Context: Tourists can no longer get too close to the iconic stone chariot in front of the Vijaya Vittala Temple in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi.
Key Points
- The Stone Chariot has been cordoned off by a protective ring by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
- ASI on Saturday put up the barrier aimed at preventing people from touching or climbing the monument, causing damage in any way.
- The proposal to install the protective ring has been in the pipeline for a long time now.
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About the Stone Chariot in Hampi
- Vittala Temple is not only among the most visited protected monuments at Hampi, but is also the most photographed.
- Art historians say it reflects a high degree of craftsmanship of the temple architecture that reached its zenith under the Vijayanagara rulers who reigned from 14th to 17th century CE.
- The chariot inside the temple complex is a shrine dedicated to Garuda, but the sculpture of Garuda is now missing.
It is one among the three famous stone chariots in India
- Konark Sun Temple, Odissa,
- Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, and
- Hampi Chariot, Karnataka.
Significance
- It was built in the 15th century during the rule of Devaraya II, one of the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire.
- Dravidian style adorns the built of the complex, which is further enhanced with elaborate carvings.
- It comprises mainly the remnants of the Capital City of Vijayanagara Empire. It is located in the Tungabhadra basin in central Karnataka.
- Classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO (1986), it is also the “World’s Largest Open-air Museum”.