After checking out the Pre-Historic Rock Art at Anegundi, we headed to Malyavanta Hill and on the way, I spotted something! Do you spot it??? Well, lets go closer...
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At a particular spot, to my right, behind a patch of agricultural land on a barren surface of rock, I spotted something! I asked to stop the vehicle and walked to that. And that's what I saw...
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A panel of shallow relief sculpture depicting a scene from Ramayana - monkeys lifting stones to build the dam!!! It was out of nowhere and after coming back I tried to figure out what it was and couldn't find any details.
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Before setting off to Malyavanta Hill from Anegundi, we headed to Pampa Sarovar, where there is a modern Shiva Temple whose mandapa was built in the Vijaya Nagara period. Just out of the Sanctum Sactorum to the right is a small relief sculpture of a seated Thirthankara.
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According to a book of ASI of 1970, there's supposed to be a series of standing Thirthankaras similar to Kazhugumalai in Ajjunahalli. Though I tried to roam about the whole place to figure out where it was, unfortunately I couldn't find. Unfortunately the priest of the temple, lost his temper too when I enquired him about the Jain connection, which he vehemently rejected!!! I couldn't find any Ajjunahalli as well! Probably, the standing Thirthankaras are also somewhere like the Ramayana panel, hidden in full view (do I sound like Robert Langdon?)!!!
My complete (all posts of) Hampi Travelogue: Zenana Enclosure, Hazara Rama Temple, Royal Enclosure, Achyuta Raya & Varaha Temples, Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple, Monolith Sculptures,Riverside ruins, Malyavanta Hills & other temples, Anegundi Pre-Historic Rock Art, Discoveries & Musings
To Get There:
From Bangalore: 343km via NH48 & NH50
From Hyderabad: 373km via NH44
From Goa: 316km via NH67
From Pattadakkal (another UNESCO site): 135km via NH50
From Orange County Resort: 9km
Map of all important sites: hampi.in
The exact spot of the Ramayana panel: The stretch in 15.362023, 76.499074
Map of all important sites: hampi.in
The exact spot of the Ramayana panel: The stretch in 15.362023, 76.499074
These sites are covered in The Vittala Tral organized as a guided tour by Orange County Resort.
Each trail costs Rs.1000/- per head as a group.
If you want it exclusive just for you it costs Rs.4000/- for 2 trails (+ Rs.1000/- incl vehicle).
If you want a guide for yourself for the whole day it costs Rs.8000/-
Dedicated to Venkat