Photo 212/7(26)

Genre: Architectural Photography

General view looking across the court of the Vitthala Temple, with the stone temple car in centre and mandapas to either side. Another copy of this print at Photo 1000 (3164). Lyon's 'Notes to accompany a series of photographs prepared to illustrate the ancient architecture of Southern India' (Marion and Co., London, 1870), edited by James Fergusson, gives the following description of this photograph: '516 - To give any idea of the many views of every sort which are here to be found would be impossible. Suffice it to say, that the temple of which this appears to have formed a part must have been of great extent. This view is taken from the furthest end of the enclosure, and in it are seen the two porticos and the Car between them. The rocks in the distance are on the opposite side of the river in the Nizam's territory. The whole of this group of buildings, described in the last nine Photographs, are said to have been commenced by Achuta Raja, in the first years of the sixteenth century, and to have been carried on by his successor till at least the year 1542. They never were, however, completed, - the Vimanas having in no instance been raised above the roof of the porches. The central temple was, as hinted above, dedicated to Witoba, a favourite local deity, said to be an incarnation of Vishnu. As no one unfortunately has ever thought of making a plan of this temple, or even measuring it, we are unable to institute any comparison between it and the equally unfinished temple at Hallabeed. Considering, however, that this one is entirely of granite, and the mode in which it is sculptured, it is probably quite as remarkable as an example of the enormous amount of labour the Hindus were prepared to lavish on the temples of their gods. This temple of Vijianugger, it will be observed, is wholly in the Dravidian style of architecture, with its bracket capitals, its cornices of double flexure, and all the details of that style. It is consequently singularly interesting, as a means of comparison with the typical example of the Chalukya style at Hallabeed. Just 200 years had, however, elapsed from the time the one was stopped, to that when the other was commenced, and this, with the complete difference in style, renders any judgment as to their respective merits difficult. Perhaps all that can be said is, that the Mysore example far excels this in the gracefulness and elegance of its details, but is inferior in the vigour, and boldness of outline and construction, which characterises the more northern temple.'