19th
June 2017.
ROYAL ENCLOSURE
The
nucleus of the capital city of Vijayanagara is the largest extant enclosures in
the ancient city Occupying an area of 50000 square meter and protected by the lofty
double walls. The enclosure had housed nearly 40 structures.
The
enclosure has three entrances of which two are on north and the one on the
west. The northern entrance east of the audience hall was the main entrance with a well guarded
massive doorways arranged zig-zag on
plan. The other northern entrance with flight of steps near mahanavami dibba
platform had a doorway with exquisitely carved monolithic temple door flaps.
The western entrance leads to a passage that connects the Hazararama Temple on
the north.
Entering
the entrance of the northern main entrance there is a neatly plastered open
courtyard and pillared hall leading to a
decorated wall to this south of this hall is the underground secret council
chamber.
To
the southwest of the secret chamber was the kings residence with as many as nine chambers including a pooja room. To the west and north west of the residence where many structures. T is interesting to
note that a flight of steps used to lead from a chamber to the first floor of
the king’s audience hall.
To
the east of the palace complex is the sacred area including a large open
courtyard with well plastered floor accommodating at the centre of homa
kunda and a tank. The structures with
decorative plinth on the south of the sacred area where the residence of the
queens.
The
long rectangular pillared halls in a row arranged in units of two and separated
by a wide avenue on the south of the palace complex were probably the residences of the peoples
working in the palace complex. Water was
brought to this enclosure from an external source through a main aqueduct
running in the middle feeding 23 small and big tanks in the enclosure.
The
so called public bath located at the south eastern corner is the largest tank
in the enclosure. However the most ornamental among the tanks is the stepped
tank located north of the public bath. Every ornamental member of this tank
bears a mason mark indicating the exact
location of the member in the construction. There is another T shaped tank in
front of the mahanavami dibba Platform. There is also a well in the same
complex.
Stone
door flaps
Stone
door flaps
Stepped tank
Stepped tank
water duct
MAHANAVAMI DIBBA
This
Pyramidal three tired stone platform rising to a height of 8 meters is located
to the north east of the royal enclosure. It was one of the most important
ceremonial structures of the royal use, built in granite and subsequently encased in sculptured schist stone. It is a
dated to circa 16th century CE.
The
terraced platform is nearly 35 sq meters
and has an approach flight of steps on the east, west and south. The southern
flight of steps has sculptured balustrade that opens on the west. The western flight steps are
located almost in the centre of the platform and the eastern flight of steps
have a common chamber, which opens on the east. Each tier of the platform has
sculptured mouldings in Vijayanagara Style of architecture. The lower tier has
low relief sculptural friezes depicting the socio culture activities of the
time.
The
extant pillar bases in the centre of the platform indicate the presence of a pavilion.
There are references to the use of the platform by the royal family, for
important festivals, like mahanavami, by Abdur Razak and Domingo Paes, visitors
to this Vijayanagara city in 1520 CE. And 1442-1443 AD respectively.
