The Elephant Stable and the Guards room, Hampi

Taking an offbeat path we reached the Elephant Stable and the Guards room in Hampi; let us talk about these monuments and the importance of elephants in the Vijayanagara army.

Taking the offbeat path in Hampi

“Papa, let us walk from here towards the next set of monuments”, after visiting the Saraswati temple, Rachit suggests pointing towards the east where we could see a barren, boulder-strewn field and a few faraway monuments.

“Yes, yes, Papa we would take this way”, Tanmay readily agrees. I have no preference but know for sure that by taking this way I can avoid Tanmay’s tantrums. And so, I follow them.

In this series of articles on Hampi, I am taking the approach of writing about monuments as one would find them walking from Kamalapura to Hampi and so is the reason for writing this article after Hazara Rama Temple, though we actually walked over to this set of monuments from the Saraswati Temple.

Exploring the lesser known monuments in Hampi

Kids are running, talking and Tanmay is giggling all the way as if his brother is the best stand-up comedian in the world; the dimples on his face makes him look naughty.

Soon three of us reach a street where a signage suggests, towards our left are elephant stables, and towards our right are Ranga Temple, Parshvanath temple and Sringarda Hebbagilu. Elephant stable is a well-known monument in Hampi so we would visit it for sure; the monuments towards our right are lesser known and so we decide to explore them first.

As we walk towards right, we cross temples that are in dilapidated state, more like ruins; in dire need of repair and maintenance; still one could easily make out the typical Vijayanagar architectural style.

We see beautiful etching of Balkrishna on a pillar, Gajalakshmi on door jambs, Dwarpalas at the entrance of one of the sanctum-sanctorum; an intricately carved musician, and an etching of daily life.

There are ornate and intricately carved pillars as well. ASI appears to be working to restore them. After visiting the “Ta Phrom” temple in Cambodia which has been restored by ASI, my respect for ASI has grown leaps and bounds.

Exploring the lesser known monuments in Hampi – Jain Temple of Lord Parshvanatha

The Jain temple dedicated to Lord Parshvanath is in a much better state. The pradakishna around the sanctum-sanctorum is below ground level. The temple entrance has the carvings of elephants at the entrance and the seated Tirthankara at the door jambs. This temple was constructed in 1426 and its presence in the vicinity of other temples suggests that Jainism had a strong presence in Vijayanagar empire.

The Rayas were tolerant and during their reign all religions found encouragement. Most of the famous temples of South India got benefited with their largesse. They were enlarged particularly by the addition of large gopuras and corridors and mandapas. Festivals in these temples were intensely celebrated and brought people together from all sections of the society.

As we walk further we spot a sun-bird enjoying the nectar.

Exploring the lesser known monuments in Hampi – Sringarda Hebbagillu

There is no-one around these temples, no restrictions, moving around this area gives more of a notion of exploration than of a touristic visit and so kids are enjoying visiting this part. There are pieces of broken porcelain on the way. In the end, we reach Sringarda Hebbagillu.

It was one of the main entrance to the inner core in the ancient Hampi and is believed to be constructed at the times of Bukka. Sringarda Hebbagillu has massive walls but is severely plain.

It was part of the fort wall that once encircled the capital. At a far distance we can see a hillock with randomly placed boulders and a few plain structures there. They are far and it is getting hotter so we decide to return back.

Reaching and Relaxing at the Elephant Stable, Hampi

Soon, as we cross the initial point and now move towards the left we find ourselves in a spacious open ground that is reverberating with the joyous energy of school kids, playing, running, laughing, fighting all around.

We decide to have the coconut water from a vendor under a big tree, it quenches our thirst and hunger too; we can now sustain ourselves for some more time and can delay our search for an eatery.

There are families on picnics, lovers and honeymooners, kids requesting foreigners to take picture along with them, and vice-versa too; everyone seems to be enjoying the morning sun and the open space.

The Elephant Stable and the Guards room in Hampi

There are two buildings around this ground, the one towards our east is the elephant stables and the one towards our North is the guards room. Both the structures are grand, well-kept and inviting. We move towards our right to have a closer look at the elephant stable first.

