Hambi of Karnataka State in India Trip No: 5 Duration : 2012

July 20th to 22nd

HAMPI is a village located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara
Empire. It continues to be an important religious centre, housing several monuments belonging to the old city. The topography abounds with large stones which have been used to make statues of Hindu deities. The name is derived from Pampa, which is the old name of the Tungabhadra River on whose banks the city is built. The name "Hampi" is an anglicized version of the Kannada Hampe (derived from Pampa). Over the years, it has also been referred to as Vijayanagara and Virupakshapura (from Virupaksha, the patron deity of the Vijayanagara rulers). Hampi is identified with the historical Kishkindha, the monkey kingdom mentioned in the Ramayana. Hampi formed one of the core areas of the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565, when it was finally laid siege to by the Deccan Muslim confederacy. Hampi was chosen because of its strategic location, bounded by the torrential Tungabhadra River on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on the other three sides. Hampi has various notable Hindu temples, among the most notable are: Virupaksha Temple known as the Pampapathi temple It is a Shiva temple situated in the Hampi Bazaar .This temple has three towers, the eastern tower at the entrance ,rises to a height of 160 feet and is nine tiered. It dates back to the first half of the fifteenth century and was renovated in the sixteenth century by Krishnadevaraya. This tower has been built such that an inverted shadow of this huge tower falls on the western wall of the temple through a small hole behind the sanctum. The northern gopuram has five storeys, and the inner eastern gopuram is endowed with three storeys. The presiding deity here is Virupaksheshwara or Pampapathi. His consort Pampa, is believed to be the daughter of Bhrama. There is an ornate shrine to Bhuvaneswari. There is a shrine to Vidyaranya, the spiritual founder of Vijayanagar in this temple. The inner prakaram consists of shrines and pillars dating back to the 12th century. Krishnadevaraya also built a mandapam in front of the sanctum, and embellished it with Vijayanagar style bas reliefs and murals. Several of Shiva's manifestations, and the ten incarnations of Vishnu are portrayed here, as is the classic scene from Mahabharata depicting Arjuna's shooting the fish device in order to secure Draupadi's hand in marriage. There is also a mural depicting Vidyaranya the spiritual founder of Vijayanagar in procession. Hazara Rama Temple Complex: Situated in the Royal Enclosure, this temple for Lord Rama is popularly called Hazari Rama Temple or Hazara Rama Temple because of the large number of Ramayana panels on the walls. This ruined temple complex is well known for elaborate frescoes from Hindu Mythologies and a sprawling courtyard well-laid with gardens. Originally, the temple consisted of a sanctum, an ardha mantapa and a pillared hall to which an open porch with tall and elegant pillars was added subsequently. A high wall encloses the entire complex with the main entrances set on the east. To the south is a small doorway, which leads to the Durbar Area. The pillar hall is notable for its unique pillars in black-stone. They are set on a raised stone platform in the middle of the hall. The tall and elegant pillars of the open porch are also worth a second look. The other structures in this temple complex are a shrine for Devi and Utsava Mantapa. This is the only temple in Hampi where the exterior walls have boldly chiselled bas-reliefs. These bas-reliefs are narrative in nature. The Ramayana epic is carved in detail. Incidents in the story like Dasaratha performing a sacrifice to beget sons, the birth of Rama, his exile into the forest, the abduction of Sita and the ultimate fight between Rama and Ravana are all carved in a vivid manner. In these panels, the story of Rama and through it the triumph of good over evil is brought out. The genesis of Hampi dates back to the age Ramayana when it was the monkey kingdom Kishkindha. This temple now unused is situated in the royal enclosure of the city and was probably the king's private shrine. The enclosure walls of the temple are exceptional in a way that they are both carved on the outside as

