Hampi

The amazing rocky landscape in around Hampi. 

Coconut palms, mango trees and banana plantations thrive in between rocky outcrops. 

The rocks are the building materials for the beautiful monuments and structures that dot the landscape.

A line of evenly spaced holes on a rock is evidence of a simple but effective method employed to cleave enormous boulders and rocks. The holes were plugged with wooden pegs and water poured in. When the temperatures fell in the night the pegs expanded and over time the rock split. 

Rough hewn rocks to build high walls and gateways. 

    Cut with precision these rocks have been used to make this beautiful stepped water tank or pushkarni which was discovered as late as 1984 and had no stone missing.

The building blocks for the creation of monuments like the Lotus Mahal above and the Queens bath below.    

A stone picture book .The outer walls of the Hazara Rama temple brought the story of the Ramayana to life for the devotee as he circumambulated the temple.  

The stone chariot at the Vithala temple complex. The chariot is a shrine for Garuda - Vishnu's vahana and the wheels rotate.

The Vitthala temple.

In the Mukha mandapa are a series of slender stone pillars which when struck with the bare hand in a particular manner will produce the sound of a musical instrument - one set of pillars produces the sound of drums another the sound of bells. The temple has exquisite carvings.  

  

Stone also became the medium for recording the activites which were a part of daily life many centuries back such as the trading in jewels, gold and horses. In a frieze on the plinth of the Vitthala temple are carved Portuguese and Chinese traders with horses.

Hampi must have been a vibrant and spectacular place in its heyday. Today we have the temples and monuments made and carved out of rock to piece together what life was like in the Vijayanagar Empire.  

On a different note I have a favour to ask. Once again I need you to vote for my suggestion which has made it to the Reader's Choice Top 5 on Feeling Stitchy.

My suggestion for the Reader's Choice Stitchalong next month is Origami. The poll is at the top right hand corner of the blog - Feeling Stitchy. Please vote for Origami. Thank you. Polling is open until Wednesday evening, 10PM US Central time.