Police
The Vittala Temple at Hampi is famous for its 56 stone columns that produce:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option C — Musical notes
Detailed Solution
The Vittala (Vijaya Vittala) Temple at Hampi is famous for its 56 "musical pillars" (SaReGaMa pillars), which produce musical notes when tapped gently.
About the musical pillars:
They are located in the "Ranga Mandapa" (main hall) of the temple.
Each main pillar is surrounded by a cluster of thinner, slender columns. When tapped, they produce sounds resembling different musical instruments, such as the drum, bell and string instruments, and notes of the musical scale (sa, re, ga, ma).
The sound depends on the size, shape, density and length of the stone columns.
The British are said to have cut two of the pillars to find the source of the music, but found nothing inside them.
To protect them from damage, visitors are no longer allowed to tap the pillars.
About the Vittala Temple:
- It was built in the 15th-16th centuries and greatly expanded during the reign of Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529) of the Vijayanagara Empire.
- It is dedicated to Lord Vittala, a form of Vishnu (worshipped as Vithoba at Pandharpur, Maharashtra).
- It is considered the most splendid monument of Hampi, with exquisite carvings.
The famous "Stone Chariot" stands in its courtyard. It is a shrine dedicated to Garuda, built to look like a chariot; its stone wheels were once able to rotate. The stone chariot appears on the back of the 50-rupee note (2018 series).
The temple is part of the "Group of Monuments at Hampi", a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1986).
Other temples with musical pillars:
- Nellaiappar Temple, Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu): its musical pillars are said to date from the 7th century.
- Meenakshi Temple, Madurai: has musical pillars in its "Thousand Pillar Hall".
- Suchindram Temple (Thanumalayan Temple), Kanyakumari district: has musical pillars.
About Hampi:
- It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka.
- The city was destroyed after the Battle of Talikota in 1565.
- The Portuguese traveller Domingo Paes, who visited during Krishnadeva Raya's reign, described it as being as large as Rome.
- Hampi Utsav is held every year.
Why not the other options?
- ✗"Echoes of prayers" is not what the pillars are known for.
- ✗"Flowing water" is not related to the pillars.
- ✗"Light reflections" is not what the pillars produce.
Quick tip
Remember: Vittala Temple, Hampi = 56 musical (SaReGaMa) pillars; Stone Chariot (on the 50-rupee note); expanded by Krishnadeva Raya; Vittala = form of Vishnu; Hampi = UNESCO 1986; Nellaiappar Temple = also musical pillars.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms Questions
View all ›- Q1.The Vijayanagara kingdom was established by Harihara and Bukka in:
- Q2.Which Vijayanagara ruler married his daughter to the Bahmani Sultan Firuz Shah?
- Q3.In 1520, the Vijayanagara ruler Krishnadeva Raya defeated the Sultan of Bijapur in the Battle of:
- Q4.Fernão Nuniz, who wrote about the Vijayanagara Empire and its nayaka system, was a:
- Q5.After the Battle of Talikota, which place became the last capital of the Vijayanagara kings?
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Vijayanagara & Bahmani Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the Vijayanagara Empire, founded by Harihara and Bukka in 1336, and the Bahmani Sultanate, founded by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah in 1347, along with the Deccan sultanates that followed. It includes their rulers, administration, architecture and the accounts of foreign travellers. The most tested ruler is Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluva dynasty, a patron of Telugu literature and author of Amuktamalyada. Other common questions cover the Battle of Talikota (1565), the Vijayanagara capital Hampi, and the foreign travellers who visited, such as Nicolo Conti, Abdur Razzaq and Domingo Paes. Practise the Vijayanagara and Bahmani kingdoms questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.