The Benevolent Ugra Narasimha

@ Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, Hampi

 

(Group of Monuments at Hampi - Vijayanagara, Vijayanagara District, Karnataka 

December 2024)

 

"Это Вишну

This is Vishnu"

A lively group of Russian tourists passed by on foot, when their guide finished description of the Vasihanava Insignia including Sudarshana Chakra and Panchajanya Conch in Russian. It was already late in the evening and we were exploring Hampi-Vijayanagara, the once crowned capital of Vijayanagara Samrajyamu, noted for it's grandeur and splendor, the likes of which the naked eye has never experienced, to quote Abdur Razaq, the Persian Safavid Ambassador in early 15th Century.

The Group of Monuments at Hampi is an iconic international tourist destination - one that beckons to the glory days of Vijayanagara Era (c.1336-1565 CE). One of the iconic monuments is an Idol.  

This so called Ugra Narasimha Idol is dedicated to Lord Sri Maha Vishnu in his Narasimha Avatar (Man-Lion). Hindu Scriptures speak of the devout Prahlada, who invokes Lord Sri Maha Vishnu. The Great God appeared in his Narasimha Avatar and slew Prahlada's father, the embodiment of  evil, Rakshasa Hiranya Kashyapa. As per an adjacent inscription, the idol was the sole surviving part of the Lakshmi Narasimha Temple, commissioned by Krishna Bhatt, in c.1528 CE on the express instructions of the greatest Vijayanagara Emperor, Sri Krishna Devaraya. One would be amazed at the gulf between reality and perception - the idol is wrongly but popularly mentioned as Ugra Narasimha, with Ugra referring to fierce, but is originally Lakshmi Narasimha i.e, Narasimha with his consort, Goddess Lakshmi Devi.

 

The badly damaged Idol, the chopped off limb that could at one point of time seated Goddess Lakshmi Devi, could be due to the disastrous sack of Hampi after the Battle of Tallikota (c.1565 CE). The idol is located adjacent to the Bhadava Linga, a large Linga partially submerged in a well like small temple. "Bhadava" in Kannada means poor and the name ascribes to the installation of the Linga by a poor woman, but that is a tale for a different day!

 

The Benevolent Ugra Narasimha stood the test of time, although bereft of his beloved consort, continues to awe admirers from centuries and far off places, and would continue to do so.......

 

  

The Benevolent Ugra Narasimha

Maheeth Veluvali,
16 Saladi Jamindar Street, Palakollu,.
20eth of May, 2025.

Me at Hampi (Part-II)

Sasivekalu Ganesha

Kadlekalu Ganesha

(continued…2^nd day at Hampi) I’ve started the next day with the darshan of another huge monolithic idol of Lord Vinayaka called ‘Kadlekalu Ganesha’. At a distance of almost two kilo-metres towards Kamalapura, there are two small temples – Veerabhadra Swamy Temple and Chennakeshava Temple. A must visit place here is an underground Siva temple called Prasanna Virupaksha. Although not exactly under-ground, it is located on a slightly ditch-dug trench like platform. It is damaged but the mandapa has wonderful carvings.

Lotus Mahal

Elephant Stables

Another group of monuments including the Lotus Mahal and Elephant-Stables are located very far from here, slightly deviated from the road. To visit them, just like the Vittala temple, you got to buy a ticket. I was the first tourist of the day and it was a wonderful experience! Two watch towers guard the elaborate compound wall and in the centre are the gigantic, connected Elephant-Stables. Excavations are still going on around here and trespassing is prohibited at certain places. Farther northwards, there are many ruined Jain and Hindu temples with some of the finest carvings. At the exit point, there is a temple dedicated to SriRanga along with an inscription.

Hazara Ramalaya

Carvings inside Hazara Ramalaya

Hazara Ramalaya - purely on the basis of this temple alone, Hampi could have been declared a World Heritage Site! On the walls of this magnificent monument, there are terrific carvings – tales from Ramayana, perhaps the best in Vijayanagara! Time seems to stand still at this place and one full day is still not enough to appreciate the intricacy and expertise of these carvings. Turushkawada and a Masjid are to the south of this temple. A high-raised platform adorned with carvings of warriors and dancers called ‘Mahanavami Dibba’ used for social ceremonies along with a step well & the Queen’s Bath stand nearby. Finally, I’ve got to visit the ASI museum at Kamalapura. I’d advise to visit this museum first to have a broad idea about what to see at Hampi. En route, I saw an old temple dedicated to Anantasayana Mahavishnu temple between Kondanayakahalli and Hosapete. It was built by Sri Krishna DevaRaya, modeled on the basis of Srikakulandhra MahaVishnu temple. It isn’t properly maintained.

