Vijayanagar Architecture
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The Vijayanagar Architecture of the period (1336 - 1565CE) was a unique building idiom evolved by the imperial Vijayanagar Empire who ruled at their peak the whole of South India from their regal capital at Vijayanagara, on the banks of the Tungabhadra River in Karnataka, India. The empire built a number of temples, monuments, palaces and other plinths across South India, with the largest concentration of structures in their capital. The monuments in and around Hampi in the Vijayanagar principality are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In addition to building new temples, they also added new structures and modifications to hundreds of existing temples across South India. Some structures at Vijayanagar are however from the pre-Vijayanagar period. The Mahakuta hill temples are from the Kalyani Chalukya era. The region around Hampi had been a popular place of worship for centuries before the Vijayanagar period. There are about hundreds of extant monuments in the core area of the capital. Of them 56 are protected by UNESCO, 654 monuments are protected by the government of Karnataka and another 300 monuments are yet to receive protection.[1]
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[edit] Salient Features
- Vijayanagar architecture can be broadly classified into religious architecture, courtly architecture, civic architecture, sculptures and paintings.[2]
- The Vijayanagar style is a combination of Chalukya, Hoysala, Pandya and Chola styles.[3]
- The temples are normally sorrounded by strong enclosure. Some temple enclosures show sculptures depicting a procession of elephants, horses and other floral designs which is a Hoysala adaptation. The Enclosure at the Hazara Rama temple at Hampi is an example.[4]
- Small shrines generally comprise of only a Garbhagriha or sanctum and a porch.
- Medium sized temples have a Garbhagriha, Shukanasi (Antechamber), a Navaranga or Antrala connecting the sanctum and outer Mantapa, a Rangamantapa (enclosed pillared hall).
- Large temples have tall Rayagopuram built with wood, brick and stucco in Chola style. The term Raya is added to indicate a gopura built by Vijayanagar Rayas. The top of the Gopura has a Shalashikhara resembling a barrel made to rest on its side. Large life size figures of men, woman and Gods adorn the Gopura. Examples of this are the Chennakesava Temple at Belur, temples at Srisailam and Srirangam. In addition to the structures in medium sized temples, these also have a closed circumambulatory passage around the sanctum and an open Mahamantapa, a Kalyanamantapa and a temple tank to serve the needs of annual celebrations.[5]
- For nearly 400 years, during the rule of Kalyani Chalukya and the Hoysalas, the most popular material for temple construction had been chloritic schist or Soapstone, with an emphasis on sculptability (soapstone being soft stone and hence easily workable). The emphasis during the Vijayanagar times was on using locally available hard granite in Badami Chalukya style[6] though a few reliefs and sculptures were produced with Soapstone. While the use of granite meant reduced density of sculpture, it made the temples more durable. Due to the use of Granite (which is prone to flaking) for sculptures, not many pieces of individual sculptures reached the high levels of quality seen in previous centuries. In order to cover the unevenness of the stone used in sculptures, artists used plaster giving the rough surface a smooth finish and painted them with lively colours.[7]
- Courtly buildings and domed structures were built with mortor mixed with stone rubble.[8]
- The Mantapas were built on square or polygonal plinths that are four to five feet high, have ornate stepped entrances on all four sides with miniature elephants or with Yali balustrade.[9] The Mantapas are supported by ornate pillars.[10]
- The pillars have engravings of charging horses or hippogryphs (Makara) standing on hind legs with their fore legs lifted. Some pillars have horses that stand seven to eigth feet tall. On the other side of the pillar are carvings from Hindu mythology.[11]
- Pillars that do not show such hippogryphs are generally rectangular with carvings on all four sides. Some pillars have a cluster of smaller pillars around a central pillar shaft. The bottom supports of these pillars have engravings of Gods. Carvings of Hippogryphs clearly show the adroitness of the artists who created them.[12]
- The thousand pillared style with large halls supported by numerous pillars became popular.
- Bigger temples have a separate shrine for (Garbagriha) for the female deity. Examples of this are the Hazara Rama , Balakrishna and Vitthala temples at Hampi.
- The courtly architecture generally show secular styles with Islamic influence. Examples are the Lotus Mahal palace, Elephant stables, watch towers etc.[13]
- The water storage feature inside the royal center, the stepped tank called Pushkarni, a recent archaeological discovery. The stepped tank is fashioned with finished Chlorite Schist slabs arranged in a symmetrical formation with steps and landings descending to the water on all four sides. This according to Dominic J Davidson-Jenkins is clearly a Kalyani Chalukya-Hoysala style tank seen in many parts of present day Karnataka. The inscriptions on the slabs indicate the material was brought from outside the Vijayanagar area.[14]
The impact of this style of architecture was seen well into the 17th. century when the various successive Nayaka kingdoms continued to encourage pillars with Hippogryphs. The use of Granite became the main material.
