PRASANNA VIRUPAKSHA
15.317800,76.463900
Description
The so-called »Underground Temple« (note 1) is a sunken, man-made structure (note 2) used for religious purposes (note 3), which is partly filled with water and frogs (note 4) and contains inscription (note 5). SITUATION: At Hampi, the ruined capital of Vijayanagar, some 2 km south from Achyutaraya temple and within the "Royal Enclosure" (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 956 map; 1999: 1011; 2001: 856-857; 2003: 875, 2005: 843; LONELY PLANET, South India 2001: 390; RAUSCH & LUKOWSKI 1997: 203 location map: 46 unterirdischer Tempel).
NOTE 1: The item »10 Prasanna-Virupaksa (Underground) temple« (FILLIOZAT 1977 edited 2001 location map) is the same as »24 Underground Temple« (LONELY PLANET, India 1997: 956 location map) or »7 Underground Virupaksha Temple« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 842 location map) NOTE 2: »The temple is no longer underground as the accumulated silt and rubbish that once buried it has been removed by the Public Works Department. It is a large Siva temple and it was originally, purposely built below the level of the surrounding ground so that the linga might stand surrounded by water …« (LONGHURST 1917 edited 1982, 2002: 91-93). NOTE 3: LONGHURST (1917 edited 1982, 2002: 28-29, 91, figures 7, 37) draws attention to »nagakals« (literally: snake stones) set up by womenfolk of Vijayanagar in the north-east corner of the Underground temple. WARD (1991, 1992: 26) interprets the sunken structure as »the private royal chapel centred on a shrine that may even be 14th century.« NOTE 4: WARD (1991, 1992: 26) had encountered »frogs cavorting in slime left from scant rainfall« but on 26th February the then 30 cm deep water (21.5°C) was clear and frogs were extremly difficult to find. ABRAM (2001: 262) confirms that »much of the so-called Underground Temple, or Prasanna Virupaksha, lies below ground level and spends part of the year filled with rainwater.« NOTE 5: »According to a stone inscription the Underground Temple was known as Prasanna Virupakshe, i.e., the delighted Virupaksha« (LONGHURST 1917 edited 1982, 2002: 94, location map item 16). FILLIOZAT (1977 edited 2001: 8 note 3) refers to »S [South Indian Inscriptions] II. vol. IV, no. 260.«
Documents
Bibliography 04/07/2016History
EXPLORATION HISTORY: 26.02.2004: H. D. Gebauer and Werner Busch visited, took a GPS reading, measured the water temperature, found frogs almost absent but a scared a toddler instead, demanding »One Rupee« over and over again, interrupted only by giggling shivers induced by cavers mimicking Fritz Lang's Nosferatu.
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.9 | Underground Chamber, Vijayanagar | ||
| 1.1 | Hampi Rock-cut Shrine | ||
| 1.3 | Hampi Cave | ||
| 1.6 | MATANGAPARVATA (Cave on) | ||
| 1.6 | Hampi Archway | ||
| 1.9 | HIMALAYAN CRYSTAL CAVE, Hampi | ||
| 2.1 | Hampi-Vittala Tunnel | ||
| 2.2 | NIGONDIN RIVER'S SIDE (Cave at) | ||
| 2.4 | SUGRIVA CAVE, Hampi 3 |