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The ruins of Hampi, located in southern India,
are a testament to the greatness of the Vijayanagara Empire
(also referred to as Vijayanagar). The empire spanned four dynasties
and stretched over at least three states - Karnataka, Maharashtra,
and Andhra Pradesh. The empire was founded in AD 1336 by two Hindu
princes, Harihara and Bukkaraya - more popularly known as Hukka
and Bukka - and continued to grow and prosper until its sacking
in 1565 and ultimate defeat in 1646. While the rulers of the empire
were Hindus they allied themselves with Muslims and often employed
Muslim servants.
The Vijayanagara Empire was the last great Hindu kingdom of India,
renowned for military achievements and for re-establishing Indian
culture and for the advancement of Hindu art, music and literature.
The emperors were well known and loved for their religious tolerance,
political maturity and patronage of cultural monuments. Many clues
have been uncovered which indicate the Vijayanagara Empire was
an empire before its time. An indication of the far-sightedness
of the kings was the fact that they established close ties with
empires outside of the peninsula. There is evidence for trade
routes with China and diplomatic trade links with Persia, Portugal,
Italy and Russia.
The first dynasty to rule the empire were the Sangamgas
(AD 1336-1485) who extended the kingdom from Gulbarga in the north
and Sri Lanka in the south, to Orissa in the east and Malabar
in the west. Following this dynasty were the Suluvas, whose
short reign from 1485-1491, was probably a result of weak rulers,
political infighting and foreign aggressors.
Historians generally regard the reign of the Tuluvas (AD
1491-1570) as the golden age of the empire. Two great kings ruled
during this time: Deva Raya (AD 1424-1446) and the greatest of
all, Krishandeva Raya (AD 1509-1530), who was responsible
for erected a vast number of the temples and structures which
can still be found at the site. The battle of Talikota in 1565
and the invasion by Muslims from the south of India brought about
the downfall of the Tuluva dynasty and left many of the temples
and palaces at Hampi in ruins. The kingdom lingered on for another
seventy-six years with the Aravidus (AD 1571-1646) being credited
as the last dynasty, but former glories had long since diminished.
The site of Hampi contains many Hindu and Jain temples, an audience
hall of the king, throne platforms, and other secular structures.
Besides these structures excavated inside the site, Hampi is surrounded
by more than 500 large and small temples still frequented by worshipers
from all over the world. Each of these temples is different in
both style and architecture. This particular area was chosen as
the location for the empire's capital not only for its strategic
positioning but also for the wealth of raw material for building.
Many of the huge rocks were themselves sculpted into temples,
producing a style of architecture both organic and man-made.
The ruins of Hampi lay buried beneath the sand until just a few
decades ago. Many devotees still go there to worship and a number
of the temples are still in use. Today, Hampi symbolizes the last
stronghold of Hindu art and architecture -the last time in history
where the Hindu style was paramount.
ARCHITECTURE
By the 16th century most of southern India was ruled by the Vijayanagara
Empire. The characteristic feature of this period was the development
of the temple complex: concentric series of rectangular enclosure
walls with gopuras (towered gateways) in the middle of each
wall, and the most important temple in the middle of the rectangle.
Hampi displays a variation from this layout of centralized temple
with outlying ancillaries. Religious buildings are scattered about
in small units, each with its own importance and function. Perhaps
one of the reasons for this change was the terrain of the area,
with the plan of the city following the lay of the land. The temple
architecture throughout is based on the traditional Hindu style
- each temple typically has a sanctum, a passage, an antechamber,
and pillared hall and a kalyana mandapa (marriage hall).
Each dynasty that ruled the Vijayanagara Empire left its mark
at Hampi. The Vijayanagara style of architecture relied heavily
on the availability of natural resources, namely granite, which
was the material used primarily by the Sangamas. Other dynasties
employed the softer schist rock, suitable for ornate carvings.
Many of the palaces have long since disappeared, as the kings
used wood and bricks in their construction. Some brickwork is
still visible on the gates to the temple courtyards.
The temples of Hampi are famous for their large dimensions, florid
ornamentation, both in painting and carving, majestic pillars,
magnificent pavilions and a great wealth of religious and mythological
depictions, including subjects from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
The Hampi Bazaar, a long street 32 metres wide and nearly
728 metres long, runs between Virupaksha Temple and the
foot of the Matanga Hill and was once lined with magnificent
houses and beautiful mantapas. The Virupaksha Temple rises
majestically at the western end of the Hampi Bazaar. It is the
oldest temple at Hampi, constructed in the 15th century, and is
dominated by its 50 metre tall gopuram. The sculptures
atop the tower reflect the local worship of the resident deity,
Shiva, and inside, the temple contains the shrines of Shiva, Pampa,
and Bhuvaneswari.
The most famous and arguably the most beautiful temple at Hampi
is the Vittala Temple Complex. Built in the 16th century,
the temple has been declared a World Heritage Monument. The temple
is dominated by 56 ornate monolithic pillars, dubbed the Musical
Pillars. The pillars are superbly carved and when tapped,
the sound reverberates emitting different musical notes. The eastern
section of the complex holds the famous Stone Chariot.
The sculpture, carved out of stone, depicts an elephant pulling
a chariot so perfectly proportioned and carved with such superior
engineering technology that the wheels actually rotate.
One of the more unusual structures is the so-called King's
Balance. Legend has it that the wealthy kings would be weighed
on a giant scale against grain or gold, which was later distributed
to the poor.
CONSERVATION
The ruins of Hampi were first discovered in the 1980s by a farmer
who was ploughing his field and came across a few artifacts. Since
then, the Archaeological Survey of India has been conducting research
and excavations at the site, and UNESCO has also declared Hampi
a World Heritage Site. The Virupaksha Temple is undergoing the process
of reconstruction now that each stone has been numbered. The temple
had been totally submerged under water, causing extensive damage
to the roof beams, which have now been replaced, and work on closing
the roof with mortar is being carried out.
Excavation work is still in progress at Hampi, and much more
needs to be done. Many of the 500 odd temples are in a dilapidated
state and could crumble at any time. Added to the threat of natural
disintegration are the ever-present relic robbers and traders
who are quickly ruining the site.
LOCATION
Hampi is located in the central part of the state of Karnataka,
in southern India. It is
353 km from Bangalore and 13 km from Hospet. This location was the
obvious choice for the capital of the empire, as it is naturally
fortified and protected on all sides; in the north by the mighty
Tungabhadra river, and on the other three sides by steep, rocky
mountains with massive boulders of granite. The treacherous terrain
provided ample defense, and the few areas of access were well defended.
The ruins of Hampi lie scattered in an approximately 26 square kilometer
area, where the land was also fertile and had an abundant water
supply.
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