Hampi - Hazara Rama Temple (Ballari

My next stop from Zenana Enclosure, was Hazara Rama Temple and it rendered me speechless the moment I saw it!!! Even before I went in, the sculptural beauty was just mesmerizing!

The entire outer wall is filled with 5 rows of sculptures depicting the various warriors including soldiers on elephants, on horses, soldiers on foot etc as well as dancers, musicians and Krishna Leela etc.

The Sanctum Sanctorum is closed today! I was informed that it has 3 empty slots on a pedestal which should have been Rama, Lakshmana and Sita! Like most of the temples in Hampi, this too was vandalized and sanctum sanctorum defaced in 1565 after Deccan Muslim confederacy. Since the sanctum sanctorum is empty, the temple is not under worship, wearing footwear is allowed in here!

In the Ardha Mandapa, are 4 pillars made of black stone filled with intricate relief sculptures on all sides in 3 levels including Lakshmi Hayagriva, Kalki, Rama Lakshmana Sita, Vinayaka, Hanuman etc. Most of these relief sculptures also have their faces destroyed!

Just outside, on the outer circumambulation passage, on the outer walls of the ardhamandapa, are where the icing on the cake rests – Ramayana panels, tons of them!!!! It begins at Putrakameshi Yaga, Dasaratha giving the holy food to his 3 wives, Ahalya moksha (Agalikai moksham), Rama breaking the bow during swayamvara, the fight between Vaali & Sugreva, Rama’s arrow passing through 7 oak trees to attack Vaali, Maarisan the deer appearing to Sita, the fight between Rama & Maarisa, Hanuman wrapping his tail to form a seat taller than Ravana, Sita in Ashokavana, Hanuman meeting Sita in Ashokavana, and war between Rama and Ravana and many more!

There are 4 panels just dedicated to the Shravan episode, which essentially is the beginning or the root cause for the entire Ramayana to happen! There are also some other reliefs including an infant Krishna, Kaliyamardhan (Kalinga Nardhanam), Nandagopala, Yoga Narasimha, Gajendra Moksham etc.

There are some inscriptions as well. The earliest inscription is a Sanskrit verse that says it was built by Devaraya, but it is not clear which of 2 Devaraya is it, but mostly assumed as Devaraya II who ruled from 1422-46 CE.

There is a separate shrine for the Devi (Amman) and that too has some scenes of Ramayan on its outer wall. The goshtam (smaller shrines on the outer wall) on both are empty. The Kumba Panjaram (vessel shaped divisional pillars on wall) is very ornate and fluted as well! Notice the tiny bootha gana in the tiny space lifting the upper section of the Kumba Panjaram?!!! There is a bottom frieze of miniatures in the Devi Shrine’s outer wall depicting both dancers & Gods!

There is a separate Kalyana Mandapa (which is almost crumbling, but kept intact somehow by ASI) whose inner walls are again filled with the same panels of Ramayana. The Pushpa Podhigai (floral bud shaped detailing on corbels atop pillars) is more intact here than the Ardha Mandapa.

Some special scenes here that was missing there include 3 people carrying Lord Siva’s super heavy bow for Sita’s swayamvara (which Rama eventually breaks into 2 singlehandedly trying the knot it and wins Sita’s hand!), Lakshmana wounded and laying on Rama’s lap in the war (which eventually leads Hanuman to carry the entire Sanjeevani mountain and fly back), Oarsman Guhan riding a boat with Rama, Sita & Lakshmana etc!

To Get There:

Refer earlier post.

Dedicated to Venkat

Hampi - Hazara Rama Temple (Ballari - Karnataka)

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