Vijaynagara Architecture

Question 1

Vijaynagara Architecture

Answer 1

1. Vijayanagar empire ruled South India from their regal capital at Vijaynagara on the banks of the Tungabhadra river in modern KN, India.
2. The empire built temples, monuments, palaces and other structures across South India, with largest concentration in their capital city, Hampi. The monuments in and around Hampi, in the Vijayanagara principality, are listed as UNESCO’s WHS.
3. Examples of the Vijanagara architecture would be the temples at Lepakshi and Hampi especially the Virabhadra temple, with its hall of dance, Vitthalswami temple and the Virupaksha temple.
4. Defence architecture - Famous for 7 layered fortress wall which enclosed the city, agriculture land and the forest with several gateways.
5. Religious architecture
6. Secular architecture

Question 2

Religious architecture

Answer 2

1. New style of architecture called Provida style with large numbers of pillars and piers.
2. Constructuion of large raya gopuram and Kalyanamandap with carved pillars in temple premises. Mandapams were used for siting the deity on festival occasions.
3. Inscribed stories of the Ramayana and Mahabharata on the walls of the various temples gives them a mythical dimension. Ex. Hazara temple and Vithalswami Temples
4. The monolithic carving of Nandi, Vithalswami and Hazara temples at Hampi, Vardraja and Ekambaranatha temples at Kanchipuram and Chidambaram.
5. They built Ganesha monolith at Hampi, the Gomateswara (Bahubali) monolith at Karkala.
6. Another feature of the temple architecture was the constructions of massive walls around the shrine as a safeguard against the intruders.

Question 3

Secular architecture

Answer 3

1. Palatial builidings and subsidiary buildings like the water palace, wells, public audience hall, horse and elephant stables.
2. There builidings were in Indo - Saracenic character.
3. The Lepakshi mural paintings, the technique of which was probably inspired from the Ajanta paintings (MH) under the Vakataka patronage, had a rather secular theme than a religious one.
4. Use of domes, vaults and arches, due to the presence of Muslim architects, accentuating the secular mindset prevalent in the kingdom.