The sacred centre

The rocky northern end of the city, on the Tungabhadra, was the sacred centre. According to local tradition, these hills sheltered the monkey kingdom of Vali and Sugriva in the Ramayana; another tradition says that Pampadevi did penance here to marry Virupaksha, the guardian deity of the kingdom (a form of Shiva).

The rulers claimed to rule on behalf of Virupaksha: royal orders were signed 'Shri Virupaksha', in Kannada. They also used the title 'Hindu Suratrana' (Sanskrit for 'Hindu Sultan').

Vijayanagara temple architecture added new features:

• raya gopurams (royal gateways) so huge that they often dwarfed the towers over the central shrines, and announced the presence of the temple, and the power of the king, from a great distance;
• mandapas (pavilions) and long, pillared corridors around the shrines.

The Virupaksha temple was built over centuries. Krishnadeva Raya added a hall in front of the main shrine, and built the eastern gopuram to mark his accession. Halls in temples were used for music and dance, for celebrating the marriages of deities, and for placing images on swings.

The Vitthala temple was built for Vitthala, a form of Vishnu worshipped in Maharashtra. It has a famous stone chariot. Temples had wide chariot streets lined with pillared pavilions where traders set up shops. The nayakas continued and expanded this temple building. Gateways that announced the king.