The Elephant Stable in Hampi

This long and lofty, west-facing rectangular, domed structure was constructed in the fifteenth century. It has eleven chambers interconnected with arched openings. The central chamber has remnants of a square pyramidal superstructure with slender colonettes forming arched openings. There is an access to the roof from a concealed staircase through a niche by the side of the central chamber.

In the ancient times, the musicians and the drummers occupy the super-structure and the surroundings reverberated with their music. Around the central super-structure are present symmetrically laid over domes in various shapes; round, ribbed, pyramidal and octagonal.

The architectural style of Elephant Stable Hampi

This building is built in Indo-Islamic architectural style and the remnants of ornate stucco and plaster ornamentation can still be seen in the exterior and the interiors of the building. Its walls are massive and extremely solid.

Each of these chambers is believed to inhabit two elephants at a time. As it happens with most of the ancient monuments, some believe that this structure is wrongly classified as elephant stables and it was in-fact the secretariat of Ramaraya. I personally go with the popular belief of it being an elephant stable.

Role of Elephants in Vijayanagara Army

Abdur Razaak, who visited Hampi, during the reign of Devaraya-II, in the fifteenth century from Herat, as a missionary of Shahrukh, described that elephants were integral and important part of the Vijayanagar army.

He happened to witness a huge gathering of troops and noted, “Here, I see one thousand elephants resembling mountains in their size and devils in their form. Each of these elephants carry six men at a time and had a sword tied to their trunk”.

These war trained elephants created havoc in the battlegrounds, trampling the enemy army under their feet and killing several of them with a sway of their trunk.

While going through these observations, I also realize that the elephants were not found in the Arabian world and so Razzak getting impressed by this magnificent animal is understandable.

Vijayanagara Rayas and elephant trade links

Vijayanagara Rayas had elephant-trade links with Srilanka. Though the elephants were available in large quantities in North India as well, but the Rayas preferred importing them from Lanka. The reasons were two folds, they were considered to be better breed and also, the trade route with North India passed through Bahamani empire, the sworn enemies of the Rayas.

Below are the excerpts from the book, “India in the fifteenth century translated and edited by Richard Henry Mayor, from the observations and writings of Abdul Razzak”, about elephants of Hampi.

Excerpts of Abdur Razzak’s writings on royal elephants

Abdur Razzak on king’s favourite elephant, a special one

“Although the king possesses a considerable number of elephants in his dominion, the largest of these are kept near his palace (he is referring to the elephant stable here). These elephants copulate and bring forth young.

The king possesses one white elephant of an extremely great size, on whose body are scattered here and there, grey spot like freckles. Every morning the animal is led before the monarch, and the sight of him seems to act as a happy omen for the king.”

A vivid description of the feedings of these elephants

“The elephants of the palace are fed upon Khichri. This dish is cooked and is taken out of the copper in the elephant’s presence; salt is thrown over it and the whole is then mixed well together. The elephant-keepers then make balls of it; weighing about two mann, after steeping them in butter, and put it into the elephant’s mouth.

These animals are fed twice. One day a keeper forgot an ingredient,and the elephant attacked his keeper. It upset the king as well. The keeper was then severely punished for his negligence. “

How the elephants were kept chained at the elephant stable

“Each elephant has a separate compartment, the walls of which are extremely solid, and the roof composed of strong pieces of wood. The neck and the back of these animals are bound with chains, the end of which is strongly fastened to the top of the roof. If they were fixed otherwise, the elephant would easily undo them : the fore feet also are held by chains.”

The mode of catching and domesticating the elephants

Abdur Razzak also described the manner in which these elephants were captured and domesticated,
“On the road which the animal takes when he goes to drink, they dig a trench, and cover the mouth of it over, but very lightly. When an elephant falls into it, two or three days are allowed to elapse before any one goes near him.

At the end of that time a man comes and strikes the animal with several blows of a stick well applied : upon this another man shows himself, and violently drives away the man who struck the blows, and, seizing his stick, hurls it a great way off; after which he throws some food to the elephant, and goes away.

For several days the first of these men comes to beat the elephant, and the second prevents him from continuing to do so. Before long the animal becomes very friendly with this latter individual, who by degrees approaches the elephant, and offers him fruits, for which this animal is known to have a liking.