well as inside. The outer friezes depict horses, elephants, dancing girls and infantry in procession; the inner panels show scenes from the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. The enclosure wall also has panels on the exterior side. The boldly carved panels are in five horizontal rows, one above the other, representing a procession of elephants with riders and attendants, prancing horses with riders and rider less horses led by grooms, wrestlers and soldiers in procession witnessed by a few seated royal figures. These panels represent symbolically the power of the rulers and the might of their fighting forces paraded annually at the time of the Dusshera festival. On the wall of the god's sanctum are two rare depictions of Vishnu as the Buddha. Though the temple is small it is a fine example of the skill of Vijayanagaras sculptors. Only master craftsmen can coax filigree and lace out of Deccan stone. The temple is located in the Royal Enclosure, right in front of the Mohammadan Watch Tower and the Nobelmans Quarters. The temple faces east and its back is towards the Royal Center and other monuments. Krishna Temple Complex This is one of the must see sites in Hampi. This temple complex has been recently excavated through the last decade, and restoration work is still in progress. This temple was built by the king (Krishnadevaraya) in 1513 AD to celebrate the conquest of the eastern kingdom of Udayagiri or Utkala (in the present day Orissa state). The main idol installed in the temple was the figure of Balakrishna (Lord Krishna as infant). This idol is now displayed in the state museum at Chennai. A huge slab installed inside the courtyard of the temple states the story of this temple and the conquest of Ulkala. The carvings are especially spectacular with the Yalis (the mythical lion) on the pillars and the entrances to the temple hall flanged with impressive carvings of elephant balustrades. Many small shrines and pillared halls adorn the campus. The temple kitchen is located at the south east of the main shrine. The main tower at the east is an impressive sight with numerous carvings on it .You can see the carvings of the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu in this temple. This is one of the few temples where the epic stories carved on the walls of the tower. This is fairly an intact specimen of that era. The main road to Hampi passes through the temple campus. You can spot a small pavilion with a rectangular stone container in front of the temple across the road. This was used to store grains for the ritual purpose in the temple festivals. The position and design of the vessel suggests devotees used to donate food grain as offering at the temple .The main temple hall Further east outside the temple you can see a long hall like structure. On the right (south) of it are the banana plantations. The left area is mostly a rocky landscape. This was actually the high street (the chariot street) once led to the temple. The long pavilions were shops in the market street. If you walk along these long structures, you would reach the impressive temple pond with structures around and at the middle of the tank. The temple tank is now not in use. The nearby agricultural places use water from the tank. The chariot street mentioned in fact terminates at a series of wide steps in front of the main temple campus, probably the only such chariot street in Hampi. Near the west gate of the temple campus you can spot a narrow passage leading to a large rectangular building. Made in Islamic style architecture this was probably a granary attached to the temple. A narrow flight of steps just behind the granary can give you access to the top for a vantage view. No admission fee. Photography no fee. You need at least an hour plus for this temple. Very easily accessible, as this is located at the main road. A good sight of the topography of this temple can be had from the southern part of the Hemakuta hilltops. Vittala Temple Complex As the epicenter of Hampis attractions, Vittala Temple is the most extravagant architectural showpiece of Hampi. This is perhaps the most famous and well-known among the ruins of Hampi. The iconic stone chariot in the vicinity of this temple complex is a symbol of Karnataka Tourism. Off late, floodlights have been installed in the temple complex that provides illumination at dusk, thereby adding to the grandeur of the architecture. The road leading to the temple was once a market where the horses were traded. Even today we can see the ruins of the market on both the sides of the road. The temple contains the images of foreigners like Persians selling horses.

