Hampi Temples : A guide to temples you must visit

Hampi, the Capital city of the great Vijayanagara empire, located on the banks of Tungabhadra river in the state of Karnataka. Hampi one of the most beautiful town. Especially renowned for art and architecture, the temples in Hampi display amazing skill of the Vijayanagara architects. However, multiple invasions by the Portugese and Persians resulted in complete destruction of the once glorious kingdom. The temples were unknown to the world until 19th century and are now restored by the archeological department.

While everything in Hampi is definitely worth a visit at least once in your life, but if you are short of time then here is a list of temples that will give you insights into the art & architecture of the Vijayanagara Empire and are a must visit :-

1) Virupaksha temple :- This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is recognized as the World Heritage Site by UNESCO.The architecture of the temple is very beautiful and magnificent. There are a monastery, three antechambers and filled the surrounding of the temple with small shrines. The gateways constructed with nine-tiered and 50 meters in length. It is an important pilgrimage centre for Hindus even today. Virupaksha is unique because along the length and breadth of India it is the only temple that possesses the 3 headed Nandi. It is probably to honour all three of Bramha- Vishnu – Ganesha. Murals are most vibrant on ceilings of Rang mandapa. These paintings are almost 600 years old. The temple also has its own Elephant named Laxmi which blesses visitors early morning with a gentle touch of her trunk.(Beware there are lot of monkeys too)

2) The Vittala Temple :- despite its state of ruin represents the highest achievement of art of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is an extravagantly made complex which is the centre of all the ruins in Hampi. The highlights of this structure are the Musical pillars and the chariot. The pillars in the outer columns are called musical pillars, because they really make music when tapped.

3) Sasivekalu Ganesha & Kadalekalu Statue :- Both are located in Hemakuta hill. Both the Ganesha idols are monolith, Sasivekalu Ganesha resemblance to mustard seeds so, called Sasivekalu Ganesha. Lord Ganesha is quite famous for his quirky habits, including his love for food. A story goes, when he had too much to such an extent that his stomach almost bursted. To stop this, he found a snake and tied it across his belly; the same is depicted in the statue. Kadalekalu Ganesha is one of the largest statues in Hampi. The belly of this statue resembles a Bengal gram, hence the name Kadalekalu Ganesha.

4) Achyutaraya Temple:- One of the major, splendid and awe-inspiring temples of Hampi located between the Matanga hills and Gandhamadana. The location of the temple is secluded and off the more travelled path, the temple is much less crowded as compared to many other tourist attractions in Hampi. The main idol worshiped in the Achyuta Raya Temple is Lord Tiruvengalanatha which is another form of Vishnu.

5) Lakshmi Narasimha Statue :-The statue is located on the southern side of the Hemakuta group of temples that stand on the Hemakuta Hill. This gigantic stone structure is considered to be among the most important monuments found in Hampi. The speciality of the sculpture is that it is the largest monolith statue in Hampi. The temple is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, and Goddess Lakshmi.

6) Badavilinga Temple :- This is the largest Linga image in Hampi. Located next to the Lakshmi Narasimha statue the Linga is housed inside a chamber with an opening in the front. Legend has it that this was built 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.