KRISHNAPURAM

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE

• The Balakrishna temple is typically in Vijayanagara style and plan, and is one of the earliest temples of Tuluvas.

• It was constructed by Krishnadevaraya in 1514 A.D to install the image of Balakrishna, on 16th February 1515 A.D. commemorating the conquest of Udayagiri in Orissa.

•  A huge slab installed inside the courtyard of the temple states the story of this temple and the conquest of Utkala.

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE

• The temple consists of a garbhagriha, an anti-chamber, or sukhanasi, antarala or ardhamantapa, surrounded by pradakshinapatha, a sabhamantapa or navaranga, mukhamantapa or rangamantapa, amman shrine, all enclosed by high prakara wall with entrance gopuras.

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE• The garbhagriha is

square and empty at present, once enshrined the image of balakrishna, now shifted and exhibited in the Government Egmore museum, at Chennai in Tamil Nadu.

• The image is prepared out of greenish black granite stone showing Krishna as a child seated on a pedestal.

• The broken right arm once held a butter ball and the sculptures is about a metre in height

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE

• The pradakshinapatha is spacious but pitch dark.

• The sabhamantapa or navaranga is square and stands on four central pillars set on a elevated floor in the centre and six pillars set against the walls.

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE

• The lower and upper square blocks of the pillars are depicted with the sculptures of Hanuman, Garuda, Balakrishna, Kalingamardhana, Dasavatharas of Vishnu, musicians, dancers, yali etc.

• The sabhamantapa has three entrances, on east, north and south, with mukhamantapa on the north and south sides.

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE

• The mukhamantapa on the north and south stands on two pillars at the front with flight of steps flanked by Suruli-Yalis which are typical Vijayanagara motifs.

• The mukhamantapa or pillared hall is entered through flight of steps on either side of the north and south and the main western entrance on the west side.

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE

• The mukhamantapa stands on thirty-two pillars which are tall, slender and graceful.

• The lower and upper squares of the pillars are depicted with Vaishnavate dieties, Dasavatharas of Vishnu, dancers, animals etc.

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE

• The entire temple complex is surrounded by a high prakara wall and the main entrance gateway is lofty and big in size.

• The side of the entrance passage depicts gracefully the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, holding scrolls.

BALAKRISHNA TEMPLE

• Above this gateway, the gopura is built of block of brick and mortar and is massive but it is in dilapidated condition.

• The stucco work is graceful and represents the scenes from the Udayagiri conquest of Krishnadevaraya.

DOME STRUCTURE

• Near the west gate of the temple campus, a narrow passage leads to a large rectangular building.

• Made in Islamic style architecture this was probably a granary attached to the temple.

HUNDI• Facing the Krishna

Temple is a small pavilion with large rectangular box.

• This is carved out of a huge boulder with a small rectangular opening at the top of this box.

• Devotees used to offer food grains during the functional days of this temple.

KRISHNA BAZAAR

• Krishna Bazaar is a relatively newly excavated site in Hampi.

• It is the chariot street for the temple.

• The long pavilions were shops in the market street.

KRISHNA BAZAAR

• It is a bit low laying with respect to the relatively elevated site of the temple.

• The sacred tank (Pushkarni) of the temple too is located next to the Krishna Bazaar.

PUSHKARANI

• The pushkarani (kalyani) has small pavilion at its centre and many beautifully carved aquatic devices that are used to feed water to the tank.

• The temple tank is now not in use.

• The nearby agricultural places use water from the tank. 

Upper left: View of the Temple Tank by Alexander Greenlaw in 1856.Upper right: View of the Temple Tank by John Gollings in 1983Bottom left: View of the Temple Tank in 2007

BADAVALINGA TEMPLE

• Largest monolithic Linga in Hampi.

• Three eyes are carved on the linga.

• Legend has it that this was commissioned by a peasant woman and hence the name (Badva means poor in local tongue).

BADAVALINGA TEMPLE

• The sanctum in which the Linga is installed is always filled with water as a water channel is made to flow through it.

LAKSHMI NARASIMHA TEMPLE

• Lakshmi Narasimha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

• Monolithic stands at a height of 6.7mts.

• Narasimha is sitting on the coil of a giant seven-headed snake called Sesha. The heads of the snake acts as the hood above his head. The god sits in a cross-legged Yoga position with a belt supporting the knees.

LAKSHMI NARASIMHA TEMPLE• Sometimes this is referred to

as Ugra Narasimha (i.e. Narasimha in its terrifying form). The protruding eyes and the facial expression are the basis for this name.

• The original statue contained the image of goddess Lakshmi, sitting on his lap. But this statue has been damaged seriously during the raid leading to the fall of Vijayanagara.

• The goddess’s hand is still visible resting on his back in an embracing posture. 

Our tale of Krishnapuram ends here.