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The temple is built in the form of a sprawling campus with compound wall and gateway towers. There are many halls, pavilions and temples located inside this campus. Vittala (Lord Vishnu) was worshiped in this part of the country as their cult deity by the cattle herds.The temple was originally built in the 15th century AD. Many successive kings have enhanced the temple campus during their regimes to the present form. You can even see the remains of a township called Vittalapura that existed around this temple complex. The highlight of Vittala temple is its impressive pillared halls and the stone chariot. The halls are carved with an overwhelming array of sculptures on the giant granite pillars. The chariot located inside the campus is almost an iconic structure of Hampi. One typically accesses the campus through the eastern entrance tower, next to which the ticket counter is located. On entering through this massive tower, the first thing draws your attention would be a series of compact platforms along the central axis of the campus. At the end of these platforms stands the Stone Chariot. This is in fact a shrine built in the form of a temple chariot. An image of Garuda (the eagle god) was originally enshrined within its sanctum. Garuda, according to the Hindu mythology, is the vehicle of lord Vishnu. Thus the Garuda shrine facing the temples sanctum is symbolic. It may appear (and sometimes even referred to) as a monolithic structure. In reality this stone shrine was built with many giant granite blocks. The joints are smartly hidden in the carvings and other decorative features that adorn the Stone Chariot. The chariot is built on a rectangular platform of a feet or so high. All around this base platform is carved with mythical battle scenes. Though the chariot is not resting on it, the four giant wheels attached mimic the real life ones complete with the axis shafts & the brakes. A series of concentric floral motifs decorate the wheels. It appears from the marks on the platform, where the wheels rest, the wheels were free to move around the axis. You can still see the remains of the painting on the carvings of the chariot. Probably because it was relatively protected from the natural wearing elements, the undercarriage of the chariot spots one of the best preserved specimens of this kind of paintings. It is believed the whole of the Vittala Temples sculptures were once beautifully painted in similar fashion using the minerals as medium. In front of the chariot two elephants are positioned as if they are pulling the chariot. In fact these elephants where brought from elsewhere and positioned here at a later stage. Originally two horses were carved in that position. The tails and the rear legs of the horses can be still seen just behind these elephant sculptures. A broken stone ladder once gave access to the sanctum is kept between the elephants. You can still spot the marks on the floor and the doorsill where once the ladder stood. On leaving the Stone Chariot you reach the main hall in front of the Vittala temple. This hall though partially damaged is still awe inspiring. Facing the Stone Chariot, a series of steps flanged by elephant balustrades gives access to this elevated open hall called the Maha-Mantapa (the great hall). The balustrades on the east and west porch of this hall is more dramatic with giant lion Yalis fighting the relatively dwarf elephants. The Maha-Mantapa stands on a highly ornate platform. This fluted platform is carved with a series of floral motifs. The lowermost of it is a chain of horses, its trainers and the traders. The Maha-Mantapa contains four open halls within. The south, north and the east ones are still intact. The central western hall is collapsed, probably due to the arson that followed the fall of the capital. The main highlight of the Maha-Mantapa is its richly carved giant monolithic pillars. The outermost of the pillars are popularly called the musical pillars. These slender and short pilasters carved out of the giant pillars emit musical tones when tapped. Probably these do not belong to any of the standard musical notes, but the musical tone of the vibes earned its the name. Unmindful curiosity of the visitors has damaged many of these pilasters and tapping on it is banned for the sake of preservation. The British had cut two pillars to check inside & found nothing but hollow pillars. The eastern hall which is called the musicians hall is notable for sculptures of musicians on the pillars. Each of the pillars surrounding this hall is sculptured with musicians, drummers and dancers.The southern hall is dominated with the rampant mythical creatures called Yalis. The capitals of each of the pillars branches into heavily ornate corbels with terminating with lotus buds.The northern hall are surrounded with a series of pillars with the Narasimha (the man-lion incarnation of Vishnu) themes. The most notable ones are that of Narasimha slaying Hiranyakashipu on his lap. Prahlada is seen sitting at the base in a praying posture.The ceilings of the halls too are of interest with the lotus like carving at the centre.Further west is a closed hall with two porches on either side. Further ahead is the sanctum. The inner sanctum is devoid of any idol. A narrow and unlit passageway encircles the inner sanctum. A few steps on either sides of the sanctums main door give access to this passage. The outer wall of the sanctum that one can only sees from this passageway is richly decorated with the Kumbha-Pankajas (the motifs where

