Hampi -- Temples Part 2

After leaving the coracles, we went to see the most famous part of the Hampi complex.

Near the coracle landing and outside the Vitthala temple is this long (about 500 m) bazaar pavilion.

The tower (gopuram) over the entrance gate.

A carving in the floor at the entrance gate shows visitors how to worship the gods.

A gnarled frangipani tree in the temple enclosure.

The main temple.

This selection from a frieze shows an Portuguese man leading a horse.
Other parts of this frieze also showed Turks and Arabs with horses.

Detail from a temple pillar.

This ratha (temple as chariot) is probably the most-photographed monument at Hampi. At one time, the wheels could be turned, but the hole around the axles had become enlarged, and now the wheels are fixed in place. A close examination of the monument reveals that the elephants pulling the chariot replaced the original horses.

Hampi -- Tungabhadra River

After lunch we traveled a short distance on the Tungabhadra River in coracles. It was a very pleasant trip that eliminated a 30-minute bus ride. It also allowed us to see structures that can only be accessed by the river.

A small rock-cut shrine on the path to the river.

A coracle is a round boat made with a tarp over a strong basket.
The water-proofing has been enhanced with pitch or tar.

There are no whirlpools or crocodiles, but the government wants to discourage wading and swimming.

Afloat on the river.

I think I'd rather be elsewhere in the event of an earthquake!

The riverbanks are lined with pavilions.

Hanuman (the monkey-headed god) was born here. I'm glad we didn't climb up to his temple!

As I mentioned before, women can be found doing laundry wherever there is easy access to water.

Hampi -- Temples Part 1

The entire site around Hampi stretches for kilometers. We started the day on the hill near the town of Hampi. 

The main path from the Ganesha temple to the top of the hill above Hampi.

The panoramic view from the top of the hill.

The monuments and temples around Hampi are made from the many granite boulders lying around the site. There are so many boulders, that no effort was made to use the stone efficiently.

Clearly this stone fell upon a completed pavilion. The lines of holes in the stone are where the stonecutters started to split the stone into workable pieces.

The main tower (gopuram) over the gate to the temple nearest the town of Hampi.
You can see this tower in some of the photos above.

This temple had an elephant on duty.

It also had a lot of monkeys hanging around. Here a mother attends to her baby.

Hampi Life

Hampi is known for its amazing collection of antiquities over a large area -- temple after temple. But driving around shows everyday life that in some respects is at least as interesting in the high art of the past.

Nothing defines everyday life more than cooking and cleaning. Cooking is mostly private, but laundry is done any where there is a supply of water. And much of this water is not what I would want to wash in!

Agriculture is the main "industry" in this part of India.

Ag workers, especially sugarcane cutters, camp out as they move to harvest crops.

Scarecrows

Oxen/bullocks frequently have brass tips on their horns.

Part of the problem with air quality in India is the open-air fires. This one is fairly clean and burning brush. The fires to reduce roadside garbage are more problematical -- but it does do a good job of reducing litter and makes it easier to retrieve metal in the trash for recycling.

The town of Hampi is small and mostly filled with restaurants and guest-houses (minimal comforts) for visitors. The percentage of young (20-something) tourists was far higher here than anywhere else I've been.

Hampi -- the town.

Hampi essentials for sale along the street.

Family transportation. (Count 'em -- there are five people on that bike.) In the U.S. this would require a mini-van.

I think this is a temple, but it is definitely odd.

Belur

Our last stop of the day was the Chennakesava temple near Belur. As you can see from the photos, the sun was getting low in the west -- we had a long day!

The temple. This is the earliest of the three temples we've seen today, and the prototype for the style with friezes along the bottom and sitting on a platform.

Two balconies sit above the three friezes. The later temples added friezes and omitted the balconies.

The finial sits above the god's sanctum.

You really have to get close to appreciate the workmanship and stories told on the friezes. This is Vishnu reclining on a 5-headed cobra.

Guess who?

Elliott never missed an opportunity to take family photos.

Halebid

The next temple on our itinerary was the Hoysaleswara temple near Holebad. It is the predecessor in plan to the temple at Somnathpur, so it shares many similarities.

You can see how the wall fold back upon themselves generating many sides and niches to decorate.

Figures of the gods (and goddesses) right above the bands of friezes at the base of the temple.

Again the friezes tell the stories of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. This is Shiva holding up the mountain to shelter  mankind.

This is probably my favorite Nandi Bull of the trip.

Nandi is quite a fancy fellow.