Whispering Statues A visual reference to Hampi Whispering Statues A visual reference to Hampi Sangeeta Balasubramani “ The city of Vijaynagara is such that the pupil of the eye has never seen a place like it, and the ear of intelligence has never been informed that there existed anything to equal it in the world. “ Abdul Razzak Arab traveller who visited Hampi during the peak days of the Vijayanagara Empire Contents 1 Introduction 4 2 Pictorial Categorisation 6 3 How to Use the Guide 7 4 Divine Human Forms 9 Visual index 10 5 Themes & Decorative Motifs 36 Visual index 37 6 Animals, Birds & Mythological Creatures 49 Visual index 50 7 Iconographic Index 58 Introduction Commonly known as Hampi, the site of the imperial city of Vijaynagara is located on the Tungabhadra river in central Karnataka. Vijaynagara’s fame derives from its role as Capital of South India’s largest, wealthiest and most powerful kingdom; hence its name ‘ City of Victory’. The artistic movement at Vijaynagara created a new aesthetic that determined the direction of subsequent artistic activity in southern India. The innovations that occurred in architecture, sculpture and paintings at Vijaynagara influenced the development of the arts over a vast area under the empire and its successor states. A vast quantity of sculpture was produced at Vijaynagara and a substantial amount is still existant. There is an astonishing variety in scale in Vijaynagara sculpture. The imagination of the Vijaynagara artist is unrivalled. Categorization Vaishnavite Icons Shaivite Icons Icons which are associated with the Icons which are associated with the Hindu God ‘ Vishnu’ Hindu God ‘ Shiva’ Popular Vishnu Icon Popular Shiva Icon Vitthala Temple Hazaara Rama Temple Virupaksha Temple Human Divine Forms Human Divine Forms Gods & Goddesses associated Gods & Goddesses associated with Hindu god ‘Vishnu’ with Hindu god ‘Shiva’ Themes & Animals, Birds & Decorative Motifs Mythological Creatures Common set of themes, decorative motifs, animals, birds & mythological creatures across temples of all types 6 Guide Here is an example of how this guide can be used for easy recognition of sculptures being viewed, on site. 1 You are standing in front of a sculpture, in a particular temple. By the look of the sculpture, you would be able to identify if it falls under any of the three categories, namely, Divine Human Forms, Themes and Decorative Motifs, Animals, Birds & Mythological Creatures. 2 The book has been divided into 3 categories for easy interaction and each of these categories has been segregated by assigning a specific color to each of it for easy navigation. Once you know which category the sculpture belongs to, you can go to that section by using the tab provided in the book for that section. Blue color for ‘Divine Human Form’ Red color for ‘Themes & Decorative Motifs’ Green color for ‘Animals, Birds & Mythological Creatures’ 3 Once you reach the desired section, you would find a ‘Visual Index’ of that category for easy location of the details of sculpture your looking for. The images of sculptures are listed in alphabetical order and according to the Family (Vaishnava or Shiva) 32 32 Page number on which the 32 32 details can be viewed is mentioned 7 Guide The page you see below is how the details of one particular icon would be shown. 4 Narasimha Icon Name Icon The Man-Lion Incarnation is the fourth incarnation of Vishnu. When the demon Hiranyakashipu acquired a boon from Brahma, indicating Divine Human Forms which gave him inordinate power, Lord Vishnu appeared in the Background form of half-man/half-lion, having a human-like torso and a the family lower body, but with a lion-like face and claws. Hiranyakashipu description/ could not be killed by human, deva or animal, Narasimha is to which the neither one of these, as he is a form of Vishnu incarnate as a history of the sculpture/ part-human, part animal icon. idol belongs Kirti Mukuta to i.e Vishnu Ito restart the new creation and to restore the purity of or Shiva icon conduct in people's lives Shankha Chakra Ito restart the Ito restart the new creation new creation and to restore and to restore Description of the purity of the purity of conduct in conduct in each attribute people's lives people's lives of the icons Varada Mudra Abhaya Mudra Ito restart the Ito restart the new creation new creation and to restore and to restore the purity of the purity of conduct in conduct in people's lives people's lives Ornaments Ito restart the new creation and to restore Icon/ sculpture the purity of Places conduct in image where the people's lives icon can be seen. Virupaksha Temple, Hazaara Rama Temple 32 Page Number The attributes of the sculpture are explained in detail with the help of the following icons used for each attribute This icon is used to This icon is used to describe the type/ kind of describe and explain the the headgear/crown worn mudra/ hand gesture of by the idol/ sculpture the idol. This icon is used to This icon is used to describe the weapons describe the various and other objects ornaments worn by the handled by the idol. idol. This icon is used This icon is used to list to describe other the names of teh temples miscellaneous in Hampi where the idol information. can be viewed. 