Virupaksha Temple - Hampi

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.

History
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.

Architecture
The Virupaksha or the Pampapathi temple is the main centre of pilgrimage at Hampi. It is fully intact, and it incorporates some earlier structures. This temple has three towers, the eastern tower 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 Brahma. 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. In the vicinity of the Virupaksha temple are several dilapidated mandapams. In front of the temple was once an ancient shopping center lined with mandapams, the ruins of which stand today.

Festivals
The chariot festival in the month of February is the main annual festival celebrated here. The divine marriage between Virupaksheshwara and Pampa is celebrated in the month of December.

Around Virupaksha
But it is the Virupaksha Temple in the middle of Hampi Bazaar that commands most respect. It hovers above the hills and trees, the boulders and the mirror like rock pools calling you back to the 700 metre long avenue that leads up to its entrance lined by the saddhus. There are quieter places on the way back past the ghats where you can bathe in the Tungabhadra. Above the ghats is a rock temple. The avenue leads back past abandoned colonnades that were the approaches to the king`s palace, now they are inhabited by pilgrims just waking up from their night`s sleep.


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