VIJAYANAGAR DYNASTY

The Vijayanagara kingdom was founded in 1336 CE by two

brothers- Harihara and Bukkaraya- who were officers under the
Kakatiyas and later ministers in the Kingdom of Kampili (modern
day Karnataka).

They were imprisoned and converted when Kampili was overrun by

Mohammad bin Tughlaq.

They were appointed as generals of the Tughlaqs for a brief period.

But they realized the need to establish a strong Hindu kingdom and
declared independence.

Southern India was still being ruled by powerful kingdoms at this

time which were their enemies in the beginning
INTRODUCTION
VITTALA TEMPLE IS A 16TH-CENTURY TEMPLE LOCATED IN
HAMPI, KARNATAKA. IT IS KNOWN FOR ITS ICONIC STONE
CHARIOT AND MUSICAL PILLARS. THE TEMPLE IS A
PERFECT EXAMPLE OF VIJAYANAGARA ARCHITECTURE.

HAMPI’S VIJAYANAGARA WAS THE WORLD’S SECOND-

LARGEST MEDIEVAL CITY AFTER BEIJING DURING THE
1500S CE. THE RICHEST CITY IN INDIA, ATTRACTING
TRADERS FROM PERSIA AND PORTUGAL, WAS MUMBAI.
UNESCO DESCRIBES HAMPI’S RUINS AS “AN AUSTERE,
GRANDIOSE SITE” WITH OVER 1,600 SURVIVING RUINS OF
SOUTH INDIA’S LAST GREAT HINDU KINGDOM. THERE
ARE FORTS, RIVERSIDE STRUCTURES, TEMPLES,
PILLARED HALLS, MANDAPA STRUCTURES, MEMORIAL
STRUCTURES, AND MORE.
ARCHITECTURE FEATURES
VIJAYANAGAR ARCHITECTURE IS A COMPLEX AND
BEAUTIFUL STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE.

● THE VIJAYANAGARA ARCHITECTURE DESIGN IS A

BEAUTIFUL BLEND OF HINDU AND ISLAMIC STYLES.
● THE STYLE PEAKED CREATIVITY AND SOPHISTICATION IN
THE 16 TH CENTURY.
● SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES OF VIJAYANAGAR
ARCHITECTURE INCLUDE THE USE OF DOMES AND
ARCHES,THE PREVALENCE OF STONE OVER BRICK,AND
THE INTRICATE CARVINGS AND SCULPTURES.
● THEY ARE CHARACTERISED BY ITS ELABORATE
TERRACOTTA AND STONE DECORATIONS ,AS WELL AS ITS
GRACEFUL ARCHES AND VAULTS.
● LARGE MULTI-PURPOSE HALLS ( MANDAPAS)
SURROUNDING THE MAIN SHRINE WITH
ELABORATE AND CARVED PILLARS.
● THE TALL ENTRANCE TOWERS (
GOPURAMS,MORE SPECIFICALLY
RAYAGOPURAMS NAMED AFTER THE
RULING RAYAS) AND TWO NOTABLE
VIJAYANAGAR ADDITIONS TO SOUTH INDIAN
TEMPLE ARCHITECTURAL TRADITION.

.
Plan
• THE TEMPLE FACES EAST AND IS SQUARE.

• THE TEMPLE HAS AN ENTRANCE

GOPURAM AND TWO SIDE GOPURAMS.
.• THE MAIN TEMPLE IS LOCATED IN THE
CENTER OF A PAVED COURTYARD WITH
SEVEN MINOR SHRINES .
• THE TEMPLE IS A CONTINUOUS EDIFICE
SURROUNDED BY A TRIPLE ROW OF
PILLARS IN A COURTYARD SPANNING 500
BY 300 FEET.