 Ornate pillars, Virupaksha temple Hampi |
 Veera Bhadra temple, Lepakshi |
 mantapa with Hippogryphs Melkote |
 Kalyanamantapa Melkote |
Terminology
- Mantapa - pillared hall
- Mahamantapa - Open pillared hall
- Rangamantapa - Closed pillared hall
- Kalyanamantapa - Hall meant for celebrations
- Garbhagriha - Sanctum where the idol of God is placed
- Navaranga or Antrala - passage the connects different Sanctums
- Shukanasi (Antechamber) - Outer walls of Shrine.
[edit] Notes
- ^ An artcle in Sunday Express [1]
- ^ Hampi - A Travel Guide, pp 36, Department of Tourism, India
- ^ Art critic, Percy Brown calls Vijayanagar architecture a blossoming of Dravidian style, A Concise History of Karnataka, pp182, Dr. S.U. Kamath, History of Karnataka, Arthikaje
- ^ A Concise History of Karnataka, pp182, Dr. S.U. Kamath,
- ^ The elaboration of ceremonial observances produced a corresponding elaboration in the temple system, says art critic Percy Brown, A Concise History of Karnataka, pp183, Dr. S.U. Kamath
- ^ The conspicuous feature of their style was the return of simplistic and serene art of the Badami Chalukya says Dr. S.U. Kamath about the sculptures in Vijayanagar style, A Concise History of Karnataka, pp 184, Dr. S.U. Kamath
- ^ Hampi - A Travel Guide, pp 42-43, Department of Tourism, India
- ^ Hampi - A Travel Guide, pp 36, Department of Tourism, India
- ^ An imaginery beast acting as parapets. These beautifully sculpted supports were not only used in entrances to temples but also as flanks to steps and stairs in royal palace structures, New Light on Hampi, Recent research in Vijayanagara, edited by John M. Fritz anf George Michell, pp 53
- ^ Prof. K.A.N. Sastri says about the importance of pillars in the Vijayanagar style in A Concise History of Karnataka, pp 183, Dr. S.U. Kamath
- ^ The attached colonnettes and sculptured animals are a significant artistic innavations of the reign of Krishnadevaraya, New Light on Hampi, Recent research in Vijayanagara, edited by John M. Fritz anf George Michell, pp 8
- ^ A Concise History of Karnataka, pp 183, Dr. S.U. Kamath
- ^ New Light on Hampi, Recent research in Vijayanagara, edited by John M. Fritz anf George Michell, pp 10.
- ^ New Light on Hampi, Recent research in Vijayanagara, edited by John M. Fritz anf George Michell, pp 89
[edit] Famous temples outside Vijayanagara
Karnataka
- Chaturmukha Basadi (Gerusoppa)
- Parshwanatheshwara Basadi(Gerusoppa)
- Parshwanatheshwara Basadi(Bhatkal)
- Santappanaik Tirumala Temple(Bhatkal)
- Virupaksha Narayan Temple (Bhatkal)
- Bala Kini Raghunath Temple (Bhatkal)
- Khetapai Narayan Temple(Bhatkal)
- Aryadurga Temple (Ankola)
- Partakali Jivottam Mutt (Gokarna)
- Mahalasa Narayan Temple (Kumta)
- Mahaganapati Mahamaya Temple (Shirali)
- Iswar Temple(Baindur)
- Balaram Temple (Malpe)
- Indrani Temple (Manipal)
- Vidyashankara Temple (Sringeri)
- Bhoganandiswara Temple (Nandi Hills)
- Yoganandiswara Temple (Nandi Hills)
- Kanakachalapathi Temple (Koppal)
- Someswara Temple (Kolar)
- Ganesha Temple (Kurudumale)
Andhra Pradesh
- Mallikarjuna Temple, Srisailam
- Upper Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam
- Lower Narasimha Temple, Ahobilam
- Veera Bhadra Temple, Lepakshi
- Venkateshwara Temple, Tirupati
[edit] See also
Vijayanagara
Hampi
Vijayanagar Empire
[edit] References
- Dr. Suryanath U. Kamat (2001). Concise History of Karnataka, MCC, Bangalore (Reprinted 2002)
- Hampi, A Travel Guide, Department of Tourism, India, Good Earth publication, New Delhi 2003
- New Light on Hampi, Recent research in Vijayanagara, edited by John M. Fritz anf George Michell, MARG, 2001, ISBN 81-85026-53-X
- History of Karnataka, Arthikaje
- Temples of Karnataka, Dr. Jyotsna Kamat
- Architecture of Indian Subcontinent, Takeyo Kameya
- TempleNet:Temples of India