He then scratches him and rubs him, and the elephant, won over by this maneuver, submits without resistance, and allows a chain to be passed round his neck.”

An interesting story about the escape of an elephant and its recapture as mentioned by Razzak:

The story goes, an elephant having escaped, fled into a nearby jungle. His keeper, who went in pursuit of him, dug a trench on the road. The animal, who dreaded the contrivances of this man (like a gazelle which has escaped from the net of a hunter), carry in his trunk a block of wood like a beam, placed it before him at short distances on the surface of the ground as he proceeded; thus testing the road he used to reach the watering place.

The keepers of the elephant had lost all hope of retaking him, and yet the king had a very strong desire to gain possession of this animal again.

One of the keepers took chance and hid himself in the branches of a tree under which the elephant had to pass. At the moment when the elephant came up, this man threw himself upon the back of the animal, who still had about his body and chest one of the thick cords with which the elephants are bound. This cord he laid strong hold of.

Do what the elephant would to shake himself and twist about, and to strike blows with his trunk both right and left, he could not get free. He rolled himself on his side, but every time he did so the man leapt cleverly to the opposite side, and at the same time gave him some heavy blows upon the head.

At length the animal, worn out, gave up the contest, and surrendered his body to the chains and his neck to the fetters. The keeper led the elephant into the presence of the king, who rewarded him with a noble generosity.”

Interesting descriptions to read about 🙂
Coming back to the twenty-first century, for the kids, this monument provides an excellent opportunity to run around with entrances to different chambers enhancing the pleasure.

The Guards Room in Hampi

From the elephant stables we walk towards the other monument in the North of the courtyard, “the Guards Room”. This long rectangular structure also with Indo-Islamic architecture is impressive too. This elevated structure provided Rayas a raised platform to enjoy the activities in the parade ground.

Though it is referred as Guards room however there are other speculation about this monument too. Some believe that it was a treasury, or a concert hall and some consider that it was an audience hall. The open courtyard inside the building was used for martial training and was used by Rayas as an open gymnasium.

The Rigorous exercise routines of Krishnadevaraya

Well, why not travel in time again and see Krishnadevaraya following the rigorous exercise routine (as described by the Portuguese travellers Dominigo Paes and Nuniz), “The king drinks ¾ pint of gingelly oil or seasum oil daily; masseurs then anoint the oil all over his body, his loin is covered with a small cloth (langot) during the massage.

He then weight-lifts the earthenware to strengthen his arms and shoulders; and then exercises with his sword till he sweated out all the oils. After that he wrestles with one of the wrestlers.

After this rigorous exercise he mounts a horse and gallops about the plain in one direction to another till dawn. Then he returns back and the Brahmins give him bath and cleanse him, after which he enters inside a temple, worship and do all ceremonies according to the customs.”

Guards Room in Hampi – an Open art gallery

These days, this monument is used as an open art gallery with its pillared corridor being used to display artefacts discovered in and around Hampi. The courtyard and the whole structure is open and so spacious that my museum phobic kids have no problem in allowing me to wander around leisurely.

Some philosophical thoughts at the Elephant Stable and the Guards room, Hampi

After looking at the sculpture kept there, none of which really caught my fancy, I came out and sit over the platform looking at the spacious parade ground and the elephant stable. There are no white elephants to look at, but the joyous shrills of school kids more than compensate for it. In this reflective state of mind, I am reminded of one of a bhajan that I often hear Jaishree humming,

मत कर माया का अहंकार, मत कर काया का अभिमान
काया गारे सी काची, रे जैसे ओस का मोती

रे झोंका पवन का लग जाए, झटका पवन का लग जाए
काया धूल हो जासी, काया तेरी धूल हो जासी

ऐसा सख़्त था महाराज, जिसका मुल्कों में राज
जिस घर झूलते थे हाथी, उन घर दीया ना बाति

मत कर माया का अहंकार, मत कर काया का अभिमान
काया गारे सी काची, रे जैसे ओस का मोती

Click here to walk on offbeat in Hampi – Kampa Bhupa Path

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