8 Divine Human Forms Vaishnavite Idols Divine Human Forms Balaram 15 16 Buddha Durga 17 18 Hanuman Hanuman 18 18 Hanuman Kalki 19 20 Krishna 10 Vaishnavite Idols Divine Human Forms Krishna 20 20 Krishna Kurma 21 22 Lakshmi Mahishasurdini 23 24 Matsya Narasimha 25 26 Narasimha 11 Vaishnavite Idols Divine Human Forms Narasimha 26 27 Narasimha Parashurama 28 29 Rama Vamana 30 31 Varaha Venkateshawara 32 33 Vishnu 12 Vaishnavite Idols Divine Human Forms Vishnu 33 34 Vishvaksena Vitthala 35 13 Shaivite Idols Divine Human Forms Bhadrakali 32 32 Chandikeshwara Ganesha 32 14 Balaram Balarama also known as Baladeva, Baldau, Balabhadra and Halayudha, is the elder brother of the divine being, Krishna (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) in Hinduism. Balarama is almost always Divine Human Forms depicted as being fair skinned, especially in comparison to his brother, Krishna, who is shown as dark blue or black. Balarama is described as being physically very strong. Kirita Mukuta It is a conical cap covered by an Hala & Gada ornamental top. His weapons are The front side of the hala (plough) it has a jewel or a and the gada central motif. The (mace) rest of the Kirita Mukuta is covered with small designs Ornaments Balarama wears blue garments and a garland of forest flowers. His hair is tied in a topknot and he has earrings, bracelets and armlets. Vitthala Temple, Hazaara Rama Temple 15 Buddha With the departure of Lord Krishna (Krishna Avatar), the age of Kali set in, in this age, the true devotion to Vedas was replaced by Divine Human Forms empty rituals. To enlighten the world in such times, Lord Vishnu descended the earth as Buddha, the enlightened one. In the sculpture below, Buddha sits in padmasana, adorning a Vaishnava tilak. Dhyana Mudra The Dhyana mudra is the gesture of meditation, of the concentration .The two hands are placed on the lap, right hand on left with fingers fully stretched Ornaments and the palms Balarama wears facing upwards, blue garments forming a and a garland of triangle, symbolic forest flowers. of the spiritual His hair is tied fire in a topknot and he has earrings, bracelets and armlets. Vitthala Temple, Hazaara Rama Temple 16 Durga In Hinduism, Durga is one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress. She is thus considered the fiercer, demon-fighting form of Shiva’s wife, goddess Parvati. Durga manifests fearlessness and Divine Human Forms patience. Kirita Mukuta It is a conical cap covered by an ornamental top. The front side of it has a jewel or a central motif. The rest of the Kirita Mukuta is covered with small designs Shankha Chakra The conch It is a spinning shell is a major disc like weapon Hindu article with very sharp of prayer, used edge, which as a trumpeting serves as an announcement of attribute of the all sorts. The God Hindu God of Preservation, Vishnu. It is a Vishnu, is said general symbol to hold a special for protection. conch, Varada Mudra Abhaya Mudra The Varada mudra The Abhaya favourable mudra mudra or mudra signifies offering, of no-fear welcome, charity, represents giving, compas- protection, peace, sion and sincerity. benevolence, and dispelling of fear. Vitthala Temple, Hazaara Rama Temple 17 Garuda Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in Hindu mythology. Garuda is a lesser Hindu divinity, usually Divine Human Forms the mount (vahanam ) of Vishnu . Garuda is depicted as a crowned young male figure with wings and a sharp beak like nose. At times the wings are only lightly carved and are barely visible Anjali Mudra Anjali mudra is a gesture performed by joining together of the palms. Performing anjali mudra is an honouring of both the self and the other as the gesture acknowledges the divinity of both practitioner and recipient. Vitthala Temple, Hazaara Rama Temple 18 Hanuman Hanuman is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) , a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana. Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine, whose Divine Human Forms fate it is to aid the hero Rama in the struggle against the demon king Ravana. He is portrayed with a human body and a monkey face and a tail.