Special Report - Hampi - Jewel of Vijayanagar Empire - हप-वजयनगर समरजय क गरवगथ

As children many people have read the stories of Tenali Ram and King Krishnadevaraya Today we bring you the city of stories Vijaynagar Hello and welcome to Rajya Sabha TV's special coverage Throughout history numerous empires arose in India each adding new dimensions to art and culture during their respective eras Over time numerous empires have carved out their place in the pages of history Some of them have merely become stories while others have left behind enduring remnants—ruins that despite the ravages of time still stand as testaments to their former grandeur and artistic mastery One of these ruins in Vijaynagar speaks of the grandeur of a bygone era nearly 600 years old The ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire in Hampi a UNESCO World Heritage site reveal that during its glorious past artists here masterfully developed exceptional achievements in architecture painting and sculpture Wandering through Hampi one often feels as though they’re walking through the heart of medieval history Gazing at these ruins it’s easy to imagine a grand and prosperous civilization once thrived here Standing here one can truly sense the grandeur of ancient India and how profoundly foreign travelers must have been struck by its magnificence In Hampi both of these impressions are vidly present at once The intricate artwork you'll see in the temples of Hampi bears witness to the boundless talent and creative brilliance of Indian artists from ancient times The Vitthala Temple in Hampi is a masterpiece of art and architecture attracting visitors from across the globe who come specifically to see it The Vitthala Temple is featured on the 50-rupee note from Hampi The historical significance of Humpi's stone carvings is widely acknowledged That King Krishnadevaraya was so deeply moved by the wheels of Konar's chariot That's exactly what they had made here just as desired In Garuda's depiction this red creature is regarded as the vehicle of Lord Vishnu Beyond the threshold we proceed toward the most sacred inner sanctum of this temple Towards the musical pillars located in the great mandap Its foundation is adorned with beautiful artworks These beautifully carved pillars are known as musical pillars or singing columns The music emanating from the tapping of these stone pillars leaves everyone astonished Even modern science is humbled by the technological and scientific advancements of just fifty years ago From these stone pillars of Bhusha Greena resonant sounds emerge—tabl veena and various other musical instruments They tried to find out how exactly money was being taken out from here They thought there was something inside so they said "You can see it " Attempts were made to determine what it is by cutting the pillar But inside it was solid—there was nothing at all within it The British couldn't figure out how the money was being drained from here These pillars stand as living testament to the remarkable engineering skill of ancient India In English the future depths of the Faro's inner waters appear to shimmer We've never even tried once in England We could have had a verbal agreement between us The diversity of India's temples is unparalleled These temples are not just living embodiments of faith and religion Rather these have been integral to Indian architectural art and construction for centuries Scientific perspectives also tell the story of the angle of vision We’ll now tell you about the Virupaksha Temple Veerupaksha Temple a perfect fusion of architectural artistry and scientific perspective Moreover worship and rituals have been continuously performed here for centuries King Krishnadeva Raya commissioned the construction of these massive gopurams at this temple in 1510 To the south of the temple within a hall supported by twelve pillars stands a large statue of Lord Gadesh As one moves beyond the gopuram the grandeur of the temple continues to rise The Virupaksha Temple is also known as the Hampi Temple Devotees continue the centuries-old tradition of walking barefoot on the temple's mandap carrying their offerings with devotion to this day This temple is considered the oldest in Vijaynagar And even today prayers are offered to Lord Shiva here There is a hole in the ceiling of this small room above The reflection of the girl studying here appears upside down In addition the temple has rooms below for meditation People sit here to meditate There is also a large opening facing the chhati in these rooms The one whom Roshan has brought inside the rooms The artwork in the temple dating back hundreds of years is astonishing Like the temples in Ampee there is a pond located right nearby Outside the temple there is also a marketplace on both sides at that time Just beyond the temple lies the statue of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha In this statue Narasingha is depicted seated on the hood of a serpent specifically the serpent with multiple heads This temple was built during the reign of King Krishnadeva Ray in the year 1528 The original statue also depicted Goddess Lakshmi seated on the lion mount of Lord Narasimha a figure later destroyed by those who would eventually lay waste to the city Every leaf of the ampi tells its own unique story There's always something remarkable about every mode here Situated amidst the royal precincts lies the Hazara Ram Temple Looking at it one might think the creator has poured the very essence of their artistry onto the pages with meticulous care After centuries of being forgotten people suddenly realize these ancient statues are no mere dream The intricate