This article is about the unique, salient features of the Vijayanagara Empire Art and Architecture style that developed during the reign of Vijayanagar Rayas over a period of three centuries from 1336 to about 1614.
Temple building activities of the Vijayanagar Emperors
Vijayanagar Rayas ruled as the representatives of Lord Virupaksha. They channeled the enormous wealth and resources accumulated by them towards the general upkeep of old existing temples (accepting the spiritual sanctity of those ancient centers of worship) and also constructed many new temples, giving the architects freedom to experiment with new ideas and style, and in-turn commissioned aesthetically magnificent structures, as mark of their devotion to the almighty.
The devotion and direction of Rayas to construct new temples and adding new structures to the existing old temples, influenced and inspired the finest architects, sculptors and the painters of the empire to streamline their creative energies to create monuments of florid magnificence. These structures started to develop a distinctive style that became famous as the Vijayanagara Temple Architectural Style.
Early phase of development in the Vijayanagara Empire Art and Architecture Style
In the initial phase of the Vijayanagar empire the temples constructed by the Rayas carry inspirations from the newly acquired Tamil territories that had magnificent Chola Temples, constructed during 836-1267 AD.
They also boldly borrowed from other schools of architecture – Chalukya, Pandyas and Hoysalas, prevailing at that time and harmoniously incorporated them into the temples of the time.
However, soon their architectural style started to develop its own distinctive features. As an example, in the Chola temple architecture the complete temple complex was a unified structure, while in the Vijayanagara Temple architectural style the concept of numerous mandapas, pillared halls and shrine to minor deities were introduced. Some of these features developed as distinctive Vijayanagara architectural style were also the result of the local environment.
Distinctive elements of the Vijayanagara Art and Architecture
Vijayanagara Temple Architecture: High Compound Walls of the temples
The three Islamic states surrounded Vijayanagar empire and a loss in war meant destruction and desecration of these holy places of worship. So the Rayas fortified the existing and newly constructed temples with high compound walls.
Slowly and slowly these complexes started to have villages in and around them. The priest of the temples were paid handsomely to maintain an army of workforce for the maintenance of the temples and for the temple rituals.
Soon these Brahmin priests started to keep their own private army that was also used to re-enforce the state-army during the hours of need. As Rayas reliance over these private armies increased, the priests became even more powerful.
Vijayanagar Temple Architecture: The Raya-Gopurams
The entrance to these temples are through large gopurams. In Vijayanagara architecture style, these tower-entrances kept on increasing and became the prime element of decoration.
These tall gopurams are also known as Raya-gopurams to depict that they were mainly built by the Rayas. These gopurams were built with wood and brick and were adorned with life-size figures of Gods and Goddesses carved with stucco.
Vijayanagara Temple Architecture: Large Courtyards
In a typical Vijayanagar architectural style, after entering through these gopurams, one finds himself in a large courtyard with the main shrine in the center of the courtyard.
Along with the main-shrine, in the courtyard, there are usually other subsidiary shrines, vast hypo-style halls, pavilions and other annexes with special purposes, constructed at designated positions in the complex.
Vijayanagara Temple Architecture: The Amman Shrine
The must among the subsidiary structures was the Amman Shrine, for the consort of the deity of the temple. The Amman shrine was usually constructed towards the north-west of the central shrine, positioned slightly behind it.
Vijayanagara Temple Architecture: Kalyan Mantapa and the Hundred Pillared Halls
Another important structure in the Vijayanagar architectural style was the Kalyan Mandapa.
It was usually constructed towards the left of the central shrine usually in front of the east-entrance. The primitive mandapas of early architectural style were soon replaced by vast open pillared pavilions, that made these mandapas the most ornate structures in the whole complex.
Kalyan Mandapas were constructed on slightly raised platform for a throne in the middle of the structure for the annual marriage ceremony of the deity and his consort; this ceremony was conducted with great religious fervor.
These ceremonial halls had numerous pillars in them, reaching even upto the count of hundred and these halls were then also called hundred-pillar halls.
The monolithic pillars of these halls and also the one in mahamandapa became the prime focus of the sculptors who chiseled to convert them into masterpieces.
Vijayanagara Empire art and Architecture: Evolution of Pillars
The brilliance of the Vijayanagar sculptors is perceivable as they converted these monolithic pillars into a block of central pillar surrounded by thin collonettes.
The number of these collonettes kept on increasing, reaching to a maximum count of sixteen.
These slender pillars encircling the massive central shaft gave a feeling of lightness to the whole structure.
The central shafts became the central core for the compositions of a involved group of statues of heroic sizes, chiseled in the form of rearing horses and the Yalis.
Many of these temple pillars were chipped in a manner that they started to have eight and sixteen sides. There were cubical motifs on these pillars carrying the sculpted elements.
The pillar brackets were formed on inverted lotus buds. Sometimes, these massive pillars were supported on Yalis carved out of round granite stone.
The overall structure gelled so well with the rock from which it was chiseled that it was difficult for any one to make out where the nature ends and the art begin.
Preferred Material for the construction of the temples
Granite was used in plenty for temple structure, halls, gateways, enclosure walls. The reason could be its abundance, as the empire was full of granite hills. And it can also be for its durability.
It is not easy to destroy granite, this fact was important keeping in mind the constant threat of attacks from the neighboring states. And Soapstone was used for reliefs and sculptures as it was easy to carve.
Vijayanagara Empire art and Architecture: Yali and the Horse Carvings
Apart from large life-size carvings of men, women, gods, goddesses, the pillars were carved with charging horses with and without riders on their back, Yalis in different positions and episodes from Hindu mythology were decorated on all sides of some of the pillars.
The horses and Yalis on some pillars stand seven-eight feet tall.
The refined horse motifs appears frequently on temple pillars. It represents the spirit of the time as it was the time of the horse soldiery.
There were usually ornate stepped entrance on all four sides with miniature elephants or with Yali Balustrade.
Another reason for these horse carvings could be the importance of the horses in the military; horse-trade was one of the main trade in the empire and the kings were ready to pay high prices for the good breed horses. The mood of the time is reflected in the carvings of gallant warriors on the back of charging horses, appearing to be in furious combats.
Vijayanagara Temple Art and Architecture: Introduction of Curved Eaves
The outer structures of the temple had Chinese style curved eaves from which the stone rings were hung at corners. These stone rings carried over them the temple lamps.
Monolithic Sculptures of Vijayanagara Temple Architecture
Another element of Vijayanagar style is the carvings of monoliths – the carvings on Sasivekalu and Kadalekalu Ganesha temple, the monolith of Lakshmi-Narasimha in Hampi, carving of Gommateshwar in Karkala and Nandi in Lepakshi represents this.
Paintings in Vijayanagara Temples
Vijayanagara art includes the ceiling paintings as well. These can be viewed and appreciated in the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi and in the Veerbhadraswamy temple of Lepakshi.
These monuments, carrying Vijayanagara architecture, are spread all over S.India, still nothing surpasses the largest congregation of these structures in the royal capital of the empire – Hampi – an open air theater of monuments.
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