Question

The Vijaya Vitthala temple at Hampi is known for its artistic carvings. Which one of the following is not related to it?
A. Pillars with sevens Note:s
B. Stone carved ‘ratha’
C. Huge kalyana mandapa
D. Compound with seven walls

Answer 1

Hint: The main god in Vitthala sanctuary was that of Vitthala, a type of Vishnu who was commonly venerated in Maharashtra. The rulers of Vijayanagara drew on different traditions to introduce an imperial culture; the deity was, thus, introduced as a result.

Complete Answer:In 1800, the ruins at Hampi were discovered by Colonel Colin Mackenzie, an employee of the British East India Company. He first prepared a survey map of the site. Also, the vast majority of the underlying data that he got was taken from the ministers of the Virupaksha sanctuary and the hallowed place of Pampadevi. From 1856, scholars got an opportunity to study the monuments through photographers who began to record the monuments. Epigraphists began collecting many inscriptions found at this and other temples of Hampi as early as 1836. They aimed at reconstructing the history of the city and the empire, for this, they collated information from these sources. The Vitthala temple too had several halls and a unique shrine designed as a chariot, as in the case of other temples. A trademark highlight of the sanctuary buildings is the chariot streets that stretched out from the sanctuary gopuram in an orderly fashion. These roads were cleared with stone pieces and fixed with pillared structures in which traders set up their shops. The mandapas or structures and long pillared halls regularly went around the sanctuary complex.

Thus, option (D) is correct.

Note: Presently, the Vitthala temple is in a partially ruined state. The temple is now devoid of an idol. The wheels of the chariot were once functional but a few years ago the Government cemented the wheels to avoid causing further damage to it. A long time ago the Central western hall was ruined when the Mughals attacked resulting in the fall of the Vijaynagara Empire.