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lotus flower flows out of a pot) An image of a bull and elephant has shared head. The left portion is complete as a bull and the right as an elephant! The other attractions include the Goddesss shrine in the northwest, the 100-pillared hall at the southwest, the Kalayna Mantapa (the ceremonial marriage hall) in the southeast and the pillared cloisters all around the enclosure wall. You can reach Vittala temple in two ways. The first is by the road and the second is by a walk along the riverbank from Hampi Bazaar. You can take and auto rickshaw from Hampi bus stand (Rs40) to Vittala temple. Or catch a local bus first from Hampi bus stand to Kamapapura and then from Kamaplapura to Vittala temple (ask anyone at the Kamalapura bus stand to spot you the right bus) Admission fee Rs10 for Indian citizens; USD5 or equivalent for foreign nationals. Preserve this ticket. You can use the ticket for the same day to enter the Zenena Enclosure area in the Royal Centre. Admission is free for children under age of fifteen. Pay at the ticket counter Rs25 for use of video camera. You can use still camera free of cost. Use of tripods is not permitted inside the temple campus. The monument opens from 8.30 in the morning to 5.30 in the evening. Try to visit this place soon it opens in the morning. You can practically see & photograph peacefully before the crowd (and noise!) builds up slowly. Archaeological Museum @ Kamalapur The collection of sculptures architectural members from various locations of the ruins were made by British officers and housed earlier at elephant stables. In 1972 the antiquities were shifted to a present modern building. Presently this museum has four galleries enclosing a model of Hampi valley with a corridor all around. Opening Hours: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm Closed on Friday Entrance Fee: Rs. 5/- per head (Children up to 15 years free) Badavilinga Temple This is the largest monolithic Linga in Hampi. Located next to the Narasimha statue the Linga is housed inside a chamber with an opening in the front. A close look on this icon can reveal three eyes (depicting the three eyes of Siva) carved on it. Legend has it that this was commissioned by a peasant woman and hence the name (Badva means poor in local tongue). The sanctum in which the Linga is installed is always filled with water as a water channel is made to flow through it. According to mythology the River Ganga was brought from heaven to earth. Lord Shiva consented to take the forceful impact by allowing the torrent of Ganga to fall on his matted hair. As an iconic representation of this, in Siva temples you can spot a dripping pot hanged over the Linga. Both Lakshmi Narasimha & Badavilinga shrines can be visited together. Photography allowed and no entrance fees to visit. The Hampi Bazaar Hampi was well known for its bazaars in the days gone by, when merchants from all over the world collected here to show off their wares. From gold and diamonds to horses and cows, the markets boasted of a variety which impressed even visitors from foreign shores! These marketplaces werent like our roadside shops, but well planned and well laid out areas, paved with stones, with residences for the merchants as well stables for their mounts! Nothing much remains of these bazaars except the pathways and the water tanks which mark their boundaries. Today Hampi Bazaar signifies a row of shops outside the Virupaksha temple, selling the sort of stuff which appeals to tourists and is terribly expensive. The shopkeepers didnt even pay us Indians much attention, and targeted at the foreign tourists. Hampi Lotus Mahal

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Lotus Mahal, also known as Kamal Mahal or Chitrangini Mahal is situated in the Zenana Enclosure of the monuments. It is a ticketed monument and a single ticket would let you into the Zenana Enclosure covering several monuments including Elephant Stables. The term Zenana refers to the Women and Zenana Enclosure in general would refer to the Queens enclosure along with the servants quarters around and private temples. Lotus Mahal is a two storied very symmetric structure exhibiting a fine example of Indo-Islamic architecture. The base of the structure depicts a Hindu foundation of stone just like in the temples, typical of Vijayanagara Architecture while the upper superstructure is Islamic in architecture with pyramidal towers instead of regular dome shapes, giving it a Lotus-like look, originating in the name. Also, this is one of the very few buildings that have the plaster intact though it is defaced at several places due to wear and tear, especially; the dampness on the walls is very visible. The exemplary carvings on the pillar arches including those of birds and delicate art work