carvings on the temple walls depict stories from the Ramayana in vid detail Just a short distance from the Hazara Ram Mandir lies the popular Kamal Mahal Her veil is made like the petals of a lotus flower Near the unique Kamal Mahal you can also spot the elephants at the Elephant House Here the gleam of its ruins dazzles the eyes Imagining the splendor this city once enjoyed is almost impossible in today's world The ruins of Vijayanagar city stir a question in the heart How exactly did such a mighty city come to ruin So let us tell you how Vijaynagar Samraj came to an end here As much as we know about the Mughals and the Turks We haven't read or heard anything about Vijaynagar Samraj either Vijaynagar meaning the city of victory Since the establishment of this powerful Hindu empire it has continuously faced invasions But the kings of this empire gave it a stern response The emperor was never subordinate to anyone else Its capital was several times reduced to dust But they stood it up again the people here The founding of the Vijayanagar Empire by King Harihar And two brothers named Buka had done it in 1336 The Vijayanagara Empire ruled from 1336 to 1565 spanning four royal dynasties Sangamvanch Salovvanch Tulovvanch and Araviduvanch ruled Among them Krishnadeva Raya of Tuluva dynasty s regarded as the most powerful king during whose reign From the Vijayanagar military perspective southern India was a realm of great prosperity The mighty Raj had become powerful even the Mughal-Warshah Contemporary with Babur Krishna Deva Rai was also known as Babur Khod They considered the king to be the most powerful Krishnadeva Raya was a great scholar and a renowned literary figure They also wrote several works King Krishnadeva Raya Not only did they hold all the rebels in the vicinity accountable In fact it expanded its borders nearly across the entire south They established relations with the Portuguese securing their protection and cooperation in trade King Krishnadeva Rai extensively centralized royal authority as part of his administrative reforms Incorporating the principles of scholars like Vitur and the Bharati traditions Although he was styled as a king he was actually the head of the realm But during their rule there was also a council of ministers responsible for policy guidance Krishnadeva Rai passed away as an esteemed ruler After that the real power remained in the hands of Krishna Deva Rai's ally Ram Rai In 1565 a coalition of Muslim powers launched a joint invasion of the Vijayanagara Empire Including Ahmednagar Bijapur Golconda and Bidar Initially in this war the chest of the Syed army split open like a banyan tree's trunk splitting apart at the front But in the final moments after the seventy-year-old Ram Rai's death in the battle Vijaynagar's chest had to endure every hardship The Deccan sultanates sacked Vijayanagar's capital looting it thoroughly and reducing everything to ruins In fact before the Vijayanagara Empire this region was known as Kishkindha—yes the very same Kishkindha mentioned in Valmiki's Ramayana It's all part of the Kishkindha Kanda Lord Rama arrives here in search of Sita and spends a considerable amount of time here afterward Evidence along the Tungabhadra River suggests it was during Lord Rama's exile that he spent time in this region This region is the focal point whenever India faces threats to the eternal Dharma whenever demonic forces rise and seek to undermine righteousness—this is the central stronghold for restoring divine order According to ancient scriptures Lord Rama hid in this temple atop Mount Malevanth during his exile remaining concealed for an extended period Today the recitation of the Ramcharitmanas continues nonstop for 24 hours And here are devotees who are observing a 14-year exile just like Lord Rama traveling to every place Lord Rama once visited spending long periods living in this temple We set out on a 14-year exile following wherever Lord Rama goes I've been walking since 2011 Here Lord Rama spent the Chaturmasya period defeated Bali and installed Sugriva as king of Kishkindha After that here Just beyond the Lord Rama Temple lies Anjaney Parvat believed to be the birthplace of Hanuman Ji On this mountain once stood the residence of Maharaja Kesari the father of Jambavan Great effort has been made by our deities who have furthered the worship and taken great delight in it in turn we too come with devotion and reverence drawn by that joy to offer our own devotion and share in the bliss Amma receives a profound sense of peace upon arrival It's as if when one comes to this sacred land the entire world dissolves into her presence It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Bali and Sugriva once lived in this very region Not far from here lies one of four major sacred lakes the Pampa Sarovar to which pilgrims come from distant places It is believed this is the very site of Shabari's hermitage It is a cave The Ramayana mentions Shabari stating that Lord Rama visited this place Lord Rama met Shabari here and ate the berries she offered Here in the cave the footprints of Lord Rama are also present This is the very place where Lord Rama after eating berries from Shabari’s basket gave the message that one should be judged not by birth but by character and conduct Around this area there are numerous temples and ancient relics It's a compelling history for those who are interested The city of Hampi surrounded by ravines and rocks holds tales so ancient they seem to have existed for mere moments It cannot be described here You must come here yourself and feel the grandeur of its past firsthand That's all for this segment Keep watching Rajya Sabha