Vitthala Temple in Hampi

Our last stop in Hampi.

The auto rickshaw dragged our semi comatose bodies (after the full lunch at the Mango Tree) to a masterpiece of Vijayanagara architecture. The temple was undergoing a much needed repair and hence we were not allowed into the main shrine.

This is probably the best looking temple in Hampi. The actual construction date and the identity of the patron of the Vitthala temple  remains unknown. 

The gopura entrance to the temple . The light tower has been demolished and lies in situ. The gopura has gone extensive reconstruction (the red colored parts being newer)

The famous chariot in front of the main shrine with the garuda shrine

The chariot originally had horses - the sculpted remains of the horses tail still visible in the photo. The elephants replaced the horses about the time the original brick tower was removed.

The indexed musical pillars. Each pillar shows a musician playing a musical instrument that the pillar represents. The three pillars show dhol, damaru and zhanj respectively

 

 

 

  The "cupid" on the northern free standing mathapa in the Vitthala temple in Hampi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The horse trainers.

Hanuman, the monkey god, shown handing over the ring given by Sita to Rama

The beautifully carved engrossed musician

The lover couple with the puckered faces.Almost mistook it for Hanuman :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Various gameboard found on the steps on the mandapa extension to the main shrine as well as the conference room in the southern free standing mandapa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chinese influence on the Vitthala temple architecture. The pagoda style horns on the left and the dragon on the right.