Introduction:
Hampi is located in the city of Hospet in the Bellary district of Karnataka. It is famous for its vast ruins of the capital of the medieval Hindu empire Vijayanagar. It extends over 25 square kilometers and is a virtual museum of the Hindu religious culture. Palaces, Temples, Fort Street, civilian buildings, cisterns, irrigation canals, etc. Distributed at different stages of conservation. The remains leave no doubt about the wealth and power of the Vijayanagara Empire. Only a powerful empire could have the resources to create what looks like an expanding open art gallery today. While in ruins today, it is easy to understand the past splendor of this city when you walk around the neighborhood.
With lots of beautifully carved temples dedicated to numerous deities scattered around, this is the ultimate religious zone for practicing Hindus. If there is Nirvana, you need to get it here. In all religious and secular buildings there are many gods and celestial beings. Ganesha, Krishna, Vishnu, Mahishasuramarkhini, Rama, Shiva and Parvati, each member of the Hindu pantheon is present here. In those days, it must have been the most important place for the Gods. It is impossible to touch and feel carved idols or beautiful pillows, without experiencing feelings of reverent trembling and euphoria. Despite deliberate vandalism, having invaded the Islamic army and people's ignorance, it is nothing but a miracle that temples and other buildings survived another day. There must be very few such beautiful places where the omnipotent might really want to stay. If there are gods, I’m sure they can really stay calm here. Humpy can not simultaneously cause ecstasy and agony.
Hampi and his relationship with Ramayana clients:
Hampi was from ancient times, closely associated with episodes of Hindu mythology, giving it the aura of the holy land. The region in and around Hampi is closely connected with Kishkindha (the kingdom of monkeys). According to the Hindu epic Ramayana, this area was ruled by two monkey brothers, Wali and Sugriva. In the quarrel in which Vali prevailed, his brother had to flee the area with his minister, Hanuman. They took refuge on the hill of Rishyamuk, which was close to the ashram of Rishi Matangi on the mountain called Matanga Parvatam (still called the same name). Due to the curse inflicted by Vali Rishi, he could not enter space. This made Sugriva and Hanuman feel safe from Vali.
Rama was looking for Sugriva when he heard that he had information about the abduction of Sita. Sugriva tells him that he witnessed Ravana wearing Sita in her heavenly chariot and that she dropped some jewels and clothes as evidence. Unaware that he was part of an epic drama, he collected them and placed them in a cave (now called Sugriva's cave). He presents evidence to Rama. In gratitude, Rama kills Vali and the shores of Sugriva. Sugriva and his monkey army continue to play the most important role in the final rescue of Sita. The construction of the Rama-Setu or Adams Bridge was facilitated by a large number of stones in and around Kishkind. There is also a small pond connected to Sita, called the Sita Pond, next to the Sugriva Cave. So, technically, when you walk around the Hampi area and its mountains, you could repeat the steps of the Ramayana personalities.
Vijayanagara - historical background:
Like Remus and Romulus, who created Rome, Vijayanagar was founded by the two brothers Hakka and Bucca. The empire of Vijayanagar under the rule of various kings from different dynasties reached great heights of wealth and power. Hampi was the jewel of the medieval empire of Vijayanagar - the last Hindu military and cultural stronghold against Islamic aggressive tendencies towards the southern parts of India. One of the best empires of the world, it lasted for more than 200 years in full glory.
Its formation and disappearance were part of a strange cycle. The cycle begins with its formation caused by the Islamic invasions to the south, its collapse came when the neighboring Muslim armies united to transfer the last king Rama Rai to the greatest military strike in the battle of Rakshas-Tangadi or Talikot in 1565, completing the cycle. Thus, he a set of factors that were stated in its formation was resolved with the extinction of Vijayanagara.
If you need to know people, you need to understand their psyche. In the psyche there are lockers that hide the basics of human thinking. The formation of the human psyche, which is a constant process, dictates the behavior of people, as well as their system of response incentives. The locus of the human mind, the formation of the psyche - is a strategic process that proceeds from the lessons of the past. The ruins of Hampi give us the opportunity to see the medieval Hindu psyche, its inner workings and responses to various stimuli, both positive and negative. The predominance of religion over the imagination of people is manifested in every temple, every idol and carving. The chisels of the craftsmen left the gods and the celestial animals in a state of bliss.
Temples in India were not just sacred spaces, but represented a religious and political locus. Community life revolves around it. If highly developed art becomes a sign of the development of society, then Vijayanagar society was highly developed. With a classic aesthetic sense, the figures on the walls look like life and are well distributed.