can be very mesmerizing, especially with the Makara Torana on top of these arches that can still be seen on some of them. It is also believed that the Mahal or Palace was air-cooled and maintained its temperature during summer with pipeline work above and between the arches. The entire monument is surrounded by a fortifying wall which is rectangular in plan. The four corners of the fortifications have watch towers that would have been used to keep an eye on the intruders. The Royal Center could be reached from Hazara Rama Temple. Malyavanta Hill In some way detached from the rest of the tourist circuits, many visitors often fail to make it to Malyavanta Hill . Those of you take the trouble to venture on to it will be rewarded with a few pleasant surprises, and of course a relatively less touristy ambient First of all it is the only one, where you can reach by a vehicle. The view and ambiance are as remarkable, and more tranquil, than the much talked about Mathanga Hill top. Apart from the usual expectation from a hilltop, this includes large temple campus at the top. The main temple, popularly known as Malayavanta Raghunatha Temple , is dedicated to lord Rama. According to mythology, it is here lord Rama and his brother Laxmana waited till the monsoon season gets over; and then they marched towards Lanka with Hanumans monkey army. The narrow but decently paved uphill path terminates in front of the eastern gate of the temple campus. Enter through the towered porch and you are inside the campus with many temples and pavilions all around. At the east side (towards your left) of the wall you can spot huge entrances tower. Outside this is a vantage area overlooking a long chain of boulder hills. Just beneath lays the main road that you took from Kamalapura. A modest opening at the back (west side) of the campus wall leads to a cliff. Devoid of any interruptions, the wind seems powerful enough to lift you off your feet. From this point you can get an almost 360 degree panoramic view. The haze in the horizon seems the only barrier. The topography of many hills, the contours of the green fields filling the valley and planes, the almost thread like trails that snake through the ridges and fields, the anonymous monuments that scatter around all gives a feel that you are looking at a gigantic live map of Hampi. The visibility is especially great during the brighter part of the day. Just around this area you will notice a gigantic boulder, over which a whitewashed shrine tower is located. The shrine beneath it houses a Shiva Linga. Just in front of the shrine, on the rocky floor, you can spot an array of carved Nandi (Bull) statues and Shiva Lingas. A cleft on the floor, usually filled with water, separate the two rows of carvings. This cleft is believed to have caused by Laxmanas arrow.Owing to its westward projection, this is a fantastic place to enjoy a Hampi sunset. It is located somewhat on the way to Vittala Temple fromKamalapura town. If your itinerary covers this route (-Kamalapura- Ganagitti Temple Bhimaa Gateway Vittala Temple -), its not a bad idea to tweak it a bit to include Malyavanta Hill as a side trip. From Kamalapura take the main road (the same road that goes to the Ganagitti Temple and the Bhimas Gateway) that goes in the northeast direction towards Kampili. At about 2 kilometers from Kamalapura, or after passing the Ganagitti Temple on your right, road reaches a fork. The left branch goes towards the Vittala Temple. The main road continues towards Kampili. About 500 meters from the junction, at the left side of the main road you see the Malyavanta Hill. A cemented ramp to the hilltop with an arched gateway at the foothill is a distinct landmark. For a couple of rupees, a local bus from Kamalapura bus station can drop you near the arch mentioned above.

Hemakuta Hill This is not one of the tallest hills in Hampi. But this hilltop and its slops offer a splendid view of the sprawling ruins site. This hill is sprinkled generously with a large number of temples, archways and pavilions. The whole of the hill was fortified with tall wide stonewalls, the ruined remains of which can be still be seen. Once you have reached (about 15 minutes climb) the top, its almost a flat expanse of rocky sheet with occasional ups and downs. Hemakuta Hill is one among the best places in Hampi to see the sunrise and sunset; and not as tedious to reach the top say compared to the Matanga Hill nearby. Good news for the ones who find it difficult for a steep climb. Myth has it that its on this hill that Lord Siva did penance before marrying a local girl Pampa. Siva was impressed by her dedication for him and consent to marry her. On this it rained gold on this hill. Hema in Sanskrit language means gold. The name of the hill thus connects with this legend. Also this is the place where Siva burnt Kama (the god of lust) with his third (fire) eye. In helping Pampa to marry Shiva, Kama distracted Shiva from his penance. This attracted the wrath of Siva and eventually killed Kama by fire. Later Rathi (goddess of passion and Kamas wife) pleaded for the life of Kama. Siva brought him back to life but only in character not as a physical being. Hence a number of