Achyutaraya Temple / Achyuta Raya Temple, Hampi Ruins, Hampi, Karnataka.

....a continuation post to Hazaara Ramachandra Temple  – Hampi Ruins, A Heritage Visit

 19^th June 2017.

After Hazara Ramachandra Temple Visit on 17^th June 2017, we had our lunch. After Lunch visited the Kamalapura Museum and Tungabhadra Dam. On 18^th June 2017, some of us went to Matanga Hilltop after visiting the Monolithic bull just opposite Sri Virupaksha Temple on the foothills of Matanga. It was an awesome sight to see from the hill. On the hill, we had seen two caves, maybe Jain’s caves and Bhairava reliefs chiseled on the rock. Kamalapura Museum, Tungabhadra Dam, and Matanga Hill will be written in a separate post.

After breakfast, we started our third and final day ( 18th June 2017 ) of Heritage visit to Hampi Ruins. After seeing the monolithic bull at the foot hillock of Matanga, we proceeded to Achyutaraya Temple, which is just the back side of the Monolithic bull mandapa.

 Northside first-level Rajagopuram

ACHYUTARAYA TEMPLE

Achyutaraya temple was built by Hiriya Thirumalai Raja Wodeyar, a Mahamandaleswara serving under Achyuta Devaraya, the younger brother of Krishna Devaraya in 1534 CE. (There are different versions - this content is taken from the book 'Hampi', written by Dr. C S Vasudevan) The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The inscriptions record the name of the temple as Tiruvengalanatha. However, it is popularly called Achyutaraya Temple by the local people. The temple is facing North within a double enclosure wall known for its large dimensions and spacious courtyard fronted by a wide and long bazaar which is referred to as a Courtesan street by some medieval period foreign travelers. This bazaar is known as Sule Bazaar or Courtesan Street.

The north-facing sandhara temple has an outer prakara with a lofty gopura on the north and the inner one has three gopuras on the east, west, and north. Cloistered pillared mandapam runs along the interior of both the prakara walls. The Large 100-pillared Kalyana mandapam to the west of the two north gopuras is in dilapidated condition. The Sanctum for Perumal and his consort are found within the inner courtyard. The sanctum sanctorum has a sanctum, antarala, ardha mandapa, and a large 30-pillared ornate maha mandapa. The Thayar sannidhi is on the southwest of the main sanctum and faces north. The Thayar sannidhi is also built like a separate temple with a sanctum, antarala, and a pillared ardha mandapa.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

  Kalyana mandapa

 First and second-level Rajagopuras

 View from North entrance Rajagopuram

 Thayar Temple 

 Thayar Temple ( Back side ) 

 Thayar Temple 

 View of the temple complex from Matanga Hill 

 View of the temple complex/ Bazaar street  from Matanga Hill 

Dwarapalaka

MONOLITHIC BULL ( Eduru Basavanna )

A spacious 750-meter-long and 35-meter-wide bazaar runs to the east of Sri Virupaksha Temple up to the Matanga hillock. At the eastern end are two storied pillared mandapa and a massive well executed couchant monolithic bull facing the Virupaksha Temple.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE 

.....  to be continued Bhima's Gateway. 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---