A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c21.112

c21.112

The Viṭṭhala is by far the most ornate temple. Begun in the time of Devarāya II, if not earlier, its construction was continued even in the reign of Achyuta Rāya, but was never entirely finished. The rectangular courtyard, 500 feet by 310 feet, with cloisters on the interior with a triple row of pillars, surrounds the temple. There are three entrances with gōpuras, those on the east and south being more important. The main temple occupies the centre and there are five other structures mostly of the nature of pillared halls within the enclosure. The main temple is dedicated to Vishnu as Viṭṭhala. It is a long (230 feet), low structure aligned from east to west, its height being only 25 feet. It comprises three distinct sections, the mahāmaṇḍapa, an open pillared hall in front, an ardhamanḍapa, a similar closed hall in the middle, and the garbhagriha in the rear. The mahāmaṇḍapa is impressive with its deeply recessed sides measuring 100 feet at its greatest length and breadth. It stands on a moulded plinth 5 feet high, with flights of steps guarded by elephants on its three free sides. A very wide double-curved eave surmounted by turrets of brickwork is its other notable feature. There are fifty-six pillars inside, each twelve feet high. Forty of them are disposed at regular intervals to form an aisle round the hall's outer edge, and the remaining sixteen provide an oblong passage in the centre. The pillars are variants of the types generally described above and exhibit an amazing exuberance of the most ornate and vigorous carving. The rest of the temple is a unified structure, rectangular in shape, 135 feet by 67 feet, and its external walls are embellished with the usual arrangement of pilasters, niches and canopies. Besides the entrance from the mahāmaṇḍapa on the east, the ardhamanḍapa has two side-entrances each having steps and a pillared porch of some size. Its interior is a square with sides 55 feet long, with a square dais at the centre and one pillar at each of its corners. The other pillars are disposed to form an aisle near the perimeter. The vimāna is 75 feet long and 72 feet wide and includes a *pradakshiṇa* path on the same level as the outer courtyard. This is entered by flights of steps descending on either side of the vestibule connecting the *garbhagriha* with the *ardhamaṇḍapa*. Of the remaining structures, the *kalyāṇa-maṇḍapa*, as may be expected, throws the rest into the shade by the excellence of its statuary, although it is little more than half the size of the *mahāmaṇḍapa*. Near the *kalyāṇamaṇḍapa* and facing the entrance to the *mahāmaṇḍapa* is the *ratha* or chariot of the god. Its base and principal storey are carved out of a single block of granite with movable wheels, the superstructure of brick having disappeared. Similar stone cars are found in other temples of the period, for example at Tāḍpatri and Tiruvālūr.