15. History of Vijayanagara Paintings

The empire of Vijayanagara was established by Devaraya on the south zone of the river Tungabhadra. Krisnadevaraya the mighty ruler who ruled the kingdom in the early stage of 16th century was a popular ruler. The Sultan of Deccan and the rulers of Ahmaednagar, Bijapur, Golkonda were jealous towards Devaraya. They conspired themselves and attacked Vijayanagara Kingdom and concurred it. They destroyed the temples and palaces. The remains of Vijayanagara paintings are seen in Tirupparuttikunram, Humpi, Lepakshi, Anegundi, Somapally and Pillaimari. These paintings are classified as belonging to two different stages. The Ist stage is based on the ancient hereditary concepts and the second stage is based on the middle hereditary concepts. In the 1st stage crowns, ornaments clothing etc are seen painted but the outlines of the figures are uneven and smooth. They resemble with the traditions of Ellora. The figures are seen lean and the curves are seen Imade smooth on the lateral positions the nose seems to be high and sharp. The

142 theme of paintings include the incidents of Jaina religion The paintings in Virupasa temple of Hampi are supposed to be pertained to 15th century. The incidents of Mahabaratha and Ramayana and the adventures of God Siva are seen among the paintings. In a procession Vidyadhara is carried in a swing. The joys people are seen crowded in another painting Arjuna is seen launching an arrow towards a fish which is placed on the back of a rotating wheel seeing the shadow of the fish in the water in a pot. In another the marriage of Srirama and Sita is seen. Tripurasura is defeated by Kamadeva in a fight is also seen painted. The paintings of Vira bhadra swamy temple of Lepashi are believed to be done in the middle of the 16th century. The theme of the painting is based on the stories of Saiva. Siva is painted in the form of a teacher and also as the killer of Ajnanasura. The miseries of Goddess Parvati resulted from Siva's relation with Ganga is remedied by marrying Parvati. The poet Bharavi has made a poem viz Kiratarjaniyam which has also been made the theme of paintings. God Siva made Arjuna subject to various experiments and ultimately donate some divine weapons to him. A number of portraits are seen painted in this chamber of Uchayappamatha in Anegundi. In one painting a bush is seen blossomed in one side and a squarrel and 2 females on the other side. A man wearing a crown on his heads rides on a camel

143 in front of which an elephant runs. A man with long hair and chin sits on the back of an enchanted elephant where the elephant being artificially created by five ladies. The same man sits on a horse back in front of which another lady holds an umbrella on the upper portion of the painting the garlents of lotus flowers are seen hanging. The figures painted in the picture being lean. They are believed to have been painted during the middle ages. The blossomed bushes and the squarrels represents Ajantan paintings. The temple Chenna-Kasava of Somapally is believed to represent 18th century. A number of paintings which illustrate the epic story Ramayana is seen in the front chambers of the portico. Among the paintings the Ashtadikpalaka (protectors of eight corners of the universe) and their prayers to God Indra for the incarnation of Vishnu is seen painted. The slain of Tataka by young Rama, the breaking of bows in front of Janaka and Sita etc are among the paintings. In the temple of Pillarmarri the incident of Palazhimadhana (churning of milk ocean) is seen painted. This paintings believed to represent 12th century. The pictures must have been painted in the last stages of the glories of Vijayanagara. In one place the fighting between Rama and Ravana is unobvously seen. The lateral faces are obviously sharp and the external lines are made soften.