ASI focuses on restoration of mantapas in Hampi

At the conservation work at Hampi complex, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is now focused on restoring the mantapas to their original grandeur.

Most of these mantapas at the UNESCO World Heritage site are a part of the Virupaksha temple complex.

Apart from building the pillars, the ASI now wants to restore a pathway that leads to the bazaar complex, as well as build more tourist-friendly initiatives. Work on restoring a painting in the Kalyana mantapa will be undertaken soon, officials said.

The ASI officials told DH that a team of conservation experts from the Hampi circle of the ASI had to rebuild some mantapas as many of the pillars holding the mantapas are dilapidated or crumbling. Each mantapa, which stretches over two floors, is held in place by four pillars of stone.

“We had to rebuild some of them. It is painstaking work and we have covered only 500 metres of the temple complex, and we are taking up the rest of the work this year,” an official said.

The heritage site at Hampi has 57 groups of monuments protected by the ASI, and the Virupaksha temple complex is one of few temple complexes. In front of the temple, which dates back to the Vijayanagar empire, is a bazaar complex. Conservationists say that the complex was where items of worship like coconuts were sold.

Last year, the Mysore Science Branch took up scientific conservation and preservation at the north entrance mantapa close to the south side of the Siva shrine of the temple complex. The work is in progress now.

Officials said that apart from the Virupaksha temple, the ASI is focused on restoring two more temple complexes, the Krishnapura Temple and the Vithala Temple.

“The conservation project at Hampi will take a few years to complete. As we continue to build it, we are also upgrading tourist amenities. All the three temple complexes receive heavy tourist footfall,” the official said.