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Stone
Charriot
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Illuminated
Interior of Vitthala Temple
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Plan of Vitthala Temple Complex
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Though
this is the most artistically accomplished religious monument in the
sacred centre of Vijayanagara, we know nothing about its original patron.
Possibly Vira Narasimha, the first ruler of the Tuluva dynasty, founded
it in the first decade of the 16th century. All of his successors made
additions. Krishnadevaraya was responsible for the hundred-columned
hall built up to the southern enclosure wall, while two of his queens
each added a gopura. A third gopura was the work of Achyutaraya. In
1554, during the reign of Sadashiva, a magnificent “swing-pavilion”
was added, but its sponsor was a military commander rather than the
emperor himself. The temple was ransacked just eleven years later and
survives today only as an archaeological monument. Nothing remains of
the image of Vitthala once worshipped within the sanctuary
The temple
is laid out in a standard fashion for the period, with a sanctuary
surrounded by a narrow passageway on three sides, approached from
the east through two mandapas, the inner one enclosed with side doorways,
the outer one open with access from three sides. The temple stands
in the middle of a paved courtyard with gopuras on three sides. Subsidiary
shrines and altars are aligned to the east of the courtyard. Beyond
the temple compound runs a colonnaded street almost 1 kilometre long.
Shrines dedicated to the Vaishnava saints are dotted all around. The
twelfth century saint, Ramanuja was probably worshiped in a large
temple that faced south onto a branch of the Vitthala bazaar.
The
great “swing-pavilion” is one of the technical marvels
of Vijayanagara architecture. Its interior is divided into four halls,
two of which are aligned with the sanctuary that lies within the temple.
Huge granite beams and ceiling slabs, some more than 10 metres long,
are raised high on granite piers carved with clusters of colonettes
interspersed with figural and animal carvings. Another marvel is the
Garuda shrine that stands freely in front. This is delicately fashioned
as a chariot, complete with stone wheels. Sadly, its brick tower was
demolished. Pierre-Sylvain and Vasundhara Filliozat
have studied the temple and its inscriptions (see Bibliography).
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