Virupaksha temple

                                                      Virupaksha temple 

• TheSituated on the banks of the beautiful river, Tungabhadra, Virupaksha temple is a magnificent marvel of Vijayanagara Empire. Dedicated to Lord Shiva (Virupaksha), the temple is extensively famous for its tall gopuram, grand architecture and intricate carvings. The temple, built in the 7^th century underwent a lot of additions by various rulers that ruled the kingdom, to display their power. The central pillared hall, Ranga Mandapa, is the most ornate addition by Raja Krishnadevaraya. Virupaksha temple is a centre of marriages as well as the festivities of Virupaksha-Pampa in December. This South Indian Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• The temple's history is uninterrupted from about the 7th century. The Virupaksha-Pampa sanctuary existed well before the Vijayanagara capital was located here. Inscriptions referring to Shiva date back to the 9th and 10th centuries. What started as a small shrine grew into a large complex under the Vijayanagara rulers. Evidence indicates there were additions made to the temple in the late Chalukyan and Hoysala periods, though most of the temple buildings are attributed to the Vijayanagar period.^[5 The huge temple building was built by Lakkana Dandesha, a chieftain under the ruler Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire.
• Virupaksha temple elephant

  

• At present, the main temple consists of a sanctum, three ante chambers, a pillared hall and an open pillared hall. A pillared cloister, entrance gateways, courtyards, smaller shrines and other structures surround the temple.
• The nine-tiered eastern gateway, which is the largest at 50 meters, is well-proportioned and incorporates some earlier structures. It has a brick superstructure and a stone base. It gives access to the outer court containing many sub-shrines.
• The smaller eastern gateway leads to the inner court with its numerous smaller shrines.
• A narrow channel of the Tungabhadra River flows along the temple's terrace and then descends to the temple-kitchen and out through the outer court.
• Nandi at Virupaksha Temple

• Krishnadevaraya, one of the famous kings of the Vijayanagara Empire was a major patron of this temple. The most ornate of all structures in the temple, the central pillared hall is believed to be his addition to this temple. So is the gateway tower giving access to the inner courtyard of the temple. Inscriptions on a stone plaque installed next to the pillared hall explain his contribution to the temple. It is recorded that Krishna Devaraya commissioned this hall in 1510ad.
• The temple continues to prosper and attracts huge crowds for the betrothal and marriage festivities of Virupaksha and Pampa in December.
• In the month of February the annual chariot festival is celebrated here.

Virupaksha temple map

Virupaksha temple video