A 'rock' temple

The Malayavanta Raghunatha Temple in Kamalapura near Hampi is known for its mythological significance.

The Temple, dedicated to Lord Raghunatha, has a five-storied gopura on the south and a three-storied gopura on the east.

The images of the deities, Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and the kneeling Hanuman are carved on a massive boulder. In fact, the boulder is an integral part of the temple structure here.

The Temple complex is built around this boulder, thus retaining the carved images within the shrine. There is a well on the south of the Temple, where an image of Krishna playing flute is carved on the inner surface.

The Temple complex also includes a small shrine of Hanuman. A road from the foothills takes one to the entrance tower in the east. A long colonnade facing the Temple compound acts as a shelter and prayer place for pilgrims. According to legends, Lord Rama and Lakshmana took shelter under the Malayavanta hill here during the monsoons, before waging the war against Ravana.