Architectural Culture of

the Vijayanagara Empire

Presented By
Varsha.V.Nair
XII-Humanities
 Contents
• Acknowledgement
• Synopsis
• Distinctive elements of the Architecture of the Vijayanagara Empire
• Architectural wonders of the Vijayanagara Empire
• Bibliography
 Acknowledgement
I would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to all those who have contributed to the
completion of this history project. First and foremost, I would like to thank my history teacher Mrs. Sneha
Karwadkar for their guidance, encouragement, and valuable insights throughout the project. Their expertise
and passion for the subject have been instrumental in shaping my understanding and enthusiasm for history.
I am deeply thankful to my parents for their unwavering support and encouragement. Their belief in my
abilities and constant motivation have been invaluable in overcoming challenges and completing this
project successfully. Finally, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all the historians, scholars, and authors whose
works I have consulted for this project. Their research and writings have provided the foundation for my
study and have significantly contributed to the depth and quality of the project.
To everyone mentioned above and those who may have inadvertently been omitted, please accept my
sincerest appreciation for your contributions, support, and inspiration. This project would not have been
possible without your help and guidance. Thank you all for being a part of this journey and for sharing your
knowledge and expertise.
 Synopsis
• The Vijayanagara Style of Architecture :

• The Vijayanagara Empire constructed numerous temples. Granite was the

primary material employed by the empire, while soapstone was used for the
reliefs and sculptures that adorned the temples.
• The Hoysala, Chola, and Chalukyas empires, as well as other earlier
empires, provided the architectural inspiration for the Vijayanagara Empire,
which combined these aspects to produce its own distinctive architectural
compositions.
• They adopted the Dravidian architectural style and then added certain
distinctive elements, giving it the name Vijayanagara style
• Local firm granite was the preferred building material because of its
durability, much as it had been for the Badami Chalukyas.
• Strong fences surround the Vijayanagara temples, which are distinguished
by elaborately pillared Kalyana mandapa (marriage halls), tall Raya
gopurams (carved colossal towers at the entrance of the temple), and life-
size statues of gods and goddesses.
• During Krishna deva Raya’s rule, the Dravida style gained popularity, and
during the following two centuries, many South Indian temples were built in
this style.
• Mortar combined with other materials is typically used in Vijayanagar's
courtly architecture.
• Typically constructed of mortar and stone shards, Vijayanagar's courtly
architecture frequently features secular designs with Islamic-inspired arches,
domes, and vaults.
 Objective of the Study
• The objective of studying the architecture of the Vijayanagara Empire is to
gain a comprehensive understanding of the empire's architectural style,
techniques, and contributions.
• Historical Documentation: To document and analyze the architectural
features and structures of the Vijayanagara Empire, including temples,
gopurams, pillared halls, rock-cut architecture, and royal enclosures
• Cultural Significance: To explore the cultural and religious significance of
the Vijayanagara Empire's architecture, particularly in the context of the
Dravidian architectural style prevalent in South India.
• Architectural Techniques: To investigate the construction techniques
employed in the empire's architecture, including stone carving, temple
construction, and rock-cut architecture
• Influence and Legacy: To assess the impact and legacy of the Vijayanagara
Empire's architecture on subsequent architectural developments in South
India. This includes studying the influence of Vijayanagara's architectural
style on later dynasties, regional temples, and contemporary architectural
practices.
Conclusion: By accomplishing these objectives, the study aims to deepen
our knowledge of the architectural achievements of the Vijayanagara Empire,
highlight its cultural and historical importance, and contribute to the broader
field of architectural history
 Scope of the Study
• The scope of this Study will purely remain within the Indian
subcontinent specially focusing of the region occupied by the present
day states Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh. The
study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the
architectural culture of the Vijayanagara Empire and its significance in
the broader context of South Indian architecture.
 Significance of the Study
• Studying the architectural culture of the Vijayanagara Empire holds
significant importance due to the following reasons:
1.Historical Insights: The architectural culture of the Vijayanagara Empire
provides valuable insights into the empire's history, governance, and
socio-cultural dynamics. It helps us understand the power and influence
of the empire's rulers, their patronage of arts and architecture, and their
religious and cultural practices.
2.Cultural Heritage: The architectural heritage of the Vijayanagara Empire
represents a significant cultural legacy. It reflects the artistic
achievements, craftsmanship, and religious beliefs of the people of that
era. .
1.Architectural Excellence: The Vijayanagara Empire's architectural style,
characterized by its intricate carvings, monumental structures, and engineering
marvels, represents a pinnacle of architectural excellence. Studying this
architectural culture allows us to appreciate the mastery of craftsmen and the
advanced construction techniques employed during that period.
2.Influence on South Indian Architecture: The Vijayanagara Empire's
architectural style had a profound impact on subsequent architectural
developments in South India. By studying this architectural culture, we can
trace the influences and adaptations of Vijayanagara's architectural elements in
later dynasties, regional temples, and contemporary architectural practices.
Conclusion: By studying the architectural culture of the Vijayanagara Empire,
we not only preserve and appreciate its rich heritage but also gain a broader
understanding of the region's history, cultural traditions, and architectural
advancements. It allows us to connect with the past, celebrate the artistic
achievements of our ancestors, and ensure the preservation of these architectural
wonders for future generations.
The Architectural Culture
of the Vijayanagar
Empire
Distinctive elements of Vijayanagara architecture

