This piece of art portrays the famous Stone Chariot in Hampi. Hampi originally Hampe, the seat of the powerful Vijaynagara Empire, is a UNESCO World Heritage site in Northern Karnataka, India. It was one of the richest and largest cities in the world during its prime. As a seat of polity that extended much over the southern India, Vijiayanagara or Land of Victory, was built by its rulers as a show piece of imperial magnificence, famous for its might and wealth. Predating the city of Vijayanagara, Hampi continues to be an important religious center, housing the Virupaksha Temple and several other monuments belonging to the old city.

The Stone Chariot or Kallina Ratha, located at the Vittala temple, is in the demarcated Sacred Centre. Lord Vittala, after whom the temple is known, is a form of Lord Vishnu. The stone chariot located inside the campus is almost an iconic structure of Hampi. On entering through the massive tower of the temple, the first thing that draws your attention would be a series of compact platforms along the central axis of the campus. At the end of these platforms stands the Stone Chariot. This is in fact a shrine built in the form of a temple chariot. An image of Garuda (the eagle god) was originally enshrined within its sanctum. Garuda, according to the Hindu mythology, is the vehicle of lord Vishnu. Thus the Garuda shrine facing the templeÔÇÖs sanctum is symbolic. It may appear (and sometimes even referred to) as a monolithic structure. In reality this stone shrine was built with many giant granite blocks. The joints are smartly hidden in the carvings and other decorative features that adorn the Stone Chariot. The chariot is built on a rectangular platform of a feet or so high. All around this base platform is carved with mythical battle scenes. Though the chariot is not resting on it, the four giant wheels attached mimic the real life ones complete with the axis shafts & the brakes. A series of concentric floral motifs decorate the wheels. It appears from the marks on the platform, where the wheels rest, the wheels were free to move around the axis.

In front of the chariot two elephants are positioned as if they are pulling the chariot. In fact these elephants where brought from elsewhere and positioned here at a later stage. Originally two horses were carved in that position. The tails and the rear legs of the horses can be still seen just behind these elephant sculptures. A broken stone ladder once gave access to the sanctum is kept between the elephants. You can still spot the marks on the floor and the doorsill where once the ladder stood.

Material: Acrylic colours on Canvas

NOTE:

Maintenance and cleaning - Dust the surface with a dry cloth