History of Virupaksha Temple

The Virupaksha temple in Hampi is dedicated to Lord Virupaksha. Lord Virupaksha is a form of Lord Shiva. The temple is situated in Hampi in the Ballari District of Karnataka. Virupaksha temple in Hampi is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with a group of monuments at Hampi. Lakkan Dandesha constructed the temple under the rule of Prauda Deva Raya of the Vijayanagar empire. Hampi is the capital of the Vijaynagar Empire and is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river. It is a sacred site for devotees and a pious pilgrimage centre. There is also a Virupakasha Amma Temple in the Chittoor district about 100km from Tirupati. Virupaksha means “the all-seeing one – Shiva ” in Kannada. It is one of the oldest temples in India. Virupaksha is worshipped along with the goddess Pampa here.

History

• The temple has had an undisturbed history since the seventh century, even before the establishment of Vijaynagar. 
• Inscriptions about Virupaksha date back to the ninth and tenth centuries. It started with a tiny place to pray and later expanded into a massive shrine by the Vijaynagar empire. 
• The temple was further built-in Chalukyan and Hoysala periods. In the 14th century, during the Mughal rule, the decorative architecture of the Virupaksha temple in Hampi was destroyed. However, the worship continued, and in the 19th century, the temple was renovated. 
• The additions to the Virupaksha temple included ceiling painting and gopura’s north and east towers.
• It is the only temple that still exists in Hampi as the invaders destroyed the other temples.

Architecture

• The main temple has a sanctum and a three-ante chamber followed by a pillared and open hall. 
• The pillars are beautifully carved. The entrance gateways, shrines, and courtyard surround the temple. 
• The eastern gate is nine-tiered and is the largest at 50 metres. It incorporates some earlier forms of architecture and is well proportioned. With a stone base, the superstructure is constructed with bricks.
• The gateway opens to the courts with shrines. The architecture of Virupaksha temple incorporates mathematical concepts for construction and decoration. The repeated patterns depict the fractal concepts. 
• The shape of the temple is triangular, and the patterns divide themselves and keep repeating like snow.
• Inscriptions on a stone plate located next to the pillared hall depicts the contribution of famous king Krishndevaraya. He was a patron of the temple. The temple hall was home to regular events related to music, dance, drama, and the marriage of deities. 

Festivals 

The temple celebrates the marriage of Virupaksha and Pampa in December, and the chariot festival is celebrated in February. The two chariots made of wood are pulled out in the main streets of Hampi and the annual marriage of god and goddess is organised. Diwali and Maha Shivratri are among the famous festivals celebrated at Virupaksha temple Hampi.

Best time to Visit

Virupaksha temple in Hampi opens for devotees before sunrise and closes the gate before sunset. The period between October to February is the best in terms of moderate climate and natural surroundings.

Conclusion

Virupaksha is one of the oldest structures of ancient India.  It has had an undisturbed history since the seventh century, although inscriptions about the temple date back to the ninth and tenth centuries. It started as a sacred shrine and was expanded over the years by different dynasties. However, in the fourteenth century, during the Mughal rule, the decorative architecture of the Virupaksha temple in Hampi was destroyed. The temple was later renovated in the nineteenth century. 

The religious value attached to the Virupaksha temple makes it popular among thousands of devotees. It is the only temple in Hampi which is functional to date. The sacred sculpture of the Nandi bull in the courtyard is believed to be an attention drawer. The Virupaksha Temple is the largest monument of Hindus in Karnataka. Virupaksha temple  incorporates mathematical concepts for construction and decoration. The repeated patterns depict the fractal concepts.