• THE TEMPLE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE

SECTIONS: GARBHAGRIHA, ARDHA
MANDAPA, AND MAHA MANDAPA.
 GOPURAM
● SITUATED AT AN ELEVATION OF 497M.
● STUNNING EXAMPLE OF DRAVIDIAN ARCHITECTURE.
● INTRICATE CARVINGS,UNIQUE STONE CHARIOT.
● GOPURAM APPROX 50 FT HIGH
● BEAUTIFULLY CARVED
● 3 GOPURAMS
● EAST IS THE MAIN GOPURAM.
● GOPURAM AT SOUTH SIDE IS RECENTLY BUILT.
MAHA MANDAPA
● THE MAHA MANDAPA OR MAIN HALL OF

VITTHALA TEMPLE IS SITUATED IN THE INNER

COURTYARD OF THE TEMPLE COMPLEX

● THE BASE IS DECORATED WITH CARVIN

-GS OF WARRIORS,HORSES,SWANS SEVERAL

OTHER ORNAMENTAL DESIGNS.

 STONE CHARIOT
● THIS STONE CHARIOT IS ONE OF THE THREE FAMOUS STONE CHARIOTS IN INDIA.

● THE CHARIOT STANDS IN THE COURTYARD OF TEMPLE.

● THIS CHARIOT IS A SHRINE DEDICATED TO GARUDA.

● IT'S STANDING ON TWO GIANT WHEELS AND TWO ELEPHANTS ARE

SEWN PULLING THE CHARIOT

RANGA MANTAPA
● THE 56 MUSICAL PILLARS, ALSO KNOWN AS SAREGAMA PILLARS, ARE IN THE
MASSIVE RANGA MANTAPA. THE MUSICAL NOTES THAT ERUPTED FROM THEM HAVE
BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE PILLAR.
● IF ONE SOFTLY TAPS THE PILLARS, ONE MAY HEAR THE MUSICAL NOTES.IN THE
MANDAPA, THERE ARE SEVERAL LARGE PILLARS AS WELL AS NUMEROUS SMALLER
ONES. THE MAJOR PILLARS ARE DESIGNED IN THE STYLE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS,
AND EACH PILLAR SUPPORTS THE MANDAPA CEILING.
● SEVEN SMALLER PILLARS ARE WRAPPED AROUND EACH MAJOR PILLAR, EMITTING
MUSICAL SOUNDS.
● EACH NOTE THAT EMANATES FROM THESE PILLARS PRODUCES A UNIQUE SOUND
THAT VARIES DEPENDING ON THE STRING, PERCUSSION, AND WIND INSTRUMENTS
BEING USED.
● WHEN THE PILLARS ARE STRUCK BY SANDALWOOD, THEY EMIT RHYTHMIC NOISES
THAT ARE SIMILAR TO SAREGAMA.
● THE EXPLANATION FOR THE PILLARS’ RHYTHMIC SOUND IS UNKNOWN, YET IT
CONTINUES TO ATTRACT THE INTEREST OF TOURISTS.
● THE CLUSTER OF MUSICAL PILLARS INSIDE THE VITTALA TEMPLE COMPLEX WAS
CARVED OUT OF HUGE SINGLE PIECES OF RESONANT STONE.
● THE EMISSION OF MUSICAL NOTES FROM STONE PILLARS WAS A MYSTERY THAT
FASCINATED MANY PEOPLE DOWN THE CENTURIES.
● EVEN THE BRITISH RULERS OF INDIA WERE WONDERSTRUCK AND WANTED TO
DISCOVER THE SECRET BEHIND THE MUSICAL PILLARS.
● TO SATISFY THEIR CURIOSITY AND TO UNRAVEL THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE AMAZING
PILLARS THEY CUT TWO OF THE MUSICAL PILLARS OF VITTALA TEMPLE TO CHECK
WHETHER ANYTHING EXISTED INSIDE THE STONE PILLARS THAT RESULTED IN THE
EMISSION OF MUSICAL NOTES.
● HOWEVER, THEY FOUND NOTHING INSIDE THE PILLARS.
● THE TWO PILLARS CUT BY THE BRITISH RULERS STILL EXIST INSIDE THE TEMPLE
COMPLEX AND CAN BE SEEN BY VISITORS EVEN TODAY.
THANK YOU