Legendary king’s ‘coronation’ breaths life into Hampi ruins

HAMPI - The ruins of Hampi, the capital city of the mighty Vijayanagara empire for over 300 years in medieval India, have turned into a beehive of activity five centuries after its greatest emperor Krishnadevaraya was coronated in circa 1509.

The 500th anniversary celebration of the historic event Jan 27-29 has breathed new life into Hampi’s palaces, courtyards, temples and monuments scattered over 26 square km in the Deccan heartland of peninsular India, about 350 km from Bangalore.

Though Hampi has been on the international tourist map, especially after it was declared a world heritage site by the Unesco in 1986, the three-day cultural extravaganza has beckoned thousands of people from India and abroad to relive the pomp and pageantry of the glorious kingdom.

“It’s wonderful to be here again. This is the first time I am seeing so much of life and activity in this historic place. The ‘coronation’ ceremony (late Wednesday) was spectacular, bringing to memory the golden era during Krishnadevaraya’s 21-year reign,” said V. Ramakanth, 42, an engineer from Pune. He is on a holiday here with his family.

Situated on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra river amid rocky hills and boulders, the heritage site is a treasure trove of artefacts, rock structures, sprawling courtyards, exquisitely carved temples, royal palaces, towering pillars, majestic monuments, once buzzing-with-activity bazaars and now crumbled stables for sheltering elephants, camels and horses.

Among the numerous temples that dot the ruins, the Virupaksha temple on the riverbank is dedicated to Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. As the family deity of the Vijayanagara kings, the seventh century temple is not only one of the oldest, but also popular with pilgrims and tourists alike for its hallowed precincts, sanctum sanatorium, pillared halls and imposing towers at the entrance.

Similarly, the Vittala temple, dedicated to Hindu god Vishnu is an architectural marvel as its sprawling complex boasts of many halls and shrines with extraordinary pillars and animated carvings.

The temple is also unique for having a set of pillars which resonate with musical tones when tapped from any side. A huge chariot with wheels in the midst of the temple complex is the centre of attraction as it was carved out of a single rock.

The royal enclosure is located in the midst of the ruins in a fortified area. As the seat of the erstwhile kings, the palace has many stately structures, with a raised platform christened Mahanavami from where the kings watched the annual parade of the imperial majesty and its military might.

The majestic palace has an ornate structure in lotus shape for official use of the kings and a portion of it is for recreational purposes of queens and courtiers.

The palace also boasts of a queen’s bath, with a large veranda and protruding balconies in Indo-Islamic hybrid architecture.

The elephant god, Ganesha, occupies a special place in the ruins, as two giant rock statutes in the shape of gram seed and mustard seed are dedicated to him.

The 14-feet tall sculpture carved in situ on the slopes of the Hemakuta hill in the shape of gram seed (kadalekalu) is surrounded by thin granite pillars with mythological themes etched on them.

The mustard seed (sasivekalu) shaped statue of the potbellied god with four hands is located in the centre of an open pavilion.

Another giant monolithic statue dedicated to the lion-faced Hindu god Lakshmi Narasimha in a cross-legged seated posture is located in the heart of the ruins. The statue, however, suffered damage during the subsequent invasions, resulting in the loss of one hand of the goddess (Lakshmi) which had rested on her waist.

The riverside path connecting the ancient bazaar to the Vittal temple has numerous shrines, carved artefacts, including 1,008 idols of Shiva in the shape of ‘linga’ in a matrix like pattern on a sheet of boulder.