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 had been to Matanga Hill top after visiting the Monolithic bull just opposite to Sri Virupaksha Temple on the foot hills of Matanga. It was an awesome sight to see from the hill. In the hill we had seen two caves, may be Jain’s caves  and Bhairava relief 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 just back side of the Monolithic bull mandapa.

 North side 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 AD. ( 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 double enclosure wall known for it’s large dimensions and spacious courtyard fronted by a wide and long bazaar which is referred to 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 outer prakara with a lofty gopura on the north and the inner one has three gopura 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 are in dilapidated condition. The Sanctum for Perumal and his consort  are found within the inner courtyard. The sanctum sanctorum has sanctum, antarala, ardha mandapa, and a large 30 pillared ornate maha mandapa. The Thayar sannidhi is on the south-west of the main sanctum and faces north. The Thayar sannidhi is also built like a separate temple with sanctum, antarala, and a pillared ardha mandapa.

LOCATION: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:CLICK HERE 

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

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---