• High Compound Walls of the temples

• The 3 Islamic states surrounded vijayanagara 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
highly compounded walls .
 • The Raya Gopurams
• The entrance to these temples are through large gopurams . In
Vijayanagara architectural style these tower entrances kept on
increasing and became the prime element of the 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 the
wood sand bricks and were adorned with life size figures of gods and
goddess carved with stucco .
 • Large Courtyards :
• In a typical Vijayanagara architectural style after entering through
these gopurams one finds himself in the large courtyards with the
main shrine in the center of the courtyards . Along 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 the designated in the complex
 • 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.
 • The Kalyan Mandapa
• It is usually constructed towards the left of the center shrine usually in
front of the east entrance . They were constructed on a 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 the great religious fervor .
 • The hundred pillar halls :
• These ceremonial halls had numerous pillars in them , reaching even
upto the count of 100 and these halls were then also called hundred
pillar halls . The monolithic pillars of these halls and also the one in
the mahamandapa became a prime focus of the sculptors who
chiseled to convert them into masterpieces
 • Yali and the Horse carvings:
• Apart from large life size carvings of men women gods and 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 the Yalis on some of pillars stand 7-8 feet tall . The refined
horse motifs appears frequently on the temple pillars . It represents
the spirit of the time as it was the time of the horse soldiery .
 Architectural Wonders of Vijayanagara
Empire
• Queen’s Bath
• A water pavilion, used for bathing, is a sizable square structure with a
simple exterior and a multi-lobed arch doorway, but an elaborate,
open-air interior with pointed arches, plaster-decorated domes and
vaults, and corridors with projecting balconies that surround an
interior pool. Today, this structure is known as the “queen’s bath.” It
was possibly used by royal members as a personal bathing chamber or
a cool relaxation area
 • Lotus Mahal
• The two-story pavilion known today as the “Lotus Mahal,” which
combines aspects of Islamicate architecture with those of temple
architecture (the base, roof, and some stucco ornamentation), likely
served as an event space or a meeting area for the emperor and his
advisors. It features multi-lobed, recessed arches for its entrances,
plastered ornamentation for the vaults and domes, and a stepped,
pyramidal roof with finials reminiscent of temples.
• While the base, the multi-layered roof design, and the stucco
ornamentation display an Indic temple style, the cusped arches,
variously designed vaults, and the decoration in geometric and foliated
motifs on the walls and ceilings indicate an Islamic character. Additional
evidence of a thriving exchange between Turko-Persian and Indic
cultures and a great desire to participate in the larger cosmopolitan
culture beyond Vijayanagara’s imperial borders.
 • Royal platform
• A large platform dominates the royal centre. This multi-story stone
theatre is surrounded by horizontal bands of low-relief friezes that
portray many aspects of courtly life (such as the march of war animals,
hunting scenes, soldiers engaged in combat, ladies performing
traditional dances with sticks, and musicians).
 • Elephant stables
• The elephant stables, which housed the royally utilised ceremonial
elephants, are the most impressive of all courtly buildings in the city.
The Vijayanagara army would need many more elephants than could
fit in the stables (or twenty-two, if two were housed inside). The open
area in front might have been used as a parade ground.
 • Water tanks
• Near the Mahanavami Dibba, a sizable water tank (pushpakarni) with
a square shape is surrounded by a series of steps that descend to a
lower level in a semi-pyramidal arrangement of black schist stone. Its
design made it simple for individuals to enter and exit the water.
• The reservoir was apparently utilized by royal members for ritual
bathing and purification before prayers or for the immersion of metal
deity incarnations during religious events. It was fed by the
neighboring Tungabhadra River by an aqueduct system.
 • Virupaksha temple
• The Virupaksha temple is the oldest Hindu shrine within the imperial
complex that is still actively used for worship today.
• The Vijayanagara rulers’ patron deity was Virupaksha, a manifestation
of the Hindu god Shiva.
• Since many Hindu temples face the rising sun, pilgrims typically enter
from the east side of the walled temple complex’s 160-foot-tall
entrance tower (gopura).
• The marriage of Virupaksha and his spouse, the regional folk goddess
Pampa, after whom the settlement of Hampi gets its name, is
commemorated with annual ceremonies at the temple
 • The Vittala temple

