Monuments to visit Karnataka

This 16th century Unesco World Heritage temple is the highlight of a visit to Hampi. It can be the occasion of a very beautiful walk along the river and in the middle of ruins of temples and bazaars. We strongly recommend that you take a guide to bring to light all the subtleties that this temple conceals.

The construction of the temple would have started under the impulse of the king Krishnadevaraya around 1510. It was never completed, it was not consecrated. Nevertheless, it remains one of the peaks of Vijayanagar art and today tourists flock to admire its chariot and the hall with musical pillars. The complex comprises several pavilions, temples and shrines.

The ratha (chariot) stands at the entrance of the temple and is one of the three most famous in the country. The carts are used to parade the idols of the temples during religious festivals. However, this one has never been driven, as it is actually a shrine dedicated to Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu. Therefore, the cart faces the main temple dedicated to Vittala, an incarnation of Vishnu. The cart is an assemblage of different blocks of stone finely carved. The joints are hidden in the friezes and scenes decorating the cart. These were painted, and by looking for the less exposed pieces, you can see traces of paint. Wheels were added to complete the similarity with the cart. They used to turn freely around their axis, before the archaeological department blocked them to protect them from visitors who were a bit too playful. Two stone elephants precede the cart, as if pulling it. This is a later addition. Originally, the cart was "pulled" by horses whose tails and hind legs can still be seen behind the elephants. The stone ladder that allowed access to the shrine and the dome that topped it are now gone.

Maha Mandapa. This is the main hall that precedes the entrance to the shrine. It is also called the "musical pillar hall". The main staircase is set on a high platform and is flanked by an elephant-shaped balustrade. The other two staircases on the sides have a balustrade in the shape of a lion fighting an elephant. The proportions have obviously not been maintained. The mandapa is divided into four parts that communicate with each other. The roof of the central hall has unfortunately collapsed and is inaccessible to the public because of its great fragility. Each of the 7 pillars supporting the roof represents a musical instrument. They are subdivided into 7 thinner pillars which, when struck, emit the 7 notes representing the instrument. The English, amazed by this feat, cut out 2 of the pillars to see if they contained anything. They discovered nothing and, even today, the two missing pillars have not been replaced. Is there even a craftsman capable of reproducing this stone miracle? To the eye, if you quickly brush the musical pillars, you will have the impression that they are all identical and strictly parallel. But if you look closely, you will find that some of the pillars are shorter than others, that the base is wider than the top, and that their inclination differs. The Eastern Hall is also called the Musicians' Hall because of the musicians and dancers carved on its main pillars. The southern hall pays homage to Yalis, a mythological creature similar to the lion. Here he stands on his two hind legs and is mounted by a man. The capital of each pillar ends in a lotus bud. The pillars of the northern hall feature Narasimha. The cornices of the roof of the Maha Mandapa take the form of a Chinese pagoda, suggesting that Chinese architects or workers were involved in the construction.

The sanctuary. It is preceded by a walled hall, with an entrance to the north and south. Very bare compared to the mandapa, the sanctuary is empty. Since the temple was never consecrated, the idol was not placed. A narrow ambulatory passage goes around the sanctuary. If you walk through it with a flashlight you will be able to see the delicate lotus flower patterns that decorate the outer wall.

The other buildings. The Vittala temple complex includes three other buildings and a colonnaded surrounding wall. At the entrance to the temple, to the left of the ratha, is the Kalayna Mandapa, or marriage hall. It would have been used for nuptial ceremonies. Moving northward, the 100-pillar hall. Each pillar is carved with different figures. One can see gods, but also scenes of the daily life: scenes of hunting, dance, war... Finally, the last building is a sanctuary dedicated to Devi.

King's balance. By taking the path along the left side of the temple you will see a large carved portico. It is the king's balance. The king weighed himself during special events such as an eclipse of the sun or moon. The counterweight was made of gold coins, precious and semi-precious stones which were then distributed to the priests of the temples of Hampi. One can see on the beam the three rings that were used to suspend the balance. A portrait of the king has been carved on one of the pillars.

This imposing fort was built in 1427 by Sultan Ala-ud-Din Bahman. Defended by thick walls and a triple moat, the fort was for a time the seat of the administrative capital of much of South India. It houses about thirty monuments within it, including the delicate Rangin Mahal with its panels inlaid with mother-of-pearl and coloured tiles, the Tarkash Mahal or throne room and its delicate Islamic inscriptions, and the Solah Khamba mosque and its 16 pillars. The most interesting monuments are closed by heavy gates, so we strongly recommend that you use a guide who can open them for you. Although it is falling apart, many Bollywood films have used the beauty of the fort to shoot scenes. A small museum at the entrance displays sculptures, mosaics and objects from the fort. The ideal time to discover this jewel is just after the monsoon, in September or October, when the plain at the foot of the fort is lined with greenery.

Karez. This is the most original feature of the site. The impressive water supply system, inspired by Persian technology. The set of underground canals was supplied from nearby springs and connected to the surface by vertical ducts. 17 of these ducts are still visible and the canals spread over 2 kilometres under the fort. It provided drinking water to the garrisons based inside the fort, even though the region is experiencing frequent periods of drought.

The fort dates back to the 17th century and underwent major transformations in the 19th century thanks to the British. Located in the centre of Madikeri, it houses a palace renovated in 1814, which houses the municipality's offices, a chapel transformed into an archaeological museum (open from 10am to 5.30pm, closed on Mondays and the ^2nd Saturday of the month). It offers a beautiful view of Madikeri. It was built by a Kodagu ruler in the 17th century, then rebuilt in granite by Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore, and finally occupied by the British from 1834 onwards.

The complex of rock temples of Badami is a site of exceptional beauty which is moreover candidate for a future inscription with the heritage of UNESCO.

Vatipa Nagar, the ancient name of Badami, was the capital of the Chalukiya empire from the 6th to the 7th century. This site consists of a huge artificial reservoir of the^5th century named Agastyatirtha, surrounded by ochre cliffs in which cave temples have been carved in the rock. On the tops of these cliffs are forts intended to watch the surroundings. These monuments are representative of the Chalukiya architectural style. The site has a total of four rock temples: three Hindu and one Jain. The Hindu temples would have been even the first to appear on the Deccan plateau. Two are dedicated to Vishnu and one to Shiva. A fifth cave, of lesser size, would be perhaps dedicated to Buddha... Another temple is located near the artificial lake and also deserves your attention.

Cave n° 1. The access is by a staircase framed by figures of ganas, the dwarfs guardians of Shiva. The porch is supported by 4 columns with bas-reliefs of Shiva dancing. Two stone guardians welcome the visitor. They are dwarapalas (doorkeepers) 1.88 m high. The cave is decorated with numerous sculptures and bas-reliefs, including representations of Laxmi and Parvati surrounding a huge Harihara (half-Vishnu, half-Shiva) of more than 2 meters high. But the most beautiful image is undoubtedly that of Nataraja, or Shiva dancing. He has 18 arms, most of whose hands are in mudra position (symbolic hand representation). Only three of them carry objects, including a trident, a drum and an axe. At Shiva's feet, you will recognize Nandi, his ox, and Ganesh, his son. The ceiling of the cave is also decorated with 5 carved panels. The central panel represents Shesha, the snake who carries on his heads all the planets.

Cave n° 2. This cave dates from the 6th century and is dedicated to the god Vishnu, represented under different avatars. The porch is supported by four rectangular pillars, carved on their upper parts. You can see battle scenes, or others referring to Krishna at his birth and in his youth. The door frame is adorned with an entablature inlaid with gavakshas, the semi-circular forms. On the outer wall, note the beautiful depiction of Vahara (Vishnu's avatar in the form of a boar) saving the earth represented by the goddess Budhevi. Inside, Vishnu is represented as Trivikrama (a dwarf) with one foot on the earth and the other pointing north. Another panel again depicts Vahara saving the earth from the depths of the ocean. This sculpture is made in the center of a circular form. The ceiling is supported by 8 pillars and decorated with bas-reliefs. The top of the wall is decorated with a frieze representing scenes from the mythology of Vishnu or Krishna.

Cave n° 3. The unusual dimensions of this cave make it difficult to imagine the work required for its excavation. 20 meters wide, 21 meters deep and 4.6 meters high, it was necessary to dig the mountain on 15 meters deep! The cave contains many sculptures and bas-reliefs, the most notable of which are on the many pillars that support the weight of the ceiling. Will you find the scene of the Kamasutra representing a couple in an erotic posture? The walls of the cave are decorated with bas-reliefs, many of which depict Vishnu in different forms: Vishnu with 8 arms standing; Vishnu sitting on Shesha, the many-headed snake; Narasimha (half-man, half-lion avatar); Trivikrama armed; or Harihara. The ceilings still show traces of frescoes, which are among the oldest painted frescoes of Indian art known to date.

Cave n° 4. This cave, the most recent of the complex, is dedicated to various figures of Jainism. The porch is supported by 4 pillars with capitals. Parshvanath, the 23rd tirthankar, is depicted standing with his head haloed by a multi-headed snake symbolizing protection and respect. A few steps lead up to the shrine. In the shrine, Mahavira, the 24th tirthankar, rests on his pedestal. Inside the cave, you can admire a beautiful statue of Bahubali, the son of Adinath the^1st tirthankar, snakes coiled along his calves.

Cave n° 5. It is the smallest of the caves and it is almost necessary to make contortions to penetrate there so much the entry is narrow. Inside, a man is represented sitting on a throne and surrounded by bas-reliefs representing people holding fans, a tree, elephants and lions ready to attack. No one knows for sure who this statue represents and interpretations are rife. Some think that it is a statue of Buddha and that the cave would have been then dedicated to Vishnu. Other scientists lean more for a representation of a figure of Jainism. Other archaeologists, finally, emit the hypothesis that it is a king. Unfortunately, the statue has suffered greatly from the ravages of time and part of its face has crumbled.

Bellary Fort is located about 60 kilometres from Hampi. Perched atop Ballari Gudda Mountain, it is also known as Fort Hill. The date of its construction is not yet identified, Vijayanagar period, but in 1769, it was taken from the Nayaka by Hyder Ali and modified with the help of a French engineer, who did not meet the requirements and was hanged. The tomb of the latter is visible at the entrance to the fort.

Chitradurga Fort is a little-known site for foreign tourists and certainly deserves your interest. The old Chitrakaldurga is huge, with many challenging climbs and descents; allow at least two hours of visit. A small booklet (in English) with a map of the fort and a description of the points of interest is given to you when you purchase your entrance ticket. It may be advisable to take an approved guide for the visit.

The fort was built in stages between the 11th and 13th centuries by the various dynastics who ruled the region, including the Chalukyas and Hoysalas, and later the Nayakas of the Vijayanagar Empire. The Nayakas of Chitradurga participated in the expansion of the fort between the 15th and 18th centuries. The fort was briefly recaptured by Hyder Ali in Chitradurga in 1779 and captured by the British twenty years later, after the defeat of his son Tipu Sultan. The fort includes seven concentric fortifications, a citadel, a palace, warehouses, water tanks, temples and gunpowder millstones. There are 18 temples in the upper fort and a huge temple in the lower fort. The many basins were used to collect rainwater. The landscapes composed of huge rocks, similar to those of Hampi, give the site an undeniable charm. The most adventurous can go to one of the summits to enjoy a breathtaking view of the surroundings.