There were various strategic considerations that involved choosing Hampi as the capital of the mighty empire of Vijayanagar. It was a safe place with strong hills on the one hand and the mighty Tungabadhara River on the other. In addition, the association of the region with the mythical episodes of the Hindu scriptures should also play a vital role. The rulers rightly expected to legitimize their rule by associating with this holy land. This association reflects a symbiotic relationship between religion and politics. Developing temples for the convenience of his subjects, the king took a worthy place among the pantheon of gods. The temples are numerous. Some of them are the Hazara Rama temple, the Virupaksha temple, the Vithala temple, the Ahutaharay temple, the Chandrashehara temple, the Anantashain Vishnu temple, the Badavalinga temple, the Kadalekalu Ganesh temple, the Lakshmi Ganesha monolith, the Prasanna Virupaksha temple, the Sashivekulu Ganesha temple, the Ranhra temple, and the rangsha temple. The list can be continued. Thus, Hampi offers a deep understanding of the Hindu intent of the times.
Hampi has two important factors that influence people and dictate their lives - Religion and architecture are abundant.
Religion:
Religion is one of the most popular, understandable and widely accepted concepts. We can trace the origins of religion to the prehistoric development of man between 500,000 and 100,000 years BC. Through prayers and claimed miracles, religion was a place that provided a feeling of safety and comfort in this life and provided a promise of brilliance after death for the believer. The perfect two-way deal between gods and man, religion ended for many centuries. Death is the greatest fear of humanity because of its unknown nature, and it was religion that provided comfort and responded to a great mystery.
Despite the fact that there are no empirical data confirming the foundations of religion, what Karl Marx described as the opium of the masses continued to hold the masses all over the world in Trell. The religious process is based on reverse engineering - the more a person tries to prove the opposite, the harder it becomes to convince. One of the most durable and powerful ideas of the world, it formed civilizations and dictated the fate of nations. Religion by nature is a dichotomous concept. Although its original function must be comprehensive, its intolerable nature makes it a disagreement. Membership leads to religion, and the presence of other strong - the threat of the existing. Most of the wars were considered for religious reasons. The motivation for fighting in the name of God sent many soldiers to kill ruthlessly and skillfully die on the battlefield. As Vasily King writes: “Few of us see the connection between the strength of the spirit and the power of the limb, but it exists.” It would be advisable to say that all the events in the world, which were influenced by people and god, operating in tandem. As history shows, religious faith and faith often turn out to be much more powerful than considerations of pure self-interest. A person is incurably religious, despite the fact that the form and object of this religious feeling may change over time. The man is an obsessive myth maker. Myths served as ambrosia, which helped a person to cope with uncertainties, regardless of the mechanism of liberation. Ancient culture represented gods, goddesses, angels and demons, and symbols that emerged from collective consciousness as myths.
India as a geographic face has always fascinated and mesmerized religion and its manifestations - Gods and Divine beings. It has always been a land of religion with its thoughts, and life has always been guided by it. Hinduism was creative and at the same time fragmentary enough to generate offshoots of itself, such as Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, which themselves formed separate religions. Radicality, which is the fundamental character of Hinduism, created its bifurcations into Vaishnavism and Shavism, as well as the creation of many cults.
The Indian religious system is characterized by a large number. These are the god’s amalgam, religious scriptures and intense philosophy, legends and superstitions. As with all people, religion played a pivotal role in shaping the Indian psyche. In the true divine hypermarket, everyone had the choice to choose the god they wanted to worship, like Ishta Devat. The gods strive for total devotion and are not kind to the presence of others. Believers were also defeated on the basis of the gods they worshiped. Such a division of the belief system also probably contributed to the lack of political unity that prevented us from presenting the united fronts to the invaders and settled in slavery for more than 800 years, referring to 1192 with the victory of the Afghans over Prithvirah Chauhan in 1192 in Taraine and ending with the transfer of power by the British in significant night of August 15, 1947.
Architecture - Human Aspirations in the Stone
Architecture has always occupied a special place in the human imagination. It is nothing more than the pursuit of individuals or people in strong materials. On a monumental scale, this is a demonstration of the power and nuances of the striving for immortality. Obviously, a lot of resources, both money and labor, turned Humpy into a playground of Kings and Gods. This is a deadly mixture of passion and political ambition. As the first capital of a mighty empire, Hampi became a symbol of power. Thus, each ruler, regardless of the dynamics to which he belonged, added his own piece of the dream to the puzzle, increasing it and adding to his aura. Like religion, architecture continues to hold our imagination.
