The living history of ruins of Hampi in Karnataka makes any visitor visualise the place that would have existed centuries ago. The town has many small and big shrines and many of them ceased to be worship places. One such is the huge Narasimha statue situated close to the Badavilinga temple.
The statue often referred to as Ugra Narasimha, the ferocious form of the god with lion's face and a human body should have been Lakshmi Narasimha. Going by the marks of removal of a portion on the chest of the statue and the arm with fingers at the backside of the statue hint the presence of Goddess Lakshmi on the statue.
The teeth, the right hand and the feet in the front of the statue are mutilated. The largest of the monolithic statue in the Hemakunta group of temples, the statue is meticulously sculpted. Open to the sky, the statue is a grandeur among this group.The proportion of the chest to the head and the legs is so perfect that it is difficult to take off the eyes quickly. The cross-legged statue is seated on the coil of Adisesha, the holy snake on which Lord Vishnu reclines in many shrines. The seven heads of the snake forming a hood adorn the statue as its headgear.
Being one of the interesting gigantic statues among the ruins, your guide or your taxi driver will not give this a miss. Even if you are on your own, the direction boards to the Royal Centre mentions this 'temple' closer to Sri Krishna Temple which is inside a closed enclave.
This statue deserves an exclusive post and my visit to other parts of the town are in a separate post. Do read my experience.
The statue often referred to as Ugra Narasimha, the ferocious form of the god with lion's face and a human body should have been Lakshmi Narasimha. Going by the marks of removal of a portion on the chest of the statue and the arm with fingers at the backside of the statue hint the presence of Goddess Lakshmi on the statue.
The teeth, the right hand and the feet in the front of the statue are mutilated. The largest of the monolithic statue in the Hemakunta group of temples, the statue is meticulously sculpted. Open to the sky, the statue is a grandeur among this group.The proportion of the chest to the head and the legs is so perfect that it is difficult to take off the eyes quickly. The cross-legged statue is seated on the coil of Adisesha, the holy snake on which Lord Vishnu reclines in many shrines. The seven heads of the snake forming a hood adorn the statue as its headgear.
Being one of the interesting gigantic statues among the ruins, your guide or your taxi driver will not give this a miss. Even if you are on your own, the direction boards to the Royal Centre mentions this 'temple' closer to Sri Krishna Temple which is inside a closed enclave.
This statue deserves an exclusive post and my visit to other parts of the town are in a separate post. Do read my experience.
