JOIN USThere’s another pride of place that awaits the State’s heritage hub Hampi. The stone chariot, one of the prized monuments in the capital of the erstwhile Vijayanagar kingdom, is among the country’s eight world heritage sites that will feature in new currency notes of Rs 10 denomination to be released by the Reserve Bank of India.
Discussions have already been held in this regard by the secretary and joint secretaries of the union Finance ministry with the chief general manager of the currency management department of the country’s apex bank.
The Finance ministry officials have also held talks with the director general of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and finalised the project, sources told Deccan Herald.
The monument, known for its fine carvings, can be described as poetry in stone. It is not clear as to the period (reign of which Vijayanagar king) when it was sculpted. What is apparent, however, is the fact that the stone chariot houses an idol of Garuda, the bird vehicle of Lord Vishnu.
Having a shrine for Garuda is a common feature in front of Vishnu temples. In Hampi, the shrine for Garuda is in the complex of the Vijaya Vittala temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Two miniature elephants, that seem to pull the chariot, also find a place in the sculpture.
N C Prakash Nayakanda, Deputy superintending officer of the ASI, Hampi mini circle said that the director general had requisitioned pictures of the chariot to feature it on currency notes.
“We have sent to him the photos of the structure taken from different angles,” he said.