Sunset on the Hemakuta Hill

TEMPLES ON THE HEMAKUTA HILL

THE GRANITE SOPE OF THE SACRED HEMAKUTA HILL IS DOTTED WITH SHRINES. THE HILL IS ENCIRCLED ON ITS THREE SIDES BY MASSIVE FORTIFICATION. TO THE NORTH IS THE ENCLOSURE WALL OF VIRUPAKSHA TEMPLE. THE COMPLEX HAS THREE GATEWAYS. MORE THAN THIRTY SHRINES STAND ON THIS HILL. THESE VARY FROM ELABORATE STRUCTURES WITH MULTIPLE SANCTUMS TO RUDIMENTRIES, SINGLE CELLED CONSTRUCTION. MOST OF THESE TEMPLES HAVE STEPPED PYRAMIDAL TYPE OF SUPERSTRUCTURE.

TWO OF THE TEMPLES HAVE INSCRIPTIONS. THE TRIPLE SHIVA TEMPLE ON THE EAST HAS AN INSCRIPTION RECORDING THAT VIRA KAMPILADEVA, SON OF MUMMADI SINGEYA NAYAKA, BUILT THE SIVALAYA AND INSTALLED IN IT THREE LINGAS. TWO INSCRIPTIONS ON THE ROCK NEAR PRASANNA ANJANEYA TEMPLE DATED 1938 AD. MENTION THAT VIRUPAKSHA PANDITA AND HIS BROTHER CONSTRUCTED A TEMPLE OF VIRUPAKSHA AND DUG A TANK. ANOTHER INSCRIPTION ON A ROCK BASE RECORDS THE SETTING OF A LAMP PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE OF JADEYA SANKARADEVA BY BUKKAYAVE, THE QUEEN OF HARIHARA II IN THE YEAR 1397 AD. THE GROUP OF TEMPLES ON THE HEMAKUTA HILLS FORM ONE OF THE EARLIEST GROUP OF STRUCTURES AT HAMPI AND APPEAR TO DATE FROM ABOUT 9TH TO EARLY 14TH CENTURY AD. AND ALL OF THEM ARE CLEARLY OF SAIVA ORIGIN.Read more