temples in this area are dedicated to Lord Siva, the major one being the Virupaksha temple at the north of this hill. This place packed with the largest number of pre Vijayanagara temples. You can access it mainly through two ways. The first is through the tower located close to the Virupaksha temples main entrance. From the very end of the Hampi Bazaar that terminates in front of the Virupaksha temple, take the left (southward) alley. You can see the giant but topless tower to the hilltop. On the way you see the Hampi post office on your right.The second access point is through the twin storied archway located near the Sasivekalu Ganesha & Kadalekalu Ganesha shrines. The top locations near this archway is a great place to get an aerial view of the Krishna Temple campus just south of it; and the Lakshmi Narasimha & Badivilinga shrines located beyond the Krishna temple. Admission free. Make a fetish out of photography! Lakshmi Narasimha Temple This is the largest statue in Hampi. Narasimha is sitting on the coil of a giant seven-headed snake called Sesha. The heads of the snake acts as the hood above his head. The god sits in a cross-legged Yoga position with a belt supporting the knees. Lion face of Lakshmi Narasimha also sometimes called as Unganarasimha (the ferocious Narasimha). The protruding eyes and the facial expression are the basis for this name. Narasimha (means half-manhalf-lion in local the languages) is one of the ten incarnations (avatar) of Lord Vishnu. The original statue contained the image of goddess Lakshmi, consort of the god, sitting on his lap. But this statue has been damaged seriously during the raid leading to the fall of Vijayanagara. Even the damaged portion of such a large statue of Lakshmi carved on his lap is missing. Probably it may be laying around in tiny pieces. But the goddesss hand is visible resting on his back in embracing posture. If you get a chance to go inside this enclosure, it is possible to see the hand of the goddess. Even the nails & the rings on her fingers are so perfectly executed. Somehow this single statue alone can demonstrate at the same time how creative and destructive the human mind can be. The Hindu mythology has a tale of Narasimhas origin. Lord Vishnu takes the form of Narasihma in his fourth incarnation, the previous one being that of a Boar (Varaha). Vishnu kills the demon Hiranyaksha during his Varaha avatar. Hiranyakshas brother Hiranyakashipu wants to take revenge by destroying Lord Vishnu and his followers. He performs penance to please Brahma, the god of creation. Impressed by this act, Brahma offers him anything he wants. Hiranyakashipu asks for a tricky boon; that he would not die either on earth or in space; nor in fire nor in water; neither during day nor at night; neither inside nor outside of a home; nor by a human, animal or God; neither by inanimate nor by animate being. Brahma grants the boon. With virtually no fear of death he unleashes terror. Declares himself as god and asks people to utter no gods name except his. However his son Prahlada (who a devoted worshiper of Lord Vishnu!) refuses. Repeated pressurization on him yields no results for Hiranyakashipu. Prahlada declares the omnipresence of Lord Vishnu. Once Hiranyakashipu points to a pillar and asks if Vishnu is present in it. Prahlada nods in affirmative. Angered at

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it, he draws his sword and cuts the pillar; Narasimha appears out of the broken pillar. Narasimha (being a man-lion god form) kills Hiranyakashipu. He comes out to kill at the twilit (neither day nor night);on the doorsteps of his palace (neither inside nor outside); uses his nails to kill (neither animate nor inanimate); puts him on his lap before killing (neither earth nor in space), thus making power of the boon ineffective. The death of this demon king is celebrated as Holi (the celebration of colors) in India, especially in the northern parts. You can reach this spot by the main road. The shrine is located at mid way of the main road that connects the Sacred Center to the Royal Center. About 200 meters south of the Krishna Temple (take the road that runs through the arch) you can spot a small canal crossing the road. An unpaved path at the right side (towards west) leads you to the Narasimha statue and the Badavilinga Templenext to it. Daroji Wildlife Sanctuary The locals call this hamlet Daroji or Darwazi, meaning gate. Daroji wildlife sanctuary is about 15 kms from Hampi and you would need about half a day out there. The Forest Department has also rescued many a dancing bears from Daroji and neighbouring villages. The bears are then sent to rehabilitation centres in Bangalore. The kalandars, who owned the bears, are given vocational training to compensate for the loss of livelihood. The Forest Department arranges for sweet licks for the bears in the noon and you need patience to wait for them to emerge out of their caves. In general tourists watch the spectacle from the watch tower, but you can have special permission from the department to witness hardly 20 feet from the bears. Carry binoculars if you are going to the watch tower.

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