The Hindu : Karnataka News : New light on the origin of Virupaksha temple gopuram

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Friday, Oct 19, 2007
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Karnataka

New light on the origin of Virupaksha temple gopuram

Pramod Mellegatti

A study has confirmed that it was re-built by Bishtappaiah

The main gopuram of Virupaksha temple at Hampi.

SHIMOGA: There is new light on the origin of the historical main gopuram of the Virupaksha Temple at Hampi saying that it was re-constructed by a religious leader and visionary Bishtappaiah after it was ruined during an aggression.

Though there has been no mention about it in the official documents pertaining to Hampi, it is known as Bishtappaiah gopuram even today. It is said that it is being wrongly claimed that Molagunta Thimma of the Immadi Devaraya period re-constructed the main gopuram.

Vasundhara Desai Mahapurush, a writer of Shimoga, who claims to be a direct descendent of Bishtappaiah, says that her study on the inscriptions and other authentic documents confirms that the main gopuram was re-constructed by Bishtappaiah.

She undertook her study under the guidance of archaeological experts S.K. Joshi, B.S. Ram Bhat, S.G. Samak and Jagadeesh.

She says that research scholars M. Chidananda Murthy and the former vice-chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi, M.M. Kalburgi, have approved of her conclusion that the gopuram was re-constructed by Bishtappaiah.

She has appealed to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and others concerned to ensure that the pioneering efforts by Bishtappaiah in the virtual revival of the gopuram were accorded a prominent place in the official documents on the history of Hampi.

Ms. Desai says that Bishtappaiah, born in 1608, was deeply involved in religious pursuits and attained “Atma Jnana” after performing penance for 12 years after his thread ceremony.

The beginning of the17th century was marked by aggressions on Hindu religious places, destruction of idols and religious conversions in the South which prompted Bishtappaiah to undertake the re-construction of monuments in and around Hampi at the suggestion of the then sage of the Vidyaranya Math. He was also credited to have performed miracles for the good of society.

It was stated that after the downfall of the Vijayanagar Empire, Rangaraya tried to hold fort for sometime but fled to take refuge under the Keladi rulers when he failed to counter the attacks by Muslims. As a result, Hampi came to be neglected.

Ms. Desai says that a study of an inscription found on the premises of the temple at Hampi reveals that Krishnadevaraya renovated the original gopuram which strengthens the claim that there was a structure before Bishtappaiah took up the re-construction of the main gopuram after demolishing the old one as it was not in a position to be revived. “A new gopuram was constructed by Bishtappaiah at the same site,” she says.

According to the details in the genealogy of the family, she says, the re-construction of the main gopuram began in 1663. While the construction of the second storey was taken up, it used to collapse repeatedly.Lakshambe, Bishtappaiah’s wife, who came to know of it, reportedly performed “sati”. As proof, she says, an impression of a pregnant woman merging with Siva-Parvati is engraved on the stonewall in the second storey of the gopuram.

“Lakshambe is being worshiped even today as ‘Gopuradamma’ which incidentally is the family name of Mahapurush,” she says.

The 11-storeyed gopuram constructed as a symbol representing Ekadasa Rudras stands as a testimony to the amazing engineering expertise of Bishtappaiah.

The unique feature of the gopuram is that its “shikhara” stands topsy-turvy at a particular time while the sun’s rays fall on the idol of Pampapati in the sanctum sanctorum.

Bishtappaiah, who lived a meaningful life serving the interests of society in various forms, accepted Sanyasa in 1694 and performed penance for four years in a place surrounded by the Tungabhadra waters.

He entered “Jala Samadhi” at Rangapur on the bank of the Tungabhadra in 1968. Bishtappaiah’s grand son, Mahadevappaiah, born in 1701 completed all the unfinished works of his grandfather and placed a “kalasha” on the gopuram when he was 16.

The then Seer of the Sringeri Sarada Peetham who appreciated the contribution of Bishtappaiah and his grandson, Mahadevappaiah, honoured them with 60 titles.

The then seer of the Uttaradi Math Satyabodh Swamiji granted temples constructed by Bishtappaiah and a village, Rangapur, to Mahadevappaiah as “Mahapurush Samsthan Rangapur” which finds mention in all official documents of the family.

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