• The Vittala temple, which is devoted to a form of Vishnu, is the most

impressive structure in the capital’s sacred core. The complex, which
includes the primary temple and many auxiliary shrines, dates to the
fourteenth century. It is located inside a rectangular court.
• The open, multi-pillared “marriage hall” (Kalyana mandapa), which is
utilized for events involving the symbolic marriage of the temple’s
deity to his wife, is a significant and defining feature of Vijayanagara
art.
• The hall features external piers with riders on rearing yalis (mythical
beasts) and elaborate brackets. It consists of an elevated platform
surrounded by rows of large, artistically carved granite columns.
• Since the fifteenth century, Yalis, which represent a hybrid of a horse
and a human, have been a prominent motif in south Indian temples.
• The unique aspect of the temple is a stone chariot, or Garuda shrine,
which is meant to resemble a wooden chariot used to transport metal
representations of gods during religious festivals.
• Garuda is Vishnu’s animal mount (vahana), and as is typical in
temples, it stands facing the god who is revered there. In the inner
sanctum of the temple, immovable deities are present.
 • Monolithic sculptures
• Large monolithic engravings are also present at the location, which
made use of the enormous stones that dot the landscape around the
city. For instance, Krishnadevaya, regarded as the greatest emperor of
the Vijayanagara empire, contributed a magnificent sculpture of
Narasimha, the man-lion incarnation of Vishnu, depicting him
reclining in a yoga position beneath a seven-hooded serpent (though is
sometimes shown with five or ten-heads).
• The serpent known as Adisesha, upon which Vishnu is said to sleep,
served as a seat for Narasimha in one of his incarnations.
 Gopurams
• Gopurams are towering gateways that mark the entrances to temple
complexes. They are characterized by multiple tiers adorned with
intricate carvings of gods, goddesses, and mythological scenes. The
gopurams of the Vijayanagara Empire were colossal and served as a
visual representation of the temple's grandeur. The gopuram of the
Virupaksha Temple is a notable example, standing at around 50 meters
in height.
 Bibliography
• https://manishjaishree.com/vijayanagara-temple-architecture/
• https://www.clearias.com/vijayanagara-art-and-architecture/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayanagara_architecture
• https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-asia/south-asia/x97ec
695a:1500-1850-deccan-south/a/art-and-architecture-of-vijayanagara
-empire