UPSC Prelims 2007 Q54: Art & Culture – Architecture & World Heritage

UPSC Prelims 2007, General Studies Paper I · Art & Culture

Where is the famous Vijaya Vittala Temple having its 56 carved pillars emitting musical notes located?

Answer: (c) Hampi

Explanation

Vijaya Vittala Temple, Hampi

Feature	Fact
Location	Hampi, Vijayanagara district, Karnataka
Empire	Vijayanagara — main work under Krishnadevaraya (16th century)
Musical pillars	56 "SaReGaMa" pillars in the Ranga Mandapa that give musical notes when tapped
Stone Chariot	Garuda shrine in chariot form — pictured on the ₹50 note
Status	Part of the Group of Monuments at Hampi — UNESCO World Heritage Site (1986)

Other options:

Place	Known for
Belur	Hoysala Chennakeshava Temple
Bhadrachalam	Sri Rama Temple, Telangana
Srirangam	Ranganathaswamy Temple, Tamil Nadu

Answer: (c) Hampi.

(a) Incorrect. Belur is famous for the Hoysala Chennakeshava Temple, not musical pillars.
(b) Incorrect. Bhadrachalam has the Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple on the Godavari.
(c) CORRECT. The Vijaya Vittala Temple at Hampi has the famous musical pillars and the Stone Chariot.
(d) Incorrect. Srirangam is known for the huge Ranganathaswamy Temple complex.

Vittala Temple, Hampi (Vijayanagara) = 56 musical pillars + Stone Chariot (₹50 note).

Musical pillars + Stone Chariot = Vijaya Vittala Temple, Hampi.

Confusing Hoysala temples (Belur, Halebidu) with Vijayanagara temples (Hampi).
Thinking the Vittala Temple is in Andhra Pradesh — Hampi is in Karnataka on the Tungabhadra.
Forgetting that musical pillars are also found at Nellaiappar Temple (Tirunelveli) and Madurai Meenakshi.

Hampi = Vijayanagara capital = Vittala (music) + Stone Chariot + Virupaksha. Belur and Halebidu = Hoysala.

NCERT Class XII — Themes in Indian History Part II, Ch 7 (An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara)
UNESCO — Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
Archaeological Survey of India — Hampi