Located east of Royal enclosure in Hampi,is Sri Chandrasekhara Temple on the way to octagonal bath. This is an early 15th century CE and is considered to be one of the first Vijayanagara structures commissioned by the great Dynasty.
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| Chandrashekhara Temple,kamakapuram Hampi hampi.in |
The Chandrashekhara Temple, situated in the Kamalapura region of the Hampi UNESCO World Heritage site, serves as the primary landmark for travelers entering the ruins from the southern side. Unlike the more celebrated and ornate structures in the city's core, this temple is notable for its excellent preservation, architectural restraint, and its strategic location near the Queen's Bath and the noblemen’s residences.
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| Chandrashekhara Temple, Hampi Instagram.com |
The temple is a Dwikutachala (two-shrine structure), an architectural layout that houses two separate sanctums. The main Garbhagriha faces east, while a secondary one faces south. The temple complex is divided into four distinct sections: the Mukhamantapa, the Sabhamantapa, and the two sanctums.
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| Chandrasekara temple plain outer wall karnatakatravel.blogspot.com |
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| Chandrashekhara Temple,Hampi,KA touringwithpk.com |
The Mukhamantapa is a spacious 24-pillar open hall. Architecturally, it prioritizes functionality over ornamentation; twenty of its pillars are plain, a rarity in the typically exuberant Vijayanagara style. However, the central four pillars and those flanking the main entrance feature intricate carvings, including floral murals, images of sages, and warriors. The Sabha Mantapa (closed hall) is designed with two doors to facilitate cross-ventilation and a specific ritual flow, allowing devotees to enter through the eastern door for darshan and exit through the side door.
Architectural and Historical Significance
The temple is enclosed within a spacious quadrangle featuring a three-level Gopura on the eastern gateway. While earlier dynasties like the Chalukyas focused on perfecting the Shikhara (sanctum tower), the Chandrashekhara temple showcases the mid-to-late evolution of the Gopura as a monumental gateway—a practice that reached its zenith under the Vijayanagara kings.
The temple’s Shikhara is a brick-and-mortar pyramid that remains largely intact, though the decorative plaster has worn away. Inside, remnants of ancient white and red lime paint on the walls suggest that the temple was once vibrantly decorated.
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| Chandrashekhara Temple,Hampi,K karnatakatravel.blogspot.com |
Conservation and Surroundings
While the temple is well-preserved compared to many Hampi ruins, signs of damage to the walls and thresholds hint at the historical activity of treasure hunters. Near the south-western corner lies an incomplete eight-pillared platform, likely intended to be a Kalyana Mantapa (marriage hall). Its proximity to the Octagonal Water Pavilion and the Saraswati Temple underscores its importance as a place of worship for the elite residing in the nearby noblemen's quarters.
https://karnatakatravel.blogspot.com/2020/07/chandrashekhara-devastana-hampi.html
Longhurst, A.H. (1917). "Hampi Ruins: Described and Illustrated."
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) - Kamalapura Circle Documentation.
Verghese, Anila. "Religious Traditions at Vijayanagara."
https://hampi.in/chandrashekara-temple
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K. N. Jayaraman
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