Dancers on Wall, Maha Navami Dibba

This is the end of my Hampi visit. As I took my more than uncomfortable but reserved seat on the Karnataka Sariga buss to Bijapur whose Sultans were once arch rivals of Vijayanagara, I was drenched in the grandeur of this once great city! It started raining heavily….or are they tears in my eyes!
 

Anantasayana Mahavishna Temple

On #Mytravels @ Hampi-Vijayanagara, 
11th-12th of June, 2019.

Me at Hampi (Part-I)

"The city of Bidjanagar (Hampi-Vijayanagara) is such that the pupil of the eye has never seen a place like it, and the ear of intelligence has never been informed that there existed anything to equal it in the world."                                                                               

-                               -  Abdur Razaq, Ambassador and traveller from Persia, 15^th Century.

Gopuram of Virupaksha Temple

Of all the historical places that I’ve visited, Hampi holds a special place in my heart and has an evident emotional connect. It was here that the Telugu language was enriched by the Ashtadiggajas (Eight Poets) patronized by SriKrishna DevaRaya, the greatest of Rayas, even as brutal battles were fought with firstly, the Bahmans and later, the Deccan Sultanates mostly for the control of Krishna-Tungabhadra Doab. And on a hot June day when the entire country is obsessed over the arrival of the deceptive South West Monsoon, I visited this wonderful place.

Virupaksha Temple as viewed from Hemakuta Hill

Regular City busses ply from Hosapete bus station (nearest city) to Hampi via the village of Kamalapura. The eye feast begins once the buss deviates from the main road at Kamalapura and takes left. Two hillocks with ruins littered here and there pass by. Finally, as I got down, the sight of the towering Gopuram of Virupaksha temple beckoned me. Virupaksha, a form of Lord Shiva is the family deity of the Rayas. The temple has a separate tank and Mandapam ensconced within it. Slightly damaged mural paintings dot the roof and walls of the temple. A very fine straight road connects the temple with Matanga Hill and Monolithic Bull. From the top of the Matanga Hill/Hillock, one could have a clear view of the entire ruins and temples at Hampi. Dotted with pillars and little mandapas on both sides, the walk from the Virupaksha temple towards Matanga Hill on that almost empty road had a rustic medieval aura to it, that I’ve felt like the Great Telugu Poet Srinadha, walking, about to be felicitated by the King of Vijayanagara, DevaRaya-II.

Inside Vitthala Temple

A tiring walk of 1.75 Kms from Virupaksha temple, towards the right side of the hill, passing through little shrines, past the small but snake like Tungabhadra river, King’s Balance and Sugriva Temple, brought me to the Vitthala Temple. En route - after some distance, I could not find proper sign boards for the temple, and this was a minor complaint. This temple is an outstanding monument! The two outer Gopurams of the temple are mostly damaged, but once inside, the feel is terrific. Two major mandapas adorn the temple, complete with rich pillar work and ornamentation. In the centre of the temple complex is the iconic Garuda Ratha (Garuda Chariot). Another Central Sabha Mandapam, – famed for it’s musical pillars and acoustics was under repair and renovation. The guards told that the actual reason for it’s closure was that too many eager & unsuspecting tourists were unknowingly damaging fragile pillars by hitting them repeatedly to listen music!

Pillar inside Vitthala Temple

Then, I’ve returned to the Virupaksha temple and trekked the Hemakuta Hill/Hillock which was to the right side of the temple. Many Jain & Hindu temples dot the hillock, roamed by groups of monkeys and langurs, including a temple dedicated to Mula-Virupaksha Raya, sort of father deity of Virupaksha. It is a treat to watch the Sun-Set from Hemakuta. Next to the hillock is a carved monolithic four handed idol of Lord Vinayaka called ‘Sasivekalu Ganesha’ (Sasivekalu=Mustard Seed). Farther eastwards across the road, adjacent to each other are the monolithic Urga-Narasimha and the 3 metres high Badava Linga. Their proximity suggests a recurring concept of Vijayanagara – that of equality between Saiva and Vaishnava traditions.

Ruins of Krishna Bazaar

Shri Krishna Temple

From there, I took another road for the walk back, and got to see the beautiful, partly damaged Krishna Temple. According to an inscription inside the temple, during the famous Kalinga Campaign, SriKrishna DevaRaya  brought an idol of Lord Shri Krishna from one of his conquests and installed it here. Opposite to this temple is the sprawling ruins of Krishna Bazaar – a place where ornaments and precious stones were traded commonly like vegetables and fruits during Vijayanagara times (allegedly). I could’ve been tempted to search the place for any of such treasures, but alas, my little knowledge of history meant that there are no such mundane treasures here, after the loot of the city following the Battle of Rakshasa-Tangadi (c.1565 CE).  Only the treasures of heritage are left. (...to be continued)

BadavaLinga

Ugra Narasimha

On #Mytravels, Hampi-Vijayanagara, 

11th and 12th of June, 2019.