Thread by @meenakshisharan

To the southern side of the Hemakuta hill on the banks of Tungabhadra Nadi, is the ancient Mula Virupaksh Shiva Mandir of Parvati Pati/ Pampa pati
Virup = furious, aksha = eyes.
#VirupakshMandir #Hampi
1/n

https://twitter.com/meenakshisharan/status/1539629605346496512

Virupaksh is Swayambhu.
Ravan in Tretayug asked Shiva to come with him to Lanka, Shiva gave him Shivling saying it shouldn’t be put on ground before reaching Lanka, Ravan en route put it down for a moment & couldn’t move it again.
Its here that Sita ji dropped her ornaments.
2/n

Rani Lokamahadevi re built the Mul #VirupakshMandir in 740
Chalukyan & Hoysala rajas built it into a huge one
Nayak Lakkan Dandesha under Prauda Deva Raya of #Vijayanagar added to it.
Krishnadevaraya restored & further decorated it.
3/n

Krishnadevaraya restored sculptures, built Gopura & Rang Mandap where Poojas, martial arts, sangeet & nritya were performed for the deities, built roads, Maths for ascetics & scholars, built huge shopping centre in front of the Mandir, ruins of which stand even today.
#Hampi
4/n

As you pass through the 9 tiered 50 meters eastern Gopura, you see a plethora of smaller Mandirs-Garbh grihas,Huge Nandis, Rang Mandap of carved pillars that has 3 divisions & one huge Kaksh, more pillared halls, 3 ante chambers, courtyards & a small pond in the courtyard.
5/n

The Kanakagiri northern 5 storied Gopura leads to subsidiary Mandirs & to the Tungabhadra Nadi. Tungabhadra flows along the terrace of #VirupakshMandir , descends to the kitchen & passes through the outer court area.
6/n

Further south is #BaalKrishnaMandir
8 feet+ #SasivekaluGanesh Mandir, 12 feet #LakshmiNarasimha & #BadavilingaMandir
Though all Mandirs in Hampi were destroyed by the Bahmani sultans, Pooja of Virupaksh Pampa has continued.
#Hampi #Vijaynagar

Brahma ji’s daughter Pampa was worshipping on Hemakuta Hill & Shiva was meditating nearby, Kamadeva schemed to bring them together.
Furious(Virup) Shiva reduced him to ashes with His 3rd eye(aakah)
Shiva later married Pampa/ Parvati & was called Pampapati &
#Hampi / Pampakshetra