Thus, as A. H. Longhurst writes: “It is a mistake to isolate architecture from its environment, because the main points of physical geography, social progress and historical development of any country should be understood by those who study and comprehend their particular style”,
“The leading influences that can be expected to shape the architecture of any country or people are as follows: (1) The terrain in relation to its geographical, geological, and climatic conditions; (2) Religion; (3) Socio-political, historical, as important as all four of them, the most powerful are the excessive influence of religion. In almost all countries and in India, in particular, we find that the main buildings are the source of the nation’s religious beliefs. A nation is as clear as its religion, and nothing has a stronger influence on its architecture. ”
Even now, the desire to create the highest tower dominated the race for supremacy among the most prosperous cities; whether it is Taipei 101, Petronas Tower or Burj Dubai (whether it is the largest tower in the world after its completion). Architecture is a projection of power. It is about prestige, and it is about pride. If the need to dominate the masses and entice them with minimal military operations, this is the need of the ancient and middle ages, the desire to impress and suppress, apparently, feeds today's construction activities. While some cities position themselves as business centers, some as cultural epicenters and others as holy lands — in all these cases, the most common denominator is the presence of buildings. The buildings can be divided into two parts: religious and secular. Religious building covering the sacred spaces of the people and idols in them, was considered the source of power of the ruler. This was one of the reasons why sacred sites were the first targets for destruction. The destruction of challenges has destroyed the spirit of the people who directly affect their ability to resist.
Destruction and construction are two sides of the same coin. A lot of resources coming in the process of construction, equal amounts go to its destruction. Both are aimed at making strong statements about strength and invincibility, it is not surprising that the invaders spend more than six months, focusing on the destruction of what remained the constant symbol of Indian freedom and prosperity. The fear-induced psychosis was so high that repeated attempts to repurpose it, Humpy remained only a destroyed symbol of the past era.
Conclusion:
Religion has played a decisive role in both construction and destruction. Someone fundamentalist are others wrong. The view of the other is hanging on which side it is standing. Expanding aspirations were resolved in destructive wars, and when the flickering effect appears under the banner of religion. He can turn the most obedient person into a motivated soldier of god. The power of religion becomes apparent when a common ideology forms a strong glue that even the most violent rivals together achieve a common goal. The Islamic states of Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar and Bidar, although bitter rivals for political gains, came together to form the hand of an Islamic sword against the Hindu shield.
In the battle of Talikot in January 1565, when the last king of Vijayanagara Rama Raya was symbolically decapitated, he knocked over the leaves of History. Soldiers from both ends were brave and motivated. What may have added to the mortality of the invading soldiers was a powerful ideology that linked them as one. With defeat, the destruction of Vijayanagar has just begun. The anger and frustrations of the Islamic army did not seem to subside after a convincing victory over the strongest unitary Hindu empire. When the victorious invaders marched into the flourishing cities of Vijayanagar, in addition to mining, plunder and plunder, one of their main centers was the destruction of beautiful predominantly religious buildings. The empire, which is beginning to be attributed to the Islamic invasions, again completed the Islamic invasion.
Humpy is a metaphor of the passions, stupidities and limitations of the human mind. He did not fail to recall one of the finite elements of human potential. Compared with Pompeii, Giza or Mesopotamia at different times, Vijayanagara was a victim of poisonous fumes of the unholy amalgam of religion and politics. Amalgam continues to exist and leaves its toxic effects on humans. They continue to inhale it, not trying to change the situation. Many secular institutions have become ruins, and our fragmented mental plans continue to accept them. Perennial invasions and destruction naturally left deep scars in our psyche. More than ever, we are divided by numerous religions. Physically tolerant to each other, mentally we share each other.
Even today, centuries later after deliberate destruction, which was probably the norm of the time, Vijayanagar still suffers from ignorance and neglect - on its own. Us. Humpy is not about the past - we are talking about the present and our continuing negligence in our history. When it comes to History, we believe that love is bliss. As a contradiction to our deep religiosity, Hampi’s close relationship with the Ramayana and Mahabharata did not lead most of us to understand, investigate or defend what rightfully belongs to our heritage.
Saving Heritage is not an easy task. This requires the participation of ordinary people who need to change their thinking. There are many such sites in India that receive little attention and resources. It is part of corporate social responsibility to help restore and preserve the past for the future. In fact, our dharma plays a role in saving our heritage - Sanjay Velialudhan.
© Sanjay Velajdhan
Footnote: the author will like your feedback - both bouquets and brick bars. Write to me- sanjai.velayudhan@gmail.com.
