HUMPI - MAHA GANAPATHI DEVALAYA

Among the priceless sculptural relics that the world-renowned Vijayanagara kings left for the posterity, the Virupaksha temple, Hazara Ramaalayam, Vugra Narasimha swamy statue, Lotus Mahal, Ganapathi temple etc. are attracting millions of tourists and theists even today by their inimitable architectural excellences and superb sculptural artistry. The Ganapathy shrine has well-built spacious halls and exquisitely chiseled sculptures adorning walls and pillars. The Rangamandap lying in front of the garbha griha is a fine specimen of the builder's refined taste. The archamurti is an eighteen foot-high-icon of excellent finish and dazzling polish. As it is resembling Senakkaya-groundnut, he is called popularly Senakkaya Ganapathi.

And it is made of one single stone at it. There is another image of Ganapathy at the rear of the shrine called Avaginja Ganapathy. It is also a big size icon measuring twelve feet in height. Though regular worship is not received by these august images, they are luring one and all immensely by marvelous craftsmanship that detains the viewers and particularly the art-critics, who with microscopic eyes view them for long and write longer thesis for preservation of glory to the longest period of time.

It lies in Humpi, 18 km off Hospet in Ballary district of Karnataka